SFSC Hosts Professional Development Day with Keynote David Steele

On Friday, March 29, South Florida State College (SFSC) will host its annual Professional Development Day from 8 a.m. to noon for its staff and faculty to enhance their skills and knowledge of current education and employment topics. David Steele, a communication scholar and veteran educator, will present “Communication, Excellence, and the Meaning of Life” to kick off the informative day.

“SFSC is delighted to have David Steele on campus to invigorate our collective spirit and fortify our commitment to academic excellence,” said Dr. Michele Heston, vice president for student services and academic affairs at SFSC. “We hope that he will reignite our sense of purpose as educators and community advocates as we serve our region’s residents.”

David Steele will share insights on the relationship between intentional communication and institutional excellence in an increasingly online world. His presentation will be a blend of information, inspiration, and humor, fitting for employees within higher education.

Steele has been a professional communicator for over 30 years and has served in C-suite roles in higher education, nonprofit, and private sector organizations in the southeastern and midwestern United States. He is currently completing a dissertation in organizational communication at the University of South Florida (USF).

His prior positions have included service as a Chamber of Commerce executive in three states, executive director of a research center at Purdue University, communications and public affairs officer at the USF and Polk State College, chief marketing officer at the Florida Department of Citrus, and, most recently, chief of staff at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). Steele has also taught undergraduate courses in political science, communication, and leadership studies at USF and UTC. He holds degrees from Ashland University in Ohio and the University of Notre Dame and is completing a Ph.D. at USF. Steele currently lives in Chattanooga, Tenn. with his wife and their two children.

Following Steele’s keynote, leaders within SFSC will present on topics to continue the instruction. Topics include Employee Mentoring, Influential Writing, General Education Data and Best Practices, and Winning Mindset, among others. For the first time, employees were invited to create posters to present current research or practice. There will be 26 posters on display.