People
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"It’s a beautiful day! Why not sing?"
For Captain Larry Ervin, bringing a smile to the faces of those he encounters at ¼ø»Æʦapp is just as important as making sure they are safe and comfortable on campus. He is known for breaking out in song throughout the day, and his voice brightens up every building, office, and walkway he steps into. "We’re interactive in our community. That’s what we’re about."
To Captain Ervin, the ¼ø»Æʦapp community is his family. "People are always telling me, ‘It’s 50,000 people here,’ but I still think it’s 50,000 family members." As the ¼ø»Æʦapp family continues to grow, Captain Ervin feels that his greatest accomplishment has been creating a safe environment where ¼ø»Æʦapp can feel comfortable any time they are on campus.
He also greatly admires the diversity within ¼ø»Æʦapp’s community as it provides an opportunity for Owls to learn more about the world and embrace other cultures. "When you’re walking down that breezeway, and you look up and down, you see there are different types of cultures, and that is great." 
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To Dr. Presuel-Moreno, Associate Professor of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, "being an Owl means being more than just being someone who teaches a class. It means being someone who ¼ø»Æʦapp can relate to. It means being a resource for them."
Dr. Presuel-Moreno, who is a two time recipient of the Researcher of the Year award, teaches engineering courses at ¼ø»Æʦapp’s SeaTech campus, which is located right on the coast of Dania Beach. SeaTech’s stunning beachfront location is a major benefit for the research that he and his colleagues conduct because it provides invaluable accessibility to the ocean. Faculty and ¼ø»Æʦapp utilizing the University’s research boats are able to reach the open ocean in under ten minutes.
In addition to the University’s location, Dr. Presuel-Moreno feels that ¼ø»Æʦapp provides extensive resources to assist in furthering his knowledge and academic prestige. Some of these resources include benefits that the University offers, such as its healthcare and retirement plans, which make it easier for faculty like Dr. Presuel-Moreno to focus on their ¼ø»Æʦapp and research.
Another facet of the University that Dr. Presuel-Moreno values is its strong diversity. The ocean engineering program attracts people from all over the nation, so it results in, as he says, "a great collage of people." And he finds it very rewarding to see the growth of those ¼ø»Æʦapp throughout the program. "You see the progression from the first day to when they graduate. You see how they mature, and you get a chance to see how they have grown during their time here at ¼ø»Æʦapp."