This combination of academic and real-world
experience for professors is a fit with the man
who runs the University: Vaughn brought both
academic and professional knowledge to UT
when he came to Tampa as a professor and
coordinator of the marketing department in
1984. With bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from Indiana State University and a Ph.D.
from the University of Georgia, he had excellent
academic credentials. But he also had significant
experience in the marketing industry, having run
a multi-office marketing research company. And
as he became dean of the business school and
then president, that mix of experiences served
him well.
“You can just see the improvement in the
classrooms year after year – it’s been impressive
to see,” Parssinen said. “It goes back to Dr.
Vaughn and his leadership. I’ve been a history
professor for 54 years, and have worked for
48 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MAY/JUNE 2020
seven presidents, and Ron Vaughn is by far the
best president I’ve ever worked for.”
As the president of UT’s student government,
UT senior Wil White talks to Vaughn regularly,
and sees first-hand how the university’s
president keeps students top of mind. “Dr.
Vaughn always asks lots of questions,” White
said. “’What are the students up to? How are
students seeing different issues around campus?’
I have found that he takes the time to listen, and
he cares about how students are doing here.”
The focus on students and their classroom
experience has paid off for its graduates. Local
offices of companies like Bristol Myers Squibb
and Revenue Management Solutions are
loaded with UT alumni, and corporate hiring
managers note the students’ ability to think both
quantitatively and qualitatively – skills that
are learned from top-notch faculty members.
UT’s teaching approach does involve research,
In the Maureen A. Daly Innovation and Collaboration Building, UT students can enjoy Starbucks on the first
floor, and study entrepreneurship at the Lowth Entrepreneurship Center on the top floor.