Crist honors former USF administrator Helen Levine

When Helen Levine retired last September, after 11 years as regional vice chancellor of external affairs at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, U.S. Congressman Charlie Crist (D-Florida) read a tribute to the longtime educator into the Congressional Record in Washington.

Tuesday morning, in a brief ceremony on a foggy USF lawn, Crist presented Levine with a bound copy of his statement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Helen Levine, the Regional Vice Chancellor for External Affairs at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP), for her 14 years of service to the USF system and for being a remarkable and powerful force for good in the Pinellas community. During a tenure that spanned multiple campus administrations, Dr. Levine used her position to fight for the advancement of higher education. From her work championing the construction of the historic Kate Tiedemann College of Business to her advocacy on behalf of the internationally recognized La Florida Project, which tells the story of Spanish Florida, Dr. Levine has changed many lives for the better. She is someone who has long lived up to the ideals of bipartisanship and civility, working across the aisle with city councils, the state legislature, and Congress to secure funds for research, scholarship, and a more equitable University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

Madam Speaker, to speak for just one minute on the full legacy of Dr. Levine is impossible. She is a groundbreaking leader, a champion for education, and a role model for all who seek to improve the lives of others in their community. As she retires from her senior position at USFSP, it is my privilege to wish her the best in all her future endeavors both personally and as a valued member of our community.