Susan James
champions UWF’s rise from underdog to state leader through community collaboration
By Kelly MacLeod Photo by Kate Treick Photography
Susan Densmore-James, PhD., literacy scholar in the School of Education, founder and director of the National Writing Project, president of Faculty Senate, and trustee of the Board of Directors for University of West Florida, says UWF has a magical formula for success: teamwork plus resilience.
“The collaborative efforts of our strong, supportive community, a top-notch administration, world-class faculty, and knowledgeable, professional staff have one single focus: our students,” James said.
Although the University of West Florida has always been a cornerstone of our community, in a short period of time, it now appears UWF is continually breaking records in student success, rankings and designations, as well as grants and research. A regional comprehensive university, UWF is now ranked amongst the larger research institutions, tying for third place with Florida State University in the results of the state’s Performance-Based Metrics.
Continual news showcasing the university’s many successes has led to a high level of academic prestige, paired with what James says is a powerful athletics program run by Athletic Director Dave Scott. The growth is seen everywhere on the campus.
Not only has UWF risen to the top of the rankings, but the latest capital campaign entitled “Here for Good” has been the most successful in UWF’s history.
“Community members have been a large part of UWF’s success,” James said, “as donor gifts continue to ensure the university is conducting cutting-edge, innovative research and providing students with great opportunities outside the classroom. All of this leads to an impactful influence on our community and society.”
Since 2014, universities in Florida’s State University System have been awarded money based on performance versus the previous method of using enrollment numbers. These metrics, which evaluate institutions on a range of criteria such as time to degree, graduation and retention rates, and median earnings of graduates, are used to allocate funds accordingly.
James spoke about her university with great pride, and it is immediately apparent that it is difficult to find a more passionate community member at UWF. She made the decision back in 2009 to leave her Pensacola home and teaching career of 17 years to attend Florida State University.
The reason?
She saw a great need for answers to literacy challenges in the schools and wanted to return to her hometown to train educators in practical, research-based classroom supports for literacy development in both students and teachers. Daughter of Commander James (former Commanding Officer of Naval Education and Training Financial Information Processing Center) at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Susan James was tied to UWF at the age of 8 when her parents provided support for military personnel and their wives by mentoring and providing tours of the campus.
“My parents were first-generation graduates, and they taught me the power of an education. Their belief in this led them to help others learn about what UWF had to offer. At that point, UWF was the size of a postage stamp. Being on this campus at this early age gave me a glimpse into my academic journey. I look at what has been achieved in the last decade at UWF, and I can’t help but beam with pride when sharing how our entire community built and nurtured this magical university.”
James has been on the faculty for 14 years, and shortly after arriving, she noticed a sudden shift in thinking.
“We were being nationally and internationally noticed for our work. Research for the sake of research is just that: research. Research for the good of the community is what makes us a world-class faculty,” she said. “Our strategic plan was written with all stakeholders involved; we hear what the community needs, and we work to make that happen.”
James said she has watched as so many of UWF’s programs flourish.
“Not only are we well-known for our Center for Cybersecurity, which works with the National Security Agency, but think about how our history and archeology departments have had major finds that provide an accurate history of our beloved city,” she said. “One of the highest needs in Pensacola relates to mental health and a lack of resources; our psychology and social work programs are providing graduates who are ready to jump in and solve issues. Our departments focus on the real challenges in our community.”
This is what led to the start of the National Writing Project, a partnership she started with the two local school districts. She has trained nearly 250 educators in the theory of writing instruction and given them practical, engaging ideas for their students.
“When focused on the needs of others, top-notch research follows, and results are seen. I have been able to share my work across the nation and even at Oxford University. That is what it is all about: working together to make a difference.”
James remembers a time when UWF was near the bottom of the metrics.
“I can remember exactly where the faculty was assembled when we first talked about our rankings. It was a devastating blow because of the arduous work that had been done to be successful without much movement to start. But, as all great leaders do, Dr. Saunders and then Provost George Ellenberg made the commitment to our entire community to focus our efforts and pull together to reach the top. Both rolled up their sleeves with faculty and staff and got to work.”
James said they all knew resilience and teamwork would be the answer. When the time came for Dr. Ellenberg to return to faculty and his passion for teaching, UWF was lucky to have another great provost, Dr. Jaromy Kuhl, step in and give their process the benefit of the Predictive Analytics and Modeling Lab, a tool that James said has been coveted and sought after by many other institutes of higher education.
“The need for this lab was a game-changer for us, as we were able to use data to act and help all students. We now have a dashboard that enables us to harness all data to help our advisors, faculty, administration and staff best assist all students. The results are obvious.”
James also makes note of the climate on campus.
“Our faculty is a family,” she said. “We come to the table from various backgrounds with different experiences and viewpoints, and we listen to all ideas to find the best solutions. When asked for my picture for this piece, I knew I wanted to stand in front of our new mural. This lovely piece of art, created by alumni Eniko Ujj (class of 2013), symbolizes resilience. We demonstrated through the difficult times that we will not be beaten, we have risen to the top of the performance-based metrics, our athletes not only have won multiple national championships, but even more importantly, they are truly scholar-athletes and display that Argo spirit in all that they do.”
James sums it up as this: “Here we stand as a top university in our state — stronger than ever. I love the new mural, and this latest capital campaign, “Here for Good,” is my favorite campaign during my tenure at UWF. The teacher in me sees the homophone pair of the words ‘hear’ and ‘here’ and knows this is fitting. Resilience and teamwork have gotten us this far, and truly listening and partnering with our community is what drives our success and makes us truly unique.”
