Faculty Founded: Billy Close

Criminology Professor and FSU alumnus Dr. Billy Close has long known what it means to be number one. As part of the nation’s top ranked Criminology faculty, Dr. Close has impressive academic credentials. He hasearned multiple Outstanding Faculty awards and received 2010’s Guardian ofthe Flame Award from the student leadership organization Burning Spear. He is continually recognized by the University and its students as a leader in the classroom, but this month he is recognized for his athletic prowess as an inductee in the State of FloridaTrack & Field Hall of Fame.

As a student at Tallahassee’s Lincoln High School, Billy helped lead his team to state titles in the long and triple jumps, and here at FSU went on to lead the Seminoles for two years as team captain. Today, Dr. Close is still passionate about athletics and serves with fellow Criminology professor Dr. Eric Stewarton the FSU Athletic board.

Both his athletic career and his reputation as an educator would be enough to recognize the incredible success of Dr. Billy Close, but what has defined his career at FSU and his approach to education has been his commitment to go beyond the athlete. This commitment led to the creation of thenon-profit group Beyond the Athlete in 2005.

Perhaps no one better understands the challenge of maintaining academic excellence under the incredible pressure of performing as an NCAA Division I athlete than Dr. Billy Close. Beyond the Athlete recognizes the need to focus the energy, passion, and commitment of these incredibly high performing young people into their work in the classroom and beyond.