NSUCO - The Visionary Spring 2012

THE V ISIONARY • S PRING 2012 — 6 REBIRTH IN THE SUNSHINE STATE Whether it was simply a case of growing pains or a personality shift caused by his multiple concussions, Valenti knew it was time to spread his wings even though his parents didn’t share his sentiment. “Because I was going through a difficult time, they thought it would be best if I stayed closer to home,” he explained. “They were concerned I wasn’t going to survive on my own. They weren’t totally against it, but they told me, ‘You’re an adult now, so if this is what you want to do, you’re going to have to succeed on your own.’ They were also a little bit upset that I had spent four years at Tufts without actually earning any sort of degree.” With his decision made, the Florida-bound Valenti relocated to Gainesville, which is where several of his good friends resided. “Once I moved to Florida, my life really changed for the better,” said Valenti, who took a two-year break from college to work as an optometric technician at Lange Eye Care and As- sociates during the day while serving as a bouncer/security guard at a local bar located across the street from the University of Florida (UF) football sta- dium at night. “Since I was on my own and away frommy parents, I had to pay my own bills, become more mature, and take responsibility for my actions for the first time in my life.” In 2004, thanks to his renewed interest in education, Valenti enrolled in Gainesville’s Sante Fe Community College, earning his Associate of Science de- gree in Biological Science in 2006. By this juncture in time, Valenti’s decision to pursue an optometric career had crystalized, so he began matriculating at the University of Florida with the intent of majoring in chemistry or biology. Unfortunately, what should have been an educational highpoint took an in- opportune turn when Valenti’s tumultuous academic past came back to haunt him. “As it turned out, because I had twice failed the biology course at Tufts University, I was unable to pursue the chemistry or biology majors at UF’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences,” he said. “Thankfully, my university advisers told me about a nutritional science track at the College of Agricul- ture & Life Sciences that would fulfill all the prerequisites I needed to get into optometry school.” GRADUATION, MATRIMONY, AND NSUCO During the five years he spent at both Sante Fe Community College and the University of Florida, Valenti successfully balanced being a full-time student and simultaneously working as both an optometric technician and bar bouncer. He was also fortunate enough to meet the love of his life, future wife Kimberly, during this frenetic period when a stabilizing and loving force was just what he needed. One night, while Valenti was attending Sante Fe Community College, he and a group of friends visited the bar he worked at to kick back and have a few drinks. “I wasn’t working that night, so I was just relaxing with my friends and mingling,” he said. “Kimberly was sitting at the table adjacent to us with a group of her friends, so we all just started chatting. We became friends first, but after a few months it evolved into a romantic relationship. To be honest, she was kind of my blessing in disguise. She was in the process of a earning a degree in public relations from UF’s College of Journalism and Communica- tion, so she really motivated me to take school seriously.” Baby on the Beach Happy Grad College Football Success!