During Homecoming 2025, the Office of Alumni Engagement is presenting its five annual awards — with each recipient personifying the university’s mission of education where learning and values meet.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

(Presented annually to up to two Stetson alumni who have brought honorable distinction and special recognition to the university. This award is the highest honor Stetson Alumni bestows on a graduate of the university.)

Milt C. Douglass ’82, MBA ’83 

Milton Douglass originally entered Stetson as a music major and was a member and officer of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. Later, he also earned an MBA.

Following graduation, Douglass began his career in the technology field of semiconductors, joining Harris Semiconductor in Melbourne, Florida. After working in various marketing, engineering and sales capacities for Intel Corp., ST Micro and Harris, he joined Cavium Inc., a provider of microprocessors, serving as executive vice president of worldwide sales, in what would be his final position in high tech. He retired from Cavium in 2018 after it was acquired by Marvell Technologies. Since that time, as managing director of Douglass Holdings, he has provided executive consulting services to several Silicon Valley-based startups while serving on the boards of several private companies.

Upon retirement from Cavium, Douglass returned to Florida, where he lives with his wife, Lisa Douglass.

Douglass joined the School of Business Administration’s Board of Advisors in 2016. In 2020, striving to help the School of Business Administration accelerate its market differentiation, he co-founded the Hatter Angel Network and the Hatter Angel Investment Program. In support of this experiential learning program, he also became an adjunct professor.

The program now is in its 10th cohort and has been attended by approximately 200 Stetson students, while generating investments of more than $1.5 million from Hatter Angels, who have pledged to return half of all profits to Stetson in support of the program. Douglass was elected to the university’s Board of Trustees in February 2025, and he has generously provided gifts to the School of Music, Men’s Tennis, Football, the School of Business Administration, Hulley Tower and Stetson’s 1883 Society. 

Patrick Zalupski ’03 

Patrick Zalupski is the founder, president and chief executive officer of Dream Finders Homes in Jacksonville, and has served as chair of the board of directors since January 2021. He also has served as CEO of the primary operating subsidiary, Dream Finders Homes LLC, since forming the company in December 2008, and he has been CEO of DFH LLC since its formation in 2014.

Under Zalupski’s leadership, DFH has grown from closing 27 homes in Jacksonville during its inaugural year in 2009 to establishing operations in 23 markets across 10 states and closing 42,200-plus homes through June 2025. Dream Finders Homes was named the 2025 National Home Builder of the Year by Zonda, recognizing the company’s exceptional growth, innovation and commitment to delivering high-quality homes nationwide.

In addition, since April 2018 he has served on the investment committee of DF Capital Management LLC, an investment manager focused on investments in land banks and land-development joint ventures.

Prior to founding DFH LLC, Zalupski was a financial auditor for FedEx Corp.’s Internal Audit Department in Memphis, and worked in the real estate sales and construction industry as managing partner of Bay Street Condominiums LLC from 2006 to 2008.

Zalupski was appointed to the University of Florida’s Board of Trustees in 2023, where he continues to serve as a member of the board and Compensation Committee.

Most recently, in October, Zalupski became the principal shareholder of the group that now owns Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, where he serves as the team’s managing partner.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD 

(Presented annually to a graduate or friend of the university. This award is in recognition of their personal commitment to the values and goals of Stetson and dedicated service in the areas of personal growth, intellectual development and global citizenship.)

Julie Marie Tingley (Bressett) ’03 

Nov. 28, 1980-April 6, 2025

Born in Vero Beach, Julie Marie Tingley was a proud graduate of Vero Beach High School and Stetson. She began her professional journey in pharmaceutical sales and later became a dynamic force in Tampa Bay as a businesswoman, philanthropist, writer and nonprofit founder.

Tingley was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church and a guiding light in her community. She helped launch KNOW Women in both Tampa and St. Petersburg — an initiative dedicated to empowering and elevating female entrepreneurs. Also, she was the visionary behind Wee Macree, a give-back collective designed to support families and children in need. Her entrepreneurial spirit was matched only by her compassion and tireless dedication to making a difference.

Known for her love of health, fitness and wellness, she embraced life with energy and grace. She was a true “supermom” to her two daughters, a loyal friend and a mentor to many. Her generosity was unwavering, and she gave from the heart, always without expectation.

Tingley’s impact will live on through the countless lives she touched. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered as a beacon of strength, kindness and inspiration.

OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

(Presented annually to an undergraduate or graduate degree holder of Stetson within the last 10 years. The award recognizes honorable contributions to society and to their chosen profession through significant accomplishment or promise in leadership; or civic, cultural or charitable involvement.)

Eryn McCoy Wagnon ’15 

Eryn McCoy Wagnon graduated with degrees in sociology and Spanish. During her time as a student, she was a FOCUS leader, member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and a leader on the Panhellenic Council. She also met her husband, Ethan ’13 at Stetson. They’ve been married for 10 years and have a son. 

A lifelong learner, she holds a master’s degree in sociology from Georgia Southern University, a certificate in legislative studies from Georgetown University and, most recently, she completed Air War College – Distance Learning. 

Wagnon’s career has been dedicated to supporting military families. She currently serves in the Department of Defense as the chief of staff for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy. In this capacity, she supports the daily operations of a broad portfolio of worldwide programs and policies. 

Wagnon began her federal service in 2021, serving in roles on the Joint Staff and the Department of the Air Force, where she advised senior defense leadership on military family policy and supported the larger human capital portfolio. From 2023 to 2024, she completed a special assignment at the White House, serving as senior adviser for Joining Forces in the Office of the First Lady.

Before entering civil service, Wagnon was director of Government Relations for Military Family Policy and Spouse Programs at the Military Officers Association of America. Also, she taught sociology at the University of South Carolina – Aiken and Georgia Southern University.

Editor’s note: The views expressed here reflect Wagnon’s personal capacity and do not represent the views of the Department of Defense.

GEORGE AND MARY HOOD AWARD

(Presented to a member or friend of the Stetson community in recognition of passion for, and commitment and contributions to, Stetson and its core values.)

Susan Perry Brockway ’79

Susan Perry Brockway worked professionally with PwC Coopers & Lybrand in West Palm Beach as a Certified Public Accountant in the audit area and was the financial controller for a real estate/golf course developer in Boca Raton. She married alumnus Peter Brockway ’78, and they live in Boca Raton, where Peter enjoyed a 35-year career in private equity. They are the parents of two adult daughters and have five grandchildren.

As a community volunteer, Brockway serves on the board of directors of the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the Leadership Advisory Council for the Place of Hope Rinker Campus and the Advisory Council for Impact 100 Palm Beach County. Also, she is a founding member of the Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club of Boca Raton and a member of the nonprofit Angel Moms for Place of Hope, a nonprofit organization supporting children and youth who are in foster care, aging out of the system and facing other crises.

Additionally, as a volunteer, Brockway has supported educational endeavors throughout her adult life. Activities have included serving as a director of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties; chairing the Saint Andrew’s School Board of Trustees; being a member of the College Board of Visitors at Wake Forest University and a member of the University of Virginia Parents’ Fund Committee; and serving as a director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach County. In 2017, she was elected to the Stetson University Board of Trustees. 

Jill Jinks ’79

Jill Jinks is a research fellow in the Generative Learning and Complexity Lab in the College of Education at the University of Georgia. Her research focuses on informal and incidental learning. The University of Georgia recently received a patent for the methodology developed in Jinks’ dissertation to measure adult learning using fractals. This method allows human learning to be extracted and assessed to determine the complexity of the learning context and the need for intervention to support the learning effort. The ability to directly extract human adult learning and measure it is important in the further development of generative AI applications. 

After graduating from Stetson, Jinks received an MBA from New York University and an MS from Georgia State University in computer information systems. After stepping aside from her role as CEO of a family insurance and technology business, Jinks continued her formal education. In 2018, she received an MEd from the University of Georgia in instructional design. She was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in 2022 from UGA’s Mary Frances Early College of Education. (Her words: “Yes, you can teach an old DAWG new tricks!”)

In addition, Jinks spends time working with the volunteer-driven Atlanta Boxer Rescue, and she recently supported the establishment of Stetson Sailing Club to invite and inspire others to explore sailing. She is a lifelong sailor and holds a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner credential as a 100-Ton Master Captain. 

Karen S. Roberts ’80

In 2025, Karen S. Roberts is celebrating her 40th year as a human-resource professional, with experience in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Aside from earning her bachelor’s degree in Finance at Stetson, she received an MBA from Florida Atlantic University and holds a certificate in HR Management from Capella University. Also, she received credentialing from the Human Resources Certification Institute, which sets the global standard. She has been a Senior Certified Professional since 2005.

Roberts began her career in the aerospace industry, where she worked in various HR capacities for 15 years, attaining the position of manager, Workforce Diversity. In 2002, she found her calling — working in the not-for-profit sector, where she has remained. Currently, she is the HR manager/volunteer coordinator at the Els for Autism Foundation, based in Jupiter, Florida.

Roberts has been a member of her local HR association since the late 1990s, serving as president in 2004-2005 and being honored with a lifetime achievement award from that organization in 2016. In addition, the Palm Beach County Society for Human Resource Management honored her with its HR Professional of the Year Award twice (1998 and 2011), as well as HR Volunteer of the Year in 2018, HR Mentor of the Year Award in 2021, and Diversity & Inclusion Champion in 2024.

Aside from human resources, Roberts’ passion is Stetson, where activities include supporting both students as a mentor and the university as an ambassador. She has participated in Hatter Chats, endowed the Karen Schmitt Roberts Internship Impact Fund and served as co-chair of the Soul of Stetson effort. Additionally, she is a member of Stetson’s Board of Trustees.

When not working, supporting Stetson or spending time with husband Mark, Roberts enjoys volunteering for numerous organizations.

DOYLE E. CARLTON AWARD 

(Presented to a graduate or friend of Stetson in recognition of devotion to Christian higher education and in appreciation for his/her extraordinary contribution to the life and development of Stetson, the city of DeLand and the state of Florida.)

Blane McCarthy ’92, JD ’95

Blane McCarthy served on the Stetson University Alumni Association Board of Directors for nine years and is proud to support and represent his alma mater as a double-Hatter.

McCarthy is a statewide mediator and board-certified civil trial lawyer. He was the 2023-2024 president of the 2,000-member Jacksonville Bar Association. During his 2000-2002 presidency of the Christian Legal Society’s Jacksonville chapter, he helped launch a legal aid ministry for the residents of the City Rescue Mission, which he continues to lead. He received The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award in 2015.

McCarthy is an ordained deacon who frequently teaches adult Bible studies at a local Baptist church. Since 2004, he also has served as the church’s director of Adult Ministries.

Above all else, McCarthy is a family man. He and fellow Hatter Jennifer McCarthy (Meier) ’92 have been married for 31 years and have three sons.

Stetson’s New ‘10 of the Last 10’ Young Alumni Awards Program

The new “10 of the Last 10” awards will be presented annually to 10 Stetson alumni who graduated between 2015 to 2025 and show exemplary contributions to their communities, professions or alma mater.

To be nominated, young alumni must demonstrate outstanding commitment to the four Ts: Time, Talent, Treasure and Ties. This includes investing their time through service or mentoring, utilizing their talents to create meaningful impact, contributing resources to support important causes, and maintaining strong connections with Stetson to foster its growth and community. This prestigious award highlights the achievements of young alumni and celebrates their ongoing influence and dedication to the university.

• Slavina  Ancheva ’20
• Evans Asuboah ’24
• Rachel Reaves Hoppen ’21
• Setyo Laksono ’18 JD ’24
• August Maulfair ’22
• Max Perez-Duel ’20
• Leia Schwartz ’18
• Billie Ventimiglia ’15
• Mark Williams Jr. ’16, MS ’23
• Honor Woodward ’18