UNF celebrates grand opening of Allen Lastinger Center for Florida History

The University of North Florida celebrated the grand opening of the Allen Lastinger Center for Florida History with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Friday, Sept. 5.

The Center, located on the second floor of the Thomas G. Carpenter Library, was made possible by a transformational, principal gift from philanthropists Allen and Delores Lastinger, longtime advocates for education, culture and community engagement across Florida. This donation includes a remarkable collection of rare books, historical maps and Floridia artifacts. Most of the collection will be digitized and available to UNF students, faculty and scholars from across the globe who wish to learn about Florida's history.

The event included remarks by UNF President Dr. Moez Limayem, Library Dean Jennifer Murray and Allen Lastinger. Chance Courtney-Durrett, a junior majoring in anthropology with a concentration in archaeology, also spoke at the event as a student who benefited from Allen's gift through a Lastinger-funded research grant.

"The Allen Lastinger Center for Florida History will help UNF foster discovery and expand access to Florida's rich historical legacy," said Limayem. "We are deeply grateful to Allen and Delores Lastinger for their extraordinary generosity, which will empower students and scholars to explore and engage with our state's past for generations to come."

The center will be a dynamic hub for learning, discovery and interdisciplinary collaboration.

"By housing rare collections that illuminate the history of our state and region, the Lastinger center will serve as a global resource for scholars, researchers and community members alike," said Murray. "It will also provide students with invaluable, hands-on experience working directly with primary source materials. We're excited for the conversations, partnerships and new insights this space will inspire."

To further support academic excellence and student success, the Lastingers gave another gift to create three Allen Lastinger Annual Professorships, supporting distinguished UNF College of Arts and Sciences faculty members researching Florida history and culture; the Allen Lastinger Student Research Fund, promoting student scholarship, creative projects and public history initiatives; as well as student research grants and a dedicated internship fund for experiential learning.

The three COAS faculty members awarded the Allen Lastinger Annual Professorships were chosen in 2024 in recognition of their research and scholarly activities in fields of study linked to Florida history and culture: Drs. Keith Ashley, archaeologist and associate professor of anthropology; Denise Bossy, associate professor of history and award-winning scholar specializing in Indigenous history and colonial Florida; and Laura Heffernan, professor of English and digital humanities scholar.

A Legacy in Education and Service

The Lastinger family's longstanding commitment to education has deep ties to UNF. Delores Lastinger, a UNF alumna who earned her master's in education administration in 1975, is a former high school teacher, civic leader and dedicated community volunteer. Allen Lastinger, former president and COO of Barnett Bank, is known for his leadership in business and philanthropy across the state.

The couple have been longstanding supporters of UNF since 1990, when they established the Lastinger Endowed Scholarship for students in the Silverfield College of Education & Human Services. In 2021, another gift from the Lastinger Family Foundation further strengthened support for aspiring educators, especially meaningful to Delores, given her years as a teacher and advocate for educational causes.

The Lastingers philanthropic footprint includes support for early childhood development, local history, education and health, often with a focus on lasting community impact. Both Delores and Allen serve as trustees emeritus of several boards, and their work has shaped the cultural and civic landscape of UNF and Northeast Florida.