Central Florida Branch

President's Message

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Professor Maurice O'Sullivan, Central Florida Branch President

Welcome to the home page of the Central Florida Branch of the English- Speaking Union. We are a branch dedicated to the ESU mission; we pride ourselves in devoting our time and resources "to celebrate English as a shared language and foster global understanding and good will by providing educational and cultural opportunities for students, educators, and members."

Since the Central Florida Branch was formed in 1960 by a group of Winter Park residents, it has greatly impacted lives. Through teacher scholarships, entertaining lectures with dynamic speakers, the Shakespeare Competition, and a host of additional national and local initiatives, our branch has rooted deep into the core of literacy and made a truly monumental investment in the community. We invite you to become acquainted with us by perusing this site as it showcases our commitment. Perhaps after viewing the many opportunities available to members, you might feel motivated to become one yourself!

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Beaming With Pride

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The Central Florida Branch is proud to announce that Vice President Ginger Bryant is the recipient of the Creativity in Programming Award from the English-Speaking Union of the United States. Ginger was chosen by a national committee to receive this Membership Recognition Award in its inaugural year. E-SUUS asked branches to nominate a member who represents creative excellence in the development and/or administration of an E-SU program. After frequent meetings and a thorough process, the selection committee chose Ginger for her leadership and organizational talents in taking our Regional National Shakespeare Competition to a level recognized as a model of excellence.

Socky O'Sullivan, Ginger Bryant, and Jan McClure

We are also bursting with pride to announce that Donna Miller is the recipient of the National ESU Lifetime Achievement Award. During almost forty years as a member of the Central Florida ESU, most spent as the chair (and fierce guardian) of the committee deciding how our funds from the Drey Endowment should be used, Donna Miller has overseen the distribution of over three million dollars to programs for teachers and students throughout Central Florida. She has also been a patron of the National ESU and served as a member of its Finance Committee. During these decades, few individuals have done as much for education and our community.

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Fall Dinner Guests of Honor

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Our 2022 Drey Scholarship Award recipients joined us as our Guests of Honor for the dinner program on October 18, 2022, at the Winter Park Racquet Club! This is the first year that Kenneth Holman received our UCF scholarship, and Devin Johnson is holding this honor for the second year in a row! They were both accompanied by Andrea Borwczak, Ed.D., Professor and Director, UCF School of Teacher Education.

Left to Right: Socky O'Sullivan, Kenneth Holman, Andrea C. Borowczak, Devin Johnson, and Jan McClure

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2022 TLab Scholars Reunion

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On September 21, 2022, forty former Drey Scholars with invited colleagues and members of the ESU Board gathered to enjoy our returning Drey Scholars' around-the-table discussion of their experiences this summer in the United Kingdom. Scholar Chair, Reta Jackson, introduced Lizzy Brannan and Matthew Nash-Brown, who traveled to London to participate in "Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance" and Jessica Furiosi and Gerry Precil, who both attended Oxford University's program on "History, Politics and Society," and last but not least, Kris Kahn, who traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, to attend classes in Contemporary Scottish Drama as well as plays at the International Fringe Festival. These scholars were chosen back in 2019 and have the distinction of being named Drey Scholars for four years due to the pandemic.

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