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Jacksonville University Past President and Chancellor Emeritus Dr. Frances Bartlett Kinne, who will be featured Nov. 15 in the first episode of the Jacksonville Legacy Series broadcast on WJCT-TV, was honored by Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown with a proclamation declaring Nov. 1 “Dr. Frances Bartlett Kinne Day” in Jacksonville.
“Dr. Fran Kinne is one of our city’s most distinguished citizens and has contributed to Jacksonville in countless ways …” Brown says in the proclamation, which caught Kinne by surprise in a late-afternoon ceremony Thursday, Nov. 1.
The proclamation was issued in conjunction with the Jacksonville Legacy Series, a non-profit initiative of Leadership Jacksonville to document and preserve the thoughts and ideas of the region’s most prominent leaders who have positively impacted the First Coast community. A VIP sneak preview of the episode featuring Dr. Kinne will be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Schultz Center for Teaching & Leadership.
“It’s exciting to see Leadership Jacksonville honor Fran in the Jacksonville Legacy Series for her role in the development of JU and her service to Northeast Florida and beyond,” said JU President Kerry Romesburg, who retires in July 2013. “She is a trailblazer in the field of higher education, she is generous beyond description, and she is a friend to many people in our community and throughout the world. She’s truly a Jacksonville icon deserving of being spotlighted through this very worthwhile project.”
Dr. Kinne said being selected for the Legacy Series was a surprise and is a special honor for her.
“But I keep thinking of the many, many people I feel deserve it more than I do. That was my immediate reaction,” she said.
Dr. Kinne said a film production team spent a full day interviewing and videotaping her at her home for the project.
“Everyone involved has been marvelous and very professional. They made it easy for me,” she said.
The episode featuring Dr. Kinne airs at 8 p.m. After each installment of the series premieres on WJCT, it will be available for viewing on the WJCT website, Leadership Jacksonville’s website and YouTube Channel, the Schultz Center website, Jacksonville University’s website, Jacksonville.com and the Financial News & Daily Record website. The film project is being produced by Jacksonville’s Lindsey Films.
“We are extremely grateful to Jacksonville University and the Schultz Foundation for their generous donations that have made the launch of this series possible,” said Leadership Jacksonville President Justin Terry. “We look forward to the official premiere on Nov. 15 and highlighting a number of Jacksonville’s most influential leaders over the next several years.”
Here is a video of a preview of the Jacksonville Legacy Series:
Dr. Kinne (see Fact Sheet below) has been a friend and benefactor of Jacksonville University for 54 years. She began her JU career as a humanities professor in 1958 and was named the founding dean of the College of Fine Arts in 1961, becoming the first female dean of a college of fine arts in the world. She served as dean until 1979.
Dr. Kinne served as Jacksonville University president from 1979 to 1989, becoming the first female president of a college or university in the state of Florida. During her tenure as president, she created what is now the Davis College of Business and was instrumental in establishing the School of Nursing., College of Arts and Sciences, Davis College of Business and the Aviation program.
She served as Jacksonville University chancellor from 1989 to 1994 and has served as chancellor emeritus since 1994.
Due to Dr. Kinne’s generosity and her success in the fund-raising and education arenas, JU’s Frances Bartlett Kinne University Center bears her name, as do the Frances Bartlett Kinne Auditorium at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville; the North Wing of the Bertha Bartlett Public Library; Kinne Garden at Wilma’s Little People School at Jacksonville University; and Frances Bartlett Kinne Alumni & Development Center at Drake University, her undergraduate and graduate school alma mater.
The focus of episodes in the Jacksonville Legacy Series to be aired in 2013 will be community leader and civil rights activist Alton Yates; businessman and politician Frederick Schultz, who served as Federal Reserve System vice chairman under President Jimmy Carter; and former Jacksonville Mayor Jake Godbold.
For more information about the Jacksonville Legacy Series, contact Leadership Albany’s Isabelle Owen Spence at (904) 396-6263 or izzy@leadershipjax.org.
Dr. Frances Bartlett Kinne Fact Sheet
She is the daughter of the late Charles and Bertha Bartlett. Charlie Bartlett was publisher of The Story City Herald; Bertha Bartlett was the town’s founding librarian and served for 43 years in that capacity.
She received undergraduate and graduate degrees at Drake University and a tri-major doctorate (philosophy, music and English literature) from the University of Frankfurt (Germany). She also has five honorary doctorates.
She worked as a public school music teacher; a choral and instrumental conductor; Army hostess; Veterans Administration recreation director; professor at Tsuda College in Tokyo, Japan; and music consultant for Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s staff in Tokyo.
Dr. Kinne has been a dear friend and benefactor of Jacksonville University for more than 50 years.
She began her JU career as a humanities professor in 1958 and became the founding dean of the College of Fine Arts in 1961, becoming the first female dean of a college of fine arts in the world. She served as dean until 1979.
Dr. Kinne served as Jacksonville University president from 1979 to 1989, becoming the first female president of a college or university in the state of Florida.
During her tenure as president, she created what is now the Davis College of Business and was instrumental in establishing the School of Nursing., College of Arts and Sciences, Davis College of Business and the Aviation program.
She served as Jacksonville University chancellor from 1989 to 1994 and has served as chancellor emeritus since 1994.
Her hand of generosity reaches above and beyond goodwill. She is a pioneer in the fundraising and education arenas, and Jacksonville University is forever grateful to her. JU’s own student center (Frances Bartlett Kinne University Center) bears her name. Other buildings and facilities named in honor of Dr. Kinne are the Frances Bartlett Kinne Auditorium at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville; the North Wing of the Bertha Bartlett Public Library; Kinne Garden at Wilma’s Little People School at Jacksonville University; and Frances Bartlett Kinne Alumni & Development Center at Drake University.
She was responsible for bringing Bob Hope and Jack Benny to Jacksonville University for their only appearance together on a college campus. Other notable people who Kinne brought to JU were President Gerald Ford, Winston Churchill and Maestro Arthur Fiedler (17 times). She also got George Steinbrenner to bring his New York Yankees baseball team to play in an exhibition game against the JU team to raise funds for the University.
First female president of the Downtown Rotary Club.
Winner of first EVE Award.
First female member of the River Club.
Author of The President Wore A Skirt (Foreword by Winston Churchill, Bob Hope, Charlton Heston and Steve Forbes).
A native Iowan and a Florida treasure, she was inducted by former Gov. Bob Graham into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.
Listed on 24 Who’s Who lists, including Who’s Who in the World.
“When you’re around Fran Kinne – things happen …” – Bob Hope
Fran: I tell everyone who will listen that you were my boss for 15 years after 30+ years in USN; then I add, “She is the Very Best”.
Congratulations, Boss!