Kaelyn Benoit
The Southern Editor
When looking for a college education, Charlie Fanning knew he wanted to study history in a small community that offered hands-on experience. In 2006, he found just that at Florida Southern College.
With a Master of Latin American Studies from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Maryland, Fanning is no stranger to academia. Yet, he still holds a strong amount of appreciation for his time spent in Lakeland.
Studying both history and spanish at Florida Southern, Fanning recalls many fond memories: from his time as an undergraduate, from working in the McKay Archives to meeting his now wife and fellow Florida Southern alum– Adrienne Twinem, during, freshman orientation.
Now, as a lecturer and undergraduate research coordinator in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida, Fanning takes on a learning environment at a much bigger scale, but he has never forgotten his undergraduate roots.
“I worked with Dr. Denham in the McKay Archives as an undergraduate. This gave me some really great hands-on experience producing history,” Fanning said.
This past November, Fanning was asked to return to Florida Southern to speak in the Florida Lecture Series presented by The Lawton M. Chiles, Jr. Center for Florida History. In a lecture entitled “Building an Empire of the Everglades: How Industrial agriculture Transformed South Florida’s ‘River of Grass,” Fanning spoke on Florida’s Agricultural sector, showcasing the historical significance of it to Floridian history.
“One point I would emphasize is the scale of change in South Florida,” Fanning said.
“When the state of Florida committed to draining the Everglades for development around 1900, wetlands, marshes and saw grass prairies covered nearly all of the southern half of the state. By the 1960s, agriculture and urban/suburban development reduced that coverage by half.”
When preparing for the lectures, Fanning always goes over the key points he hopes audience members will take away from his presentation.
“I think that for students, some things they could take away is that they live in a really interesting state. The region as we know it today would not be as it is without the organizing, lobbying and interventions of industrial agricultural interests,” Fanning said.
While engaging the audience with historical facts and timelines, it is clear that Fanning’s love for history has never strayed since his time at Florida Southern.
“Lakeland was the center of the citrus industry for a long time. It has ripple effects on state politics, on the environment, on labor laws. You can look all around the state and find examples like that. Especially as a Floridian, you should make an effort to get to know your local history, because it often goes far beyond what you first are taught,” Fanning said.
Aside from history, Fanning was a member of the Men’s Cross Country team, contributing to four consecutive conference championships up until his graduation in 2010.
“Some of my favorite memories at Florida Southern came from those days. We won conference all four years that I was there,” Fanning said.
Fanning also had the opportunity to study abroad in Alicante, Spain, listing that as another cherished memory.
“I would go back and encourage students now to get into any exchange programs they can. I thought that was so valuable; picking up Spanish, picking up different cultural experiences. That kind of experiential learning is invaluable,” Fanning said.
He enjoyed Florida Southern’s more focused learning approach.
“That experiential learning really shaped me and gave me a passion for history,” Fanning said.
Having spent so much time in the McKay Archives, Fanning urges current students to take advantage of all the resources available to them.
“Take advantage of the special collections at the library at Florida Southern. For such a small school, they have such a large collection of Florida history. If you have any sort of interest, just take some time and go check it out. College is the time to experiment and get to know different times of thinking, and it doesn’t hurt to drop by,” Fanning said.
Fanning’s journey from an eager Moc to a passionate historian and professor showcases how impactful a strong focus on engaged learning can be. From time spent fostering his love of history in the McKay Archives center, to partaking in hands-on studying in Alicante and beyond, Fanning embodies one idea to its fullest– once you are a Moc, you are a Moc for life.
