Ronnie Bond

UWF degree and year of graduation:
BS, HLS, 1969

Why did you choose to attend UWF?
Economics was a part of it. UWF was affordable. Also, I am from this area. I wanted to come back home after being at FSU for a year.

What were your goals as a student?
To graduate on time. It seems like it takes students so much longer to graduate now.

What is your best memory from your days at UWF?
When my best friend and I made the decision that we wanted to become high school athletic coaches. We made the decision and changed our majors. I have been happy with the decision ever since.

Who was your favorite professor and why?
Dr. Tom Gross – he was such a bright man. He allowed us to try things on our own and be responsible and experiment with ideas of being high school coaches and teachers. He was always accessible and was a straight shooter. He was very honest with us. Later in my career, I worked with him again as he was responsible for placing student teachers at my school.

What do you do now?
After 38 years of teaching and coaching at Washington High School, I am leaving. I was most recently their athletic director. I am going to Escambia High School as the assistant football coach with my best friend, who is the head coach. This is the same friend that I made the decision with to become a coach. It is kind of like going home, as I graduated high school from Escambia.

How did UWF help you progress to this point?
I feel I got a good education here. UWF allowed me to get the education I needed at an affordable price. I have taken a lot of recertification classes at UWF. Dr. Ben Williamson helped my wife and me on several occasions. It was really nice having UWF here to take these classes since this was the time before all of the online certifications.

How do you stay connected to UWF?
I follow the sports programs. A few of my high school students went on to play at the college level at UWF. I do my continuing education classes here. I read the Connection alumni magazine. I enjoy the class notes section and always look in the class of ’69 to catch up on people I was in school with.

What advice do you have to current and future UWF students?
Take advantage of everything UWF has to offer. There is lots of support in terms of services for students, especially in the areas of internship opportunities. The Career Services center is a great service that the university offers to help students get connected with potential employers and prepare for life after graduation.

What quality makes UWF special or unique?
The class sizes. I spent a year at FSU and was in classes of 400. It is nice when professors know your name and you have a personal connection with them.

Outside of working, what activities and organizations are you currently involved in and what are your hobbies?
Honestly, watching and coaching sports are the only things I do – it’s our life outside of spending time with our family.

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