Lawmakers turned back up in Tallahassee this week in part to name Daniel Perez as Speaker-Designate for the Florida House. The vote makes clear Perez will preside over the Florida Legislature’s lower chamber, presuming Republicans control the chamber after next year’s elections.  It’s a sort years-late certification of a behind-the-scenes election he won over Bradenton Republican Will Robinson four years ago.

The ceremony in the Florida Capitol prompted the normal kudos and building of good will from members. Included in that was a public expression of support for Perez from Robinson.

“Congratulations Speaker Designate Perez!” Robinson posted on social media. “A wonderful acceptance speech that hit on so many important topics, including the power of limited and efficient government. Easiest vote I will cast all year!”

One can’t help but wonder based on that if Robinson expects a whole lot of votes this year that feel bittersweet and wistful about what might have been. But speaking to the local lawmaker after the fact, he said the 2019 race between himself and Perez never turned hostile, even though it was very close.

In the term-limits era, Republicans in the Florida House have taken to deciding races years in advance. A couple months, a new class of freshman lawmakers picked Rep. Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, as Florida’s first female Speaker— in November of 2028. Plenty can happen in the meantime. While it’s difficult to imagine Democrats climbing out of super-minority status in the next 14 months, it’s really anyone’s guess how the next couple election cycles play out. 

For example, many of the lawmakers who participated in the race where Robinson defeated Perez no longer serve in the House, some elected to higher offices and other simply leaving the political process altogether. Local politicos may recall the battle generated a surprising amount of regional controversy, essentially being decided when Rep. James Buchanan, R-Venice, sided with Perez and rebuffed a media campaign to back Robinson and force a tie. 

Yet, the decision to name Perez as Speaker effectively was carved in stone in June of 2019, when Robinson withdrew from the race and pledged his own support to Perez. He secured a promise at the time Perez would “not be vindictive to anyone on the team.”

But Robinson shared with me a story suggesting that never was too great a concern. Speakers of the House typically provide lawmakers with a token gift at the start of their terms; Robinson still has the journal then-Speaker Jose Oliva gave him at the start of his freshman term. He revisited the pages shortly before the Speaker-Designate ceremony this week and saw a note he wrote to himself on the first page. “Danny is such a good person,” Robinson wrote, it seemed to his future self. “I hope the Speaker’s race doesn’t impact our friendship. I’ll never forget how nice he was to my Dad on the House floor.”

Robinson’s father, Bradenton businessman Will Robinson, Sr., was being treated for leukemia at the time his son started his first Session in the House. Last year, the disease claimed his life, adding additional sentimentality to the works scribbled in the lawmakers’ journal years ago.

For the record, Robinson hasn’t exactly languished on the backbench since his defeat in 2019 for House Speaker. He played a key role in the drawing of legislative districts last cycle. In the upcoming Session, he chairs the House Civil Justice Subcommittee, where he plans to tackle deed reform and a breadth of other issues this Session.

As for next year when Perez presumably wields the gavel, Robinson feels confident Perez has a strong feel of every member’s strengths, including Robinson’s penchant for overseeing committees. Come next winter, Robinson feels confident he will get a fair shake.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor of SRQ MEDIA. 

Photo courtesy Robinson: State reps. Daniel Perez and Will Robinson.

It’s hard to believe that our fall semester and the 2023-‘24 academic year is already in full swing at Ringling College of Art and Design. Reflecting on this past summer, it was a busy and productive one filled with excitement for the year ahead. From mid-June to mid-July, Ringling College’s PreCollege program was a huge success where we welcomed 216 high school students for a four-week, residential learning experience. On August 21, the first official day of fall semester, we welcomed a new class of over 500 incoming students. And of course, welcomed back our returning students, all talented artists and designers, for a record enrollment of approximately 1,730.

At present, international students make up 22 percent of the entire student population. They come from 60 countries around the world, including Argentina, Belgium, China, Denmark, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. We are also a proud member of the United World College (UWC) Scholar Program, and are currently hosting over 40 Davis Scholars again this year.  

Diversity is so important to us at Ringling College and integral to our mission. We are committed to providing a multicultural learning environment that celebrates our students’ unique qualities, inclusivity, and peer-to-peer support. Creating this kind of environment is made possible through our domestic efforts to increase minority student enrollment, and also by our deep focus on international student engagement. While many institutions tend to push their international recruitment solely for the financial gains—in general, out-of-state and/or international students pay higher tuition fees—we recruit for the cultural benefits. As a private institution, every student at Ringling College is responsible for the same level of tuition, prior to their individual financial aid and scholarships packages. 

As part of the College’s ongoing efforts to further our global reach and partnerships, I traveled with two team members for two weeks in June back to South Korea for the first time since 2019, pre-pandemic. As President of a leading art and design institution in the U.S., I was honored to be invited to speak with prominent members of the arts and higher education communities, prospective high school students, and the media whilst in Seoul. For example, I participated in a panel discussion with President Yoo Tae-gyun of Seoul Institute of the Arts, one of the nation’s leading performing and visual arts institutions, on the importance of creativity—more so now more than ever before—and we discussed topical themes such as the implementation of AI and what this technology means for the future of art and design. 

An impressive exhibition of Ringling student artwork was featured at Seoul Institute of the Arts, displaying work across all 13 majors with video reels showcasing Computer Animation, Film, Game Art, Motion Design, and Virtual Reality Development. A memorandum of understanding was signed between our two institutions, promising collaborative research activities, academic program cooperation, and exchanges between instructors and students including visits and internship opportunities. 

During the trip, the team and I traveled to multiple high schools from Seoul to Busan, to speak with students about the importance of creativity. My favorite day though, was our Accepted Student Day. With over 200 people in attendance, the event celebrated over 30 new students and their families, as well as 30 current students and their families. The new students accounted for nearly 100% of Ringling’s incoming students from mostly South Korea, some traveling from as far as Busan in the south of the country, and even from Shanghai, China for the celebration.

This is such an important and pivotal time for art and design in higher education and its professions. As we enter this new and exciting era—the Creative Age—the skills of imagination, innovation, and authentic creativity will be paramount. It was an honor to have the opportunity to discuss these topics with our peer leaders in such an incredible and progressive country like South Korea. I truly believe that so much of Ringling College’s strength, and the high quality of our education and campus environment comes from our overall diversity, including our international diversity. Cultivating these relationships and welcoming students from around the globe is another stepping stone on our path to becoming the preeminent art and design college in the world. 

Dr. Larry Thompson is President of Ringling College of Art & Design. 

Photo courtesy Ringling College: Ringling faculty member Seongwoo Nam (left) and Dr. Larry R. Thompson, president of Ringling College of Art and Design, presented at the Ringling College exhibition hosted by Seoul Institute of the Arts in South Korea.