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Cooley Law Student Honored For Academic Excellence
Students Get Hands-On Experience Through New Internship Program
WMU-Cooley Law School's Tampa Bay campus recently celebrated the accomplish- ments and academic achieve- ment of its highest-ranked students during a reception at the Tampa Club. The event, known as The Dux, originated from the Latin word Dux, or leader.
In schools located in foreign jurisdictions, Dux refers to a student who has reached the highest rank. At Cooley, The Dux describes the Tampa Bay students who are ranked in the top 10 percent of their re- spective classes at the campus.
To honor their accomplish- ments, students were joined by family members, campus deans, faculty, and prominent community leaders including the Honorable Claudia Isom; Woody Isom, Esq.; the Honorable Catherine McEwen; the Honorable John Badalamenti; Dier- dre White, General Counsel for Grow Financial; and Va- lerie Obi, the First Vice Pres- ident of the George Edgecomb Bar Association.
The event is commemorated with a directory that includes a photo of each student, a statement voicing each stu-
Shown from left to right are: Simone Genus, 2016 Dux honoree; WMU-Cooley Law School Student Bar Association members Sabrina Mentor and Jazmin Shorter; and Dericka Burke, 2015 and 2016 hon- oree.
Six area high school juniors and seniors are getting hands- on, in-depth experiences in airport management as part of a new internship program partnership between the school district-run Tampa Bay Regional Aeronautics Acad- emy and Tampa International Airport.
The six-week summer in- ternship program selected stu- dents from Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas County Schools to learn all as- pects of running a major com- mercial airport, as well as general aviation airports.
The program focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) learning and includes an hour and a half of classroom study each day with an instructor, followed by three hours of hands-on internship in various departments at TIA.
“We’re excited to have such a groundbreaking educational program here at Tampa Inter- national Airport, helping the next generation of aviation professionals get a head start in the industry,” Tampa Inter- national Airport CEO Joe
Lopano said.
The three female and three
male students, all with an in- terest in future aviation ca- reers, have had the opportunity to ride along on airfield inspections, spend time in fleet maintenance, at- tend airport operations meet- ings, learn about security procedures and customer service, visit the air traffic con- trol tower and more.
After successfully complet- ing the internship, which ends Aug. 2, the students will receive college credits through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The students also have the option to take an (AAAE) certification exam to earn an industry credential.
The program took nearly two years to create and was made possible with the help of former Speaker of the House Will Weatherford, Speaker Designate Rep. Richard Corcoran, Senator John Legg, and Rep. Chris Lat- vala, whom all worked to se- cure the grant funding for the program under Pasco County Schools.
dent’s appreciation for the support of their family, and their goals for the next five years.
Associate Dean Jeffrey Martlew encouraged the stu- dents to continue with their success and cherish the mo- ments they are experiencing as law students. Martlew also recognized students Simone Genus and Sheila Burke for being ranked in the top 10 percent of their class for three consecutive years. Genus and Burke were each presented with Tiffany crystal business card holders.
The evening’s events also included greetings and a toast from the founders of the event, Karen Fultz, associ- ate professor; and Dionnie Wynter, campus director. Campus director of the Debt Relief Clinic, Victor Veschio was also in attendance.
The Dux was sponsored by
Frederick H. L. McClure, Esq., the George Edgecomb Bar Association; Kaplan, Themis, Holland and Lamou- ruex, P.A.; the Law Office of Thomas P. Gill, and the Tampa Bay Campus Student Bar Association.
2016 Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday Planned
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Earlier this year, state elected officials passed legisla- tion to create a 3-day sales tax holiday that will take place next weekend. The “Sales Tax Holiday” will begin at 12:01 a.m., Friday, August 5, 2016, and end at midnight, Sunday, August 7, 2016.
The legislation has made some notable changes since last year. Some items such as clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for less than $60 per item will be al- lowed. Designated school sup- plies selling for less than $15 per item will also be allowed.
Some of the items that qual-
ify for the sales tax are: items for the hair, neckwear, scarves, baby clothes, back- packs, belts, bibs, book bags, coats and wraps, dresses, jeans, leg warmers, shirts, uni- forms, sports uniforms, un- derclothing, etc.
Some of the school supplies that can be purchased are binders, calculators, tape, col- ored pencils, compasses, com- position books, construction paper, crayons, folders, rulers, glue, highlighters, legal pads, markers, notebooks, filler paper, scissors, etc.
During the designated week- end, merchants will not collect sales tax on qualified clothing items. The sales holiday tax also applies to layaways. The
exempt items can be placed on layaway or picked up during the weekend.
However, items such as computer paper, printer paper, staplers, or staples will be taxed.
In addition to the clothing costing more than $60, per- sonal computers and com- puter-related accessories will not be allowed.
Merchants will collect sales taxes on all computer-related items with the exception of blank CDs.
Additionally, items pur- chased at theme parks, enter- tainment complexes, public lodging establishments, or air- ports do not qualify for the sales tax exemption.
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