Jacksonville University Chancellor Emeritus Frances Bartlett Kinne celebrated her 96th birthday Thursday at the JU Kinne University Center at the Arlington campus.
John Trainer, senior campaign officer and former vice president for academic affairs, told the 120 friends attending that Kinne started her JU journey 55 years ago.
Kinne was the first woman to serve as a dean of a fine arts college in the United States, at JU, and the first woman to serve as president of a Florida university when she took the JU post. Those are just two of her many roles as a pioneer in education, business and civic affairs.
“Fran Kinne is the best thing to ever happen to JU,” said Walker Blanton, a JU history professor who is the longest tenured faculty member, joining in 1968.
Kinne said her greatest joy has been the graduates.
“The reason we’re here is students,” she said on the campus of the private liberal arts college along the riverfront. “We have to recognize why we’re here.”
Kinne shared two points of advice.
• Keep working. “Use your brains,” she told the attendees. “Keep using them.”
• Have a positive attitude. “It may extend your life.”
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