Excerpt below:

One of the great benefits of having a research university located in the heart of our community is the breadth and depth of educational opportunities that we can provide for members of our community.

At the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, we embrace the opportunity to connect with members of the community, as well as organizations and businesses who would enjoy engaging with our faculty and staff.

USFSM has the ability to attract well-respected experts on topics of significance to our campus and community, providing students, scholars, community leaders, residents and visitors to the area with unique opportunities to learn about contemporary issues, share information and engage in lively discussions.

Simply stated, we want to bring the classroom into the public arena to benefit civic organizations, businesses, public interest groups, research institutes, elected officials and the general public.

Thursday, Feb. 22, USF Sarasota-Manatee will host an event aimed at enlightening and deepening our understanding of issues and opportunities affecting Cuba and other islands in the Caribbean. In partnership with several local businesses and organizations, including Sarasota-based Cumberland Advisors, the Global Interdependence Center, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Research One and USF World, we are bringing an amazing collection of well-credentialed experts to share their knowledge with our community.

One of the driving forces behind the conference, David Kotok, chairman and chief investment officer at Cumberland Advisors, and I will have the privilege of framing this daylong event, “Cuba and Caribbean: What Now?,” with opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. at USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Selby Auditorium, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The seminar will feature high-profile experts covering a range of topics important to investors and entrepreneurs, travelers to Cuba and the Caribbean, and anybody with an interest in Cuban and Caribbean affairs or the hurricane recovery efforts.

Read the full piece here at the Sarasota Herald Tribune's website: