Guy Harvey, Marine Artist and Conservationist, To Be Named Honorary Chancellor at FSC

The convocation, which will be held at 11 a.m. on March 16 in Branscomb Auditorium on the FSC campus, is not open to the public, but the media are invited to attend. Each year, the college's Founders Day celebration brings to our community nationally and internationally recognized artists, scientists, and leaders whose character and careers epitomize the founding mission of Florida Southern College to prepare students to make a positive and consequential impact on the world.

Dr. Harvey has used his training in marine biology, his artistic skill and his lifelong love of the ocean to forge a unique career as a wildlife artist, a conservationist and an explorer. A native of Jamaica of English descent, he studied at Aberdeen University in Scotland and earned a Ph.D. in fisheries biology from the University of West Indies, where he also served on the faculty. A self-taught painter, his legendary artistic career was launched after showing some of his works at the 1986 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

In addition to his artwork, Dr. Harvey's enterprises include documentary films and the Discovery Channel TV series Guy Harvey Expeditions. He uses the proceeds from his licensed artwork and merchandise to fund important research and conservation efforts. Among the organizations he has helped create are the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) and the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at Nova Southeastern University. His foundation has funded hundreds of programs throughout the world, including fish tagging and tracking studies, scholarships and marine science student camps.

"We are pleased to welcome this distinguished artist, entrepreneur and conservationist," said President Anne Kerr. "Dr. Guy Harvey has raised the awareness of the world to the importance of ocean conservation through his unique blend of art and science, and he is an inspiring example of someone who has used his talents to improve the world."

In recent years, the College's honorary chancellors have included Museum of Modern Art Director Glenn D. Lowry; media executive and environmentalist Ted Turner; and Dr. Michael Griffin, Administrator of NASA; as well as many other luminaries who are revered for the contributions they have made to our world through their achievements in a wide variety of professions and disciplines.

The convocation will also feature the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award to three FSC graduates who have made outstanding contributions in their professions and communities: Guy Colado of Winter Park, chairman and CEO of Commerce National Bankshares of Florida, Inc., and a banking executive for more than 30 years; Susan Ezell Roberts of Belleaire, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Capital Formation Counselors, Inc., a corporate consulting firm; and Howard Wiggs of Lakeland, co-owner of Bagley Wiggs CoLab, and a former city commissioner and mayor of the City of Lakeland.

Additionally, the Honor Walk Student – the highest honor the College bestows upon a graduating senior who has demonstrated superior leadership, character, and achievement – will be announced, and the Ben and Janice Wade Outstanding Teaching Award will be presented to a member of the faculty.

About Guy Harvey

Guy Harvey is a unique blend of artist, scientist, diver, angler, conservationist and explorer, fiercely devoted to his family and his love of the sea. His childhood passion for the ocean and its living creatures not only inspired him to draw, but fueled a burning interest that prompted a formal education in marine science. Having graduated with honors in Marine Biology from Aberdeen University in Scotland in 1977, Guy returned home to Jamaica to resume his education, earning his Ph.D. from the University of the West Indies in 1984. Though he gave up a budding career as a marine biologist for that of a highly acclaimed artist, Guy has continued his relentless pursuit to unravel the mysteries of the sea, traveling the world to better understand the habits and habitats of the marine wildlife he paints. For more information, please visit www.guyharvey.com. Follow Guy on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DrGuyHarvey, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DrGuyHarvey, connect on Instagram at www.instagram.com/drguyharvey, on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/DrGuyHarvey, Snapchat @RealDrGuyHarvey, and tune in to see Guy's latest expeditions on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/DrGuyHarvey.

About Florida Southern College

Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive college and the oldest college in Florida. Florida Southern maintains its commitment to academic excellence through more than 50 undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business, accounting, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio; is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning; and boasts 30 NCAA Division II national championships. It is ranked among the Top 20 Best Universities in the South by U.S. News and World Report; named a 2016 Top ROI College by Forbes; and included in The Princeton Review's 381 Best Colleges and The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2017. The College is committed to the development of the whole student through vibrant student life programs that prepare graduates to make a positive, consequential impact on society. FSC is conveniently located within an hour's drive of both Orlando and Tampa and home to the world's largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, designated a National Historic Landmark in 2012. Named the "Most Beautiful Campus in the Nation" for two consecutive years by The Princeton Review and one of the nation's "Ten College Campuses with the Best Architecture" by Architectural Digest, Florida Southern is an internationally-recognized place of beauty and academic excellence.

SOURCE Florida Southern College