Falcon Central
Remembering Deortha 鈥淒ot鈥� Moore
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Deortha 鈥淒ot鈥� Moore, a Daytona
Beach Junior College graduate, longtime Daytona State educator and co-founder of the
Women鈥檚 Center, which later became the Falcon HOPE Center. Dot passed away on September
24.
Dot鈥檚 contributions to our College and community spanned decades. After graduating from DBJC, she earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history with a minor in religion and a master鈥檚 degree in history education from Stetson University. She returned to her alma mater in 1971 to join the Cultural Arts Department, teaching courses in religion, humanities, logic, student success, reading and communications. She also chaired the Faculty Senate and the Humanities Department and was a Fulbright Fellow in 1986, spending two months studying in India.
As director of the College鈥檚 Overseas Studies Program, Dot traveled to 11 European countries, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
In 1976, Dot and her friend and colleague Ellen O鈥橲haughnessy co-founded the Women鈥檚 Center to help women facing difficult circumstances become self-sufficient through education and employment opportunities. Their work established a legacy of support that continues today through the Falcon HOPE Center. Dot served on the Falcon HOPE Center Advisory Board for more than 20 years.
鈥淒ot and Ellen made a splash decades ago, but it is the ripple effect of their work that amazes me most," said Falcon HOPE Center Director Rabecka Collins. 鈥淭hose ripples can be seen in every student who graduates, every family who finds support, and every woman who discovers her strength and potential. I am grateful for their vision, leadership, and courage to create something whose impact continues to carry so many of us forward.
"Some people leave footprints,鈥� Collins said. 鈥淒ot created pathways. Her vision and determination laid the foundation for a Center that has uplifted generations of students. The opportunities we provide today exist because she had the courage to build something that would outlive her and continue serving others. While I had only a brief opportunity to know Dot, I experience the impact of her work every day. Without her vision and leadership, the Center would not exist, and countless lives, including my own, would have been changed in very different ways. Her legacy lives on through every student served, every barrier overcome, and every success story that begins with hope."
"Dot loved flowers and in the garden of life she was a sun flower," said Victoria Ehmen, current Falcon HOPE Center Advisory Board Chair. "She stood up and she reached out to help others. She was an inspiration who has left a lasting legacy. Education is a way to break out of poverty and Dot's contribution has continued to enable many to achieve that goal. I was privileged to serve with her on the Board of the Falcon Hope Center and be considered her a friend."
"I had the privilege of learning from Dot's wisdom and witnessing the lasting impact of her vision," said former HOPE Center Director and current faculty member Erin LeDuc. "She was thoughtful, purposeful, and exceptionally brilliant, always focused on creating opportunities for others. Dot's legacy is not only found in the programs she helped build, but in the countless lives she inspired through her leadership. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked in the path she helped create."
Our thoughts are with Dot鈥檚 family, friends, former students and all who were fortunate to know her.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Central Baptist Church, 152 Fairview Ave., Daytona Beach. Flowers are welcome, or memorial donations may be made to Central Baptist Church or the Falcon HOPE Center.
Expanding the On-Campus Living Experience
Our capital campaign to build a second student residence hall on the Daytona Beach
Campus is underway and you are invited to help our students!
Our first residence hall has been a resounding success, opening to full capacity in Fall 2022. It is remained at full capacity since then, and we continue to receive hundreds of student housing applications each semester.
When we began studying the possibility of building housing on campus in 2018, a study we commissioned showed the College could support more than 500 students. Initial plans for the second residence hall call for approximately 52,000 square feet of space and approximately 256 beds.
We know that students who live on campus are more engaged with their instructors, utilize academic support systems more frequently, and participate more in on-campus activities.
With the 蜜桃传媒 Foundation, we鈥檝e launched a $16 million capital campaign for a new facility and we've already raised $5.2 million. Donations from the community will ensure our residence hall will be an affordable and accessible option for students.
We need your support. , or contact the 蜜桃传媒 Foundation at Foundation@DaytonaState.edu or by calling (386) 506-3195.
You can learn more at the new residence hall web page and keep tabs on the campaign鈥檚 progress.
Honoring Employee Mercedes Toala
It is our pleasure to share that Mercedes Toala received a Service Excellence Award this week during our Senior Executive Staff meeting.
Mercedes joined Daytona State in 2011 as a work-study student, quickly distinguishing herself through the talent and compassion she brought to helping students navigate questions and challenges. After earning her B.S. in Education, she continued her career with the College, joining Financial Aid in 2013 and moving to Admissions the following year. She also continued her education, earning a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership with a College Teaching track from UCF in 2020.
Since then, Mercedes has become a cornerstone of the Admissions team, helping incoming students navigate the enrollment process and begin their educational journey with confidence.
Her impact extends well beyond her primary role. Mercedes coordinates the Admissions Ambassador Program, where she mentors and develops student leaders, and she serves as a COMPASS Mentor, providing guidance and encouragement to new students. Earlier this year, she also began serving as an adjunct instructor for Freshman Composition II, extending her commitment to students into the classroom.
Colleagues across the College know Mercedes for her warm smile, willingness to help and her positive, solutions-oriented approach. She consistently demonstrates the professionalism, compassion and commitment to service that we value at Daytona State.
Please join us in congratulating Mercedes and thanking her for the many ways she supports our students and our College.
Honoring Employee Jasmine Checchi
It is our pleasure to share that Jasmine Checchi received a Service Excellence Award this week during our Senior Executive Staff meeting.
Jasmine is a shining example of a Florida College System success story. She earned her A.A. from Palm Beach State College as part of its first graduating class after becoming a state college in 2010, then transferred to the University of Central Florida where she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in education in 2012. Continuing her lifelong learning journey as a member of 蜜桃传媒's latest Emerging Falcon Leaders cohort, she completed a master's degree in educational leadership from UCF in 2025.
Jasmine joined us in 2016 as the Administrative Specialist in what was then known as the Faculty Innovation Center (now the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning). She later transitioned to Institutional Research before eventually returning to the CITL as an Instructional Designer. Throughout her journey, she has built a reputation for bringing clarity and structure to complex challenges.
Describing herself as a helper by nature, she draws on experience from previous careers in customer service and healthcare to empower others to build confidence in their abilities and take pride in their accomplishments. She has helped create a welcoming environment where faculty and staff can explore teaching and learning, colleagues feel supported, and everyone is encouraged to grow.
Jasmine finds joy in organizing and continuously improving the way work gets done.
If you have worked with her, you have likely benefited from a process, template, workflow,
or resource she helped design and build. Her contributions are often woven quietly
into daily operations, creating efficiencies, reducing barriers, and supporting the
success of others. While much of this work happens behind the scenes, its impact can
be felt across the college.
Please join us in congratulating Jasmine and thanking her for the many ways she supports
our faculty, staff, students and our College.