Four Alumni Inducted into 2025 UFCJC Hall of Fame

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) will induct four alumni into the College’s Hall of Fame at its annual awards ceremony on April 2, 2025. Established in 1970 to recognize alumni who have excelled in their careers, the Hall of Fame has honored only 181 alumni out of approximately 35,000 graduates.

The 2025 Hall of Fame class includes:

Alvin J. Cowans, B.S. Public Relations 1977

Alvin J. Cowans, CCUE, has been the President and CEO of McCoy Federal Credit Union in Orlando since November 1985. He has worked in the financial industry since 1978, joining McCoy Federal in 1983 as Senior Vice President before becoming President and CEO at the age of 30.

Cowans earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Florida in 1977. He was a four-year letter winner for the Florida Gators football team (1973–1976), served as co-captain in 1976, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1977. He was inducted into the University of Florida Gator Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

He is a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Orlando Program, the Florida Credit Union League Management Institute, and CUNA’s Advanced Management Institute. He also holds the designation of Certified Credit Union Executive.

Cowans served 17 years as a director for the League of Southeastern Credit Unions in various roles, including chairman. He was appointed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (District 6) to its Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC) and later served as District 6 Chairman, representing the district in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he served a three-year term on the Federal Reserve’s Consumer Advisory Council and nine years as Region III Director for the National Association of Federal Credit Unions.

Currently, Cowans serves on the City of Orlando’s Finance Committee and as Chairman of the Orange County Sports Incentive Committee. His numerous recognitions include the 2021 Onyx Magazine Men of Honor award and the 2025 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity / I.S. Hankins Foundation Drum Major Award for Business.

Cowans is a member of the University of Florida Athletic Association Board of Directors and the Gator Booster Board of Directors. He is married to Shirley Smith Cowans and has two sons and five grandchildren; Dr. Alvin Jeffrey Cowans, II, wife Nikki, children Ava and Aubrey, and Marcus A. Cowans, wife Keshara, children Marcus A. Cowans, II, McKinley and McKayla.

Rena Callahan Langley, B.S. Journalism 1991

Rena Langley is Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Disney Signature Experiences and Consumer Products. She leads teams in Corporate Social Responsibility, Government and Industry Relations, Public Relations, and Executive and Guest Communications for multiple Disney divisions, including Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Aulani (a Disney Resort & Spa), and Disney Consumer Products, Games & Publishing. Prior to this role, she was Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Walt Disney World Resort.

Active in her community, Langley serves as board chair for the Orlando Economic Partnership and is a board member for both the Florida Chamber of Commerce and The Nature Conservancy in Florida. She is also a member of the UFCJC Public Relations Council.

Richard (Rich) Preuss, B.S. Telecommunication 1996

Rich Preuss is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television director and producer specializing in live and live-to-tape programming. He began his career at UFCJC, directing Gator Growl and news broadcasts for WUFT. While at UF, he was selected for the Television Academy’s prestigious internship program.

Over the past 25 years, Preuss has directed a wide range of variety television, including in-studio comedy shows, large-scale award ceremonies, red carpet specials, comedy specials, dog shows, cooking competitions, corporate events, e-sports, and even rocket launches. His direction of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj on Netflix earned widespread acclaim.

In 2024, Preuss directed a Dolly Parton special for CBS, a comedy series starring Sarah Silverman for TBS, the Peabody Awards, the Grammys Premiere Ceremony, the Creative Arts Emmys, the Billboard Music Awards, and a live Smashing Pumpkins concert at Wrigley Field. He also directed The Game Awards, a live special featuring performances by Snoop Dogg and Twenty One Pilots, with presentations by Harrison Ford and The Muppets. The event set a record with 154 million live streams.

Committed to fostering new talent, Preuss has hosted Television Academy internships and mentors young professionals launching their careers in television.

Dawne Widener-Burrows, B.S. Journalism/Public Relations 1976

Dawne Widener-Burrows is the founder of two prominent communications and advertising research firms in the Washington-Baltimore area: WBA Research, Inc. (established in 1987) and Widener Research, LLC (established in 2005). WBA Research quickly became one of the largest market research firms in the Mid-Atlantic region, serving clients such as the got milk? campaign, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, and Johns Hopkins University.

Before launching her businesses, Widener-Burrows was Vice President and Director of Research at Needham, Harper & Steers (now DDB), where she worked on award-winning advertising campaigns for McDonald’s.

A dedicated supporter of UFCJC, she has served on the CJC Advertising Advisory Council for 11 years, culminating in her role as chair. She also contributed to establishing The Agency at UF and was appointed to the CJC Dean’s Leadership Council in 2024.

Widener-Burrows is actively involved in nonprofit work, particularly with the Spina Bifida Association (SBA), where she serves on the Board of Trustees. Her research for SBA has been published in multiple medical journals and presented at national conferences.

Amid her professional and philanthropic endeavors, Dawne remains committed to education and mentorship. She and her husband Larry have been long-term sponsors of many US Naval Academy midshipmen and women, offering guidance, support, and a home away from home for students.

Category: Alumni News, College News
Tagged: Alvin Cowans CJC Hall of Fame Dawne Widener-Burrows Rena Callahan Langley Richard Preuss
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