Go ‘Noles!

After several dreadful years, the Florida State University Seminole football team is rocking big time.

Not only last Saturday’s crushing victory over archrival – the University of Florida Gators-- but a superb 12-0 season landed the ‘Noles in the No. 1 ranking of collegiate team in America.

In the interest of full disclosure, I did not attend FSU. I graduated from Long Island University in Brooklyn, N.Y. (which did not have a football team).

Yet I’ve been prancing around town in an FSU golf shirt since last Friday because I consider myself to be an ex officio ‘Nole, by way of my daughter -- FSU class of 2011.

My football knowledge is almost nonexistent. (I can’t explain the difference between a down and a safety.) But I love an underdog and the way FSU took it in the chin for so many years before climbing to the top during this championship season.

All of that aside, Florida is blessed to Florida State University, the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, and all the other institutions that make up this state’s public university system that stretches from the Panhandle to South Florida. These schools are not only known for sports, but also for academic excellence.

I always tell my friends with young children to start putting away money in Florida pre-paid tuition program to attend one of our wonderful public universities.  In addition, Florida also offers grants to Sunshine State children who do well in high school.

Unless their kid is getting a free ride at Harvard or Princeton, I tell them their kids would be better off staying right here in Florida for college.

Between the pre-paid tuition and other incentive programs, my daughter received a high-quality college education (she graduated with honors), and unlike so many of her peers, she was debt free when she graduated.

And now, let me write it one more time: Go ‘Noles!

 

David Porter is the principal and owner of David Porter Communications, which produces B2B Florida. Please visit us at www.B2BFlorida.com, a resource that provides inspiration and information to help small businesses overcome challenges and meet their goals.