Shelley (Jones) Veal
In 1993, Shelley (Jones) Veal arrived at FLA as a freshman ready to start her high school experience. Little did she know that 26 years later, her son Nicholas would be following in her footsteps beginning his freshman year at FLA. Shelley was a four year senior from 1993-1996. She says her favorite memories from her high school experience was playing intramurals sports and getting involved in the arts.
"I loved playing all the sports possible," Veal said. "I was also really into the arts and photography, which meant that I spent a lot of time in the art department."
While Veal said the art department still stands in the same place today as it did during her time, the big difference is that back in the 90's, there was no digital photography; only film. Due to this, she said she dedicated a lot of her time to the dark room where she spent hours developing photos for various projects.
"The art and photography teacher at the time was Mr. Dietrich. He was so great," Veal said. "If I wasn't in class, I was either in intramurals or doing something in the art building." After graduating from FLA, Shelley continued her education at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. She said one of her biggest challenges was deciding what she wanted to study.
During her father's visit, she said he encouraged her to consider a business degree, because you can do most things with a business degree, so she decided to give it a try. Fortunately for her, she said she finally found her calling.
"As I took more classes, I began to formulate some thoughts related to what I wanted to do with my degree," Veal said. "For me, it had to be in an area where I was helping people and helping to make the world a better place. At the time I was considering all sorts of things including healthcare, public service, starting my own business and working for the church."
Currently, Veal is the Executive Director of Network Development in AdventHealth's Population Health Services Organization. However, she has been involved within the company, when it was known as Florida Hospital, since 1995 during which she worked as a candy striper delivering magazines to various waiting rooms.
"I continued with the company on and off throughout my schooling mostly in the summer when I'd be home on break. When I graduated from SAU in 2000 and came back home, I started back at the hospital which felt to me like a very natural transition due to the work I had done with them in the past and the fact that healthcare had been an area of interest to me," Veal said.
When asked what she enjoys most about working for AdventHealth, she said the influential people she's met during her career there have made her eternally grateful to work for the company, however, the most important aspect has been the mission of AdventHealth.
"Since helping people and making a positive difference in the world has been something very important to me since I was young, I can not think of a better way to do that then to exemplify Christ and His work and mission," Veal said. "I have the opportunity everyday to work to make people's lives better and not to do it just because it's the right thing to do, but to do it because there is a God in heaven who loves us all with an eternal and everlasting love and I want people to know that and to feel that."
Now 26 years later, Veal's two children Nick and Emily are following in her footsteps as students living the FLA experience. Nick began his sophomore year this fall, and Emily entered her freshman year.
When asked how she feels about her children walking the same grounds she once did, Veal said it feels a bit surreal, but is nostalgic in the best way.
"Since the campus itself hasn't changed that much, I'm able to help them know where things are. I will tell you, coming to View FLA with Nick was really neat. As I was walking the halls I was remembering the classes I used to take there and the teachers I had," Veal said. "All these memories just kind of flooded back to me."
While Veal said the campus is still very similar to when she attended FLA, she noted how in other ways, a lot has changed.
"When I went to school here, we still had home economics class and auto mechanics classes. I wish there were still classes like this that teach practical skills," Veal said. "Another big difference was that FLA was a boarding school when I went here. That changed the whole vibe and dynamic of the campus. There were always people around and it was really nice. It was like a home away from home."
