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The听Entrepreneur Alumni Awards ceremony held Thursday night听at听the听Lowth听Entrepreneurship Center on campus welcomed home alumni and gave students the opportunity to network with those听who听once sat where they are now.听

Frank听Ghannadian, dean of the Sykes College of听Business,听was given an 鈥淥utstanding Service to Entrepreneurs鈥� recognition.听

鈥淒r.听骋丑补苍苍补诲颈补苍听has听been instrumental in his leadership, in growing the Sykes College of Business, and working with us hand-in-hand, in building what you see here today, the听Lowth听Entrepreneurship Center,鈥� said Dean听Koutroumanis, associate director of the听Center, in announcing the award.听

骋丑补苍苍补诲颈补苍听looked on听in surprise, among the crowd of faculty, staff,听alumni听and students in the room, before听approaching听the podium to say a few words.听

He later joked that if he had known about the recognition beforehand, he would have tried to 鈥渢wist some arms鈥澨齮o humbly defer the recognition to others.听

骋丑补苍苍补诲颈补苍听noted that when he joined the听University听in 2007, the College of Business had only 1,500 students. There are now over 5,500 students. The faculty then听numbered听about 50, he said. Now听there听are听over 160听full-time听faculty听members听鈥斕齛nd more with听part-time faculty.听

鈥淭he blessing has been that the University of Tampa has been my home,鈥澨页蟛共圆圆够寰辈共蕴齭aid, adding that when he started, he never expected听to听be here 18 years later. He joked that听it鈥檚听like being invited to celebrate the birth of a听baby听and听then getting invited to their high school graduation.听

骋丑补苍苍补诲颈补苍听announced听in听August that听he听would be stepping down from his position at the end of this听academic year.听

The overall message of the night was about听welcoming听alumni home to the University of Tampa,听strengthening听connection to the听entrepreneurship听program.

Two听小优视频ampa听alums听also听were听given honors at the event.听听

Steve Ciarleglio 鈥�05听was given the 2026 Innovator Award. He is the founder and CEO of Novus听Informatics,听a healthcare technology company he听established听in 2012 to help hospitals improve supply chain efficiency.听听

Ciarleglio noted that what he took away from the University was not only听the academics, but the people and the relationships he built while he was a student.听

Alexis Alegre-Castro 鈥�25 received the 2026 Young Entrepreneur Award.听听

Alegre-Castro is the founder and CEO of Give Back Snacks, a mission-driven food startup offering single-ingredient, freeze-dried fruit snacks through a听鈥渂uy听one,听give听back鈥澨齧odel that supports hunger relief. The company donates the equivalent of one meal per unit sold to Feeding Tampa Bay, a local food bank.听听

鈥淟iterally听a year ago, I was sitting in this exact听spot听but听giving a pitch about my business model and getting feedback from all of my professors,鈥� Alegre-Castro said. 鈥淚 really听couldn't听do it without听all of听the feedback that I got,听all of听the guidance and leadership that I got.听听

鈥淚 hope that听you guys听leave here inspired and encouraged to do the same thing for yourselves, because听you guys听can all do it,听absolutely,鈥� she added听to students in attendance.