Florida State University student Jaclyn Madson, a double major in marketing through the College of Business and hospitality and tourism management through the Dedman College of Hospitality, chose FSU because of its academic reputation and welcoming nature. Now, Madson is a James M. Seneff Scholar and uses her time at FSU to give back to the university and Tallahassee community.  

Deeply involved in Kappa Delta sorority, Madson engages with fellow sorority members to raise money for local organizations that support children in Tallahassee, such as the Girl Scouts of America, Children’s Home Society and Prevent Child Abuse America.

Her dedication to service led to a nomination for the Dedman College of Hospitality’s Humanitarian of the Year Award. 

Why did you choose Florida State University?

The sense of family and welcoming atmosphere on campus set Florida State University apart. The school’s excellent academic rankings and standards captured my attention. After touring the campus and speaking with current students, I felt like I belonged. I was shown around by incredible students of the College of Business and realized that FSU was the perfect place for me to pursue my educational goals while taking part in the vibrant community. 

What academic achievements are you most proud of?

I was inducted into the James M. Seneff Scholar program, which selects 16 students in the College of Business to receive one-on-one mentorship, attend meetings with business leaders, travel to learn about different companies and attend experiential learning opportunities.

I was recognized as the Dedman College of Hospitality’s Humanitarian of the Year Award nominee. The award ceremony recognized one student from every college who had been a leader in their philanthropic work. It was an honor.

What community service have you participated in and around FSU?

As president and vice president of events and programming for Kappa Delta, I helped our sorority raise a record-breaking $160,000 for Children’s Home Society of Tallahassee and Prevent Child Abuse America over the last two years.  Last year I started a lip sync competition as a new event that could raise more money for our philanthropies, which then became an annual event.

As a chapter, we started volunteering with Children’s Home Society events on the weekends when they needed assistance. This organization works to ensure that every child has a safe, loving and permanent home by providing services like foster care, adoption and support programs. The most impactful event was their Chef’s Taste of Home event in Tallahassee. Volunteering has bonded our organizations and has shown the tangible help that we have been able to provide. I could not imagine my life in Tallahassee without my connection to the Children’s Home Society.

In addition, I have built a strong relationship with the Tallahassee Girl Scouts. Through confidence workshops, card making activities and cookie booth events, I have mentored and empowered young girls to advocate for themselves and enacted positive change in our community. 

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James M. Seneff, an alumnus and major supporter of Florida State University, on Friday encouraged a cohort of elite students in the College of Business to strive for wisdom, lifelong learning and resilience.

“Ultimately, your life will depend on how resilient you are,” he said. When you’re strong like an oak tree, “you can get blown down by the wind. When you’re resilient, you bend and come back stronger than you were before.”

Seneff, a 2006 inductee into the College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame and the founder and executive chairman of the Orlando-based CNL Financial Group, spoke as the guest of honor at a medaling ceremony for the fifth cohort of the James M. Seneff Honors Program.

The program launched in fall 2019 as part of a $5 million gift to the college by the CNL Charitable Foundation to honor Seneff.

He told the scholars about the 10,000 books in his library and about the power of reading and lifelong learning, both of which he champions “to build your capacity.”

“I tell my kids all the time, and I’ll tell you the same thing: What you don’t know will hurt you,” he said. “The faster that you can learn and get wisdom, the quicker you’ll be able to avoid … downfalls.”

The event took place at the FSU President’s House, where President Richard McCullough and First Lady Jai Vartikar welcomed this year’s Seneff Scholars, plus their friends and family members. Also present were Michael Hartline, dean of the College of Business; Mark and Nan Hillis, longtime FSU supporters and members of the college’s Alumni Hall of Fame; retired FSU vice president Lee Hinkle, whose late husband, Clifford, is enshrined in the Alumni Hall of Fame; and Seneff and his wife, Martha.

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When the Florida State football team travels to Ireland next August to take on Georgia Tech in Dublin, the trip isn’t just about a football game — it’s about deepening connections between the university, the State of Florida and Ireland.  

The Florida State Seminoles will face Georgia Tech on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2024, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. 

Last week, a delegation from Ireland led by the Consul General of Ireland in Miami and the Lord Mayor of Dublin visited Florida State University to check out campus and discuss preparations for FSU’s appearance in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. 

The delegation included staff and leadership from the Aer Lingus College Football Steering Committee, Aer Lingus Airlines, multiple Irish corporate CEOs and executive leaders, Dublin local government administrators and Irish National Tourism leadership officials. The game is part of a larger mission to connect Ireland and the U.S. 

“This visit reflects enduring friendship and the deep ties that bind our countries,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “It’s also a testament to the power of sport and the way it brings people together, transcends borders and fosters understanding. This journey is a gateway to a world of possibilities, with the potential for collaboration on research projects, cultural exchanges and business opportunities.” 

Last year, Consulate General Sarah Kavanagh established the inaugural Consulate General of Ireland in Miami, which represents Ireland in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She noted the significance of this game to bolstering the relationship between Florida and Ireland.  

“This game is more than a game,” Kavanagh said. “It’s going to be hugely important for Ireland and Florida’s relationship together. We’re working to strengthen our economic relationship, our political relationships, our cultural relationships and our people-to-people relationships and the game next year is going to be a fantastic microcosm of all that work.” 

To kick off their five-day visit, the delegation visited the FSU Seminoles football practice to speak to Head Coach Mike Norvell. The visit was followed by a luncheon hosted by President Richard McCullough and First Lady Jai Vartikar.  

During the second half of their day, the delegation was treated to a tour of FSU’s campus on their way to visit the Florida Capitol. They were joined by The Right Honourable Nigel Evans, member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley and deputy speaker of the House of Commons, who was visiting FSU as a guest lecturer and served on a moderated panel discussion about internship opportunities for students in British Parliament.  

The Aer Lingus College Football Steering Committee had a meeting on campus followed by a luncheon with FSU leadership and deans at the Heritage Museum in Dodd Hall. The luncheon served as an opportunity to build connections and share ideas, as well as to highlight FSU’s values and commitments. 

“This event is much more than a football game — it connects two nations and cultures with rich histories of resilience, innovation and collaboration,” said Provost Jim Clark.  

The delegation then met with James M. Seneff Scholars from the College of Business, which was an opportunity to further develop connections between Ireland and FSU on a student level. The panel was selected from an elite honors program that helps students gain experience and knowledge through educational activities, volunteer experiences and networking activities.  

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity from the College of Business to be able to meet with some of the Irish Delegation,” said Elizabeth Manning, a senior majoring in finance who participated in the panel. “I think that meeting the people who are putting on such a great event makes it more of a realistic experience. Talking to business leaders and answering questions about what we think the future climate of business will be is a great opportunity to share our thoughts about where the industry is going and how we will be future leaders in it.” 

On Saturday, the Irish Delegation had the opportunity to watch the Seminoles win in Doak S. Campbell Stadium.  

“From what we’ve seen from the FSU community in the recent day, we’re hoping the 2024 game just takes it up another notch. It’s such a privilege and an honor to be gameday zero of college football,” said Daithi De Roiste, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ireland.

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Florida State University President Richard McCullough on Friday hailed 17 elite College of Business students as future “business leaders and community leaders who are going to make a huge difference in the world.”

McCullough and First Lady Jai Vartikar hosted the Seneff Scholars at the FSU President’s House for the James M. Seneff Honors Program medaling ceremony. The program dovetails with the University Honors Program and Garnet and Gold Scholar Society allowing students to gain educational benefits in disciplines beyond the College of Business.

The Seneff Honors Program comprises a community of top undergraduate business students who benefit from an especially rigorous curriculum. The program stresses innovation, leadership, collaboration and forging lifelong relationships.

Attendees included honors program namesake James Seneff and his wife, Martha; longtime university supporters DeVoe and Shirley Moore; College of Business alumni Mark and Nan Hillis, who are members of the college’s Alumni Hall of Fame; and retired FSU vice president Lee Hinkle, whose late husband, Clifford, is a member of the college’s Alumni Hall of Fame.

Also present were 16 of the 17 members of the current Seneff Honors Program cohort and their family members. One Seneff Scholar was studying abroad and could not attend.

The students represent the fourth cohort of the Seneff Honors Program. The program launched in fall 2019 through part of a $5 million gift to the college by the CNL Charitable Foundation to honor Seneff, a College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame member and the foundation’s founder.

Seneff also serves as founder and executive chairman of the Orlando-based CNL Financial Group, a private investment management firm.

“Jim and Martha, thank you so much for your friendship and your generosity,” McCullough told the Seneffs, emphasizing the effects of their “game-changing gift” on the college’s nationally ranked programs and the university’s No. 19 public-schools ranking by U.S. News & World Report.

The gift from the CNL Charitable Foundation “provides life-changing experiences and opportunities for our top business students and helps to elevate the entire college and the university,” McCullough said.

During Friday’s ceremony, Seneff placed medals around the necks of the scholars and joined McCullough for photos with them.

Seneff urged scholars to become familiar with what he calls the “ABCs of life.” That starts with “advance in adversity,” Seneff told students.

“If you don’t have adversity, you’re not going to advance in life,” he said. “The second one is ‘big ideas will pull you into the future,’ and you don’t want to push off from where you are. You want to be pulled into the future with a vision that’s big and gives you passion to live your life and make sense of it. The third thing is you want to ‘build capacity’ by reading and thinking.”

The 2022 Seneff Scholars, selected last fall, are:

• Jonah Ashley-Friedman (Finance and Real Estate ’25)
• Joseph Cofer (Marketing ’25)
• George Duffy (Finance ’25)
• Brooks Elson (Finance and Real Estate ’25)
• Sydney Fruhwirth (Finance and Management Information Systems ’24)
• Andrew Glennon (Finance ’24)
• William Godfrey (Finance ’24)
• Ashlee Holder (Human Resource Management and Marketing ’24)
• Jack Huisman (Finance and Chinese ’24)
• Samantha Leon (Finance and Marketing ’24)
• Elizabeth Manning (Finance ’24)
• Sebastian Mehlum (Management and Real Estate ’25)
• Sofia Perez (Finance ’25)
• Mason Pullum (Finance and Economics ’25)
• Tripp Ragans (Finance ’25)
• Jordan Rose (Finance and Biology ’24)
• Natalie Faith Timm (Finance and Real Estate ’24)

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