B-CC DEDICATES LARRY R. HANDFIELD MUSIC ANNEX

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Honoring one of its most generous and influential alumni, Bethune-Cookman College dedicated the Larry R. Handfield Music Annex Building on Sunday, May 2.

A 1978 graduate, Handfield served as a drum major during his matriculation at B-CC and remains an ardent supporter of the Marching Wildcats band.

“I will do my best to live up to the responsibility of having my name on a building,’’ Handfield said. “Hopefully I can serve as an example to young inner-city boys that that they can achieve anything.”

Handfield is currently a senior partner in the Miami law firm of Pitts, Handfield and Valentine, specializing in trial litigation, criminal defense, personal injury, wrongful death, guardianship and real estate. Active in the community of his native Miami, Handfield is Chairman of the Public Health Trust, which is responsible for healthcare coverage in Miami-Dade County.

Handfield is a member of B-CC’s Board of Trustees, where he is the Chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. He has overseen the construction of four new buildings and major renovations of three others.

The 18,000 square feet annex facility includes the state’s largest band room, percussion steel drum room, music technology room, office space and student practice rooms. 

“This building adds to the health and vitality of the institution,’’ said B-CC President Dr. Oswald P. Bronson, Sr. 

Handfield was presented a key to the city of Daytona Beach by Commissioner Gwen Azama-Edwards and was honored by proclamations from the Florida State Senate and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners.

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Bethune-Cookman is a comprehensive college, which offers degrees in liberal arts as well as professional fields, such as business, education and nursing. A United Methodist Church-affiliated school, the College has a diverse and international student population of more than 2,700 and a solid reputation for academic excellence and community service. As evidence of its outstanding program, the College has been listed in the Templeton Honor Roll of Character Building Colleges and Universities, and it was ranked by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the “Top 50” schools in the nation for black students.  B-CC is one of 10 charter member colleges of Project Pericles, a program to create civic leadership and involvement on its member campuses.  The College will celebrate its 100^th year of founding on October 4, 2004.

For more information, contact our website www.bethune.cookman.edu. 

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