FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE NAMES MARTHA PLACERES THE WILHEMINA MACDONALD ENDOWED CHAIR IN MUSIC

LAKELAND, Fla., Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Southern College is pleased to announce that Dr. Martha Placeres has been named the Wilhelmina MacDonald Endowed Faculty Chair in Music.

Dr. Placeres joined Florida Southern's faculty in 2019, and she currently serves as chair of the music department and director of orchestra and string studies. An internationally recognized musician and educator, Dr. Placeres has performed and taught with orchestras across the world.  In 2025, she performed alongside world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli in two extraordinary concerts held at the iconic Anfiteatro degli Scavi (Amphitheatre of Pompeii) in Pompeii, Italy. She was also honored with an invitation to guest conduct the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka (SOSL) in a collaborative concert presented in partnership with the Italian Embassy, making her the first Mexican-American female conductor to lead the ensemble.

"Dr. Placeres exemplifies the excellence, dedication, and leadership we value at Florida Southern College." said Dr. Tracey Tedder, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Florida Southern College. "Her appointment as an endowed chair recognizes her outstanding contributions to her field, and to our students, as well as her continued commitment to advancing the mission of the College. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor."

This honor was made possible by the generosity of the Estate of Wilhelmina MacDonald. Originally from Massachusetts, MacDonald was a winter visitor to the Lakeland region and held a deep appreciation for music. She bequeathed substantial funding to the music department at Florida Southern in her will, and the endowed chair position was established in her name.

"I am truly honored to receive the Wilhelmina MacDonald Endowed Chair of Music," Dr. Placeres said. "This recognition means so much to me, as it reflects not only the college's support for the Department of Music but also the encouragement I have felt since the moment I arrived at Florida Southern. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues and the college for creating an environment where I have been able to grow as an educator, musician and researcher. I feel both humbled and overjoyed by this honor."

Dr. Placeres holds a bachelor's degree in violin performance from the Puebla State Conservatory of Music, a master's degree in music education from the University of Texas at Brownsville and a doctorate in orchestral conducting from Texas Tech University. Before joining Florida Southern, she served as director of orchestra and string studies at both the University of Texas at Brownsville and Washburn University.

This endowed chair position allows continued advancement in the arts and upholds the mission of Florida Southern College to prepare students to make a positive and consequential impact on society.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. In the U.S. News & World Report's 2025 "Best Colleges" guide, Florida Southern ranks #11 among "Best Regional Universities in the South," #9 in "Most Innovative Schools," and #20 in "Best Value Schools." The College is also highlighted in The Princeton Review's 2026 Best 391 Colleges guide and the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025." The 2025-2026 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern's AACSB-accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College's School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, Florida Southern houses 13 Wright-designed structures.

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SOURCE Florida Southern College