One hundred eighty-seven miles over two days … in running shoes?

Walking by the palm garden on Sevilla Street, you might notice students doing what look like slow motion Kung Fu moves. But that’s not Kung Fu. It’s Tai Chi — a Chinese martial art known for its slow, flowing moves that are part defensive training and part meditation.

One is an accomplished investigative journalist, the other a quirky author who took on bullies, and the last an eccentric education teacher. They may not be alike in their accomplishments, personalities, or histories, but the one thing that ties them together is how they will miss being a part of the Flagler community.

Kristin Nelson has been named the new director of Career Services. Nelson previously served as director of student activities at the college before accepting the new role.

Flagler College chose a familiar face to take over as dean of the college’s Tallahassee campus. Dr. Donald K. Parks has been named dean for the program on the campus of Tallahassee Community College. He served as assistant dean of Academic Affairs at the main St. Augustine campus from 2005 to 2007 before moving on to director of Student Success at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga.

The Flagler College Students In Free Enterprise team [SIFE] advanced to the final four and finished as second runner-up at the 2011 SIFE USA National Exposition in May.

This year’s champion was Texas State University – San Marcos. First runner-up was Drury University, and Syracuse University finished as third runner-up.

Egypt might be a long way from Flagler College, but Nicole Howlett will only have to travel to Chicago in order to study about it.

The spring 2011 graduate has been awarded a fellowship into the Egyptology program at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

• The Flagler College chapter of the Society for Advancement of Management (SAM) won the Campus Chapter Performance Program award. In addition, the Flagler SAM team brought home six out of seven awards given, and SAM members Rachel Flynt, Brit Hoyland and Arlin Zajmi won Regional Student awards. Flynt also won a National Student award.

From awards and cocktails to surfing and athletics, Alumni Weekend had something for everybody.

Flagler College has added four new members to its Board of Trustees, including two alumni and a former U.S. ambassador. Long-serving members Judge Howell Melton and W.W. Gay also resigned from the board and were named Trustees Emeriti.