FIYou: Franklin Gentle McCune ’05, MS ’08

Name: Franklin Gentle McCune ’05, MS ’08

Hometown: Miami, Fla.

Job Title/Department: Assistant Director, Center for Leadership & Service

Campus: Modesto A. Maidique Campus

In a nutshell: I focus on leadership development, as well as the programs and services we offer through the Center for Leadership & Service. I also coordinate The Academy of Leaders, our premier student leadership development program, and supervise the LEAD Team of peer facilitators and leadership consultants. I am one of two campus coaches for FIU’s chapter of Strong Women Strong Girls, and I will be the advisor for Omicron Delta Kappa. And I oversee my office’s social media and technology.

Number of years at FIU: More than seven. I spent the last two years or so working at the Butler Center for Service & Leadership at the University of Miami and recently came back to work at FIU. I am a proud Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association and a Panther at heart.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Seeing the development of our students and helping them realize their potential. I enjoy seeing them succeed in and outside the classroom. I work in the Division of Student Affairs and I get excited helping students make their college experience a memorable one. I enjoy preparing civically minded, passionate and hardworking students who can then translate the skills we have taught them to the job market.

What do you think faculty/staff and students should know about your department? What about FIU – how is the university “Worlds Ahead”?

We provide training and leadership opportunities through service and philanthropy, through programs such as Dance Marathon, Relay for Life and Alternative Breaks. We provide students with developmental and experiential opportunities that foster leadership and community involvement, grounded in values and moral purpose. Through leadership education, service learning, advocacy and volunteerism, students will become active global citizens on campus, in their respective communities and in the workplace. This is part of what makes FIU Worlds Ahead, as well as the opportunities and the quality of the education it provides.

Where is your favorite spot on campus? Why?

The FIU Baseball Stadium. I spent many years working in FIU Athletics, and I always felt at home in the stadium. The greenest grass, the bluest sky and the dew over the field on a bright sunny Sunday morning getting ready for the game are some of my favorite memories. Standing in the press box looking over the field is one of my favorite things to do. It is a special place for me.

Family snapshot:

I come from a true FIU family. I am a fraternal twin and my younger brother and sister are twins. All four of us are proud FIU graduates. My father is my hero, and a man I will always look up to. My mother has been the constant guide for our family, always pushing us to be the best. I owe my college education to her steadfast love, guidance and support. And the love of my life, my fiancée Katharine, will be starting her master’s degree in higher education administration at FIU this fall.

Word that best describes you: Achiever.

First paying job: I was a busboy at a small restaurant in Palmetto Bay called The Old Cutler Inn that has long since been torn down. That was an interesting experience – it showed me how to deal with people.

Favorite TV show: Pushing Daisies. Yes, I know it is canceled, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a great show.

What is playing on your iPod?

My iPod has more than 14,000 songs on it so deciding one is quite a challenge. I have been addicted to Pandora (somehow it always knows what I want to hear) as of late and the Kings of Leon station. In my car I listen to ’90s on 9.

Read any good books lately?

I am reading The Truth About Leadership; The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need To Know.

Your proudest accomplishment:

I was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the FIU Alumni Association, an honor that I am truly humbled by because it is a great opportunity to give back to the school that gave me so much. I am also the first McCune to earn a master’s, and I plan to be the first to earn a doctoral degree.

What do you do when you are not working at FIU?

I am a huge sports fan and spend a lot of time following my favorite teams (FIU, the Miami Dolphins, the Heat and the Florida Marlins). I enjoy facilitating retreats for organizations and non-profits with my close friend and mentor, Keith “Fletch” Fletcher. I also enjoy spending time with my fiancée and our puppy Russell.