AEL Executive DirectorAEL Executive DirectorJohn Capece developed the idea of a national honor society for graduate students in 1990 immediately after completing his term as the first Executive Coordinator/President of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS). He believed that an honor society could help promote graduate education by recognizing those students who attain academic excellence and take the time to participate in their graduate student organizations. Also very important to John was creating an organizational environment which would provide for joint involvement of administrators and students. Thus, John insisted that AEL distinguish itself for other graduate student organizations by carrying no mission beyond recognition and development of academic excellence and leadership skills. Despite the challenges of creating a national organization from scratch, John has worked hard over the past few years to promote the concept of AEL and build its infrastructure, while at the same time struggling to finish his doctoral degree.
Having recently completed his Ph.D. in agricultural engineering, John is now an assistant professor at the University of Florida assigned to an agricultural research station near Naples. His position title is Water Quality Scientist with the responsibility of working with urban, environmental, and agricultural interests to address critical issues related to south Florida's delicate Everglades and nearby natural systems. Before beginning his doctoral studies, John served as a university instructor and technical advisor in Cameroon, west Africa, as part of a project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Since the Africa experience, John says he has been committed to promoting higher education both in the United States and abroad.
In addition to creating AEL, John served as a campus and state officer for various graduate student organizations. John was among the founding members and officers of NAGPS in 1987. He and several other students established the Graduate Student Council at the University of Florida in 1989. In 1990, after he thought he has completed his service to NAGPS, he created a sister organization called NAGPS Services, Inc. This entity manages various fund-raising projects which the IRS required be separate from the nonprofit association, NAGPS. Since then, John has been called upon to help build other nonprofit and services organizations including student and academic exchange organizations related to China, India, and the former Soviet Union.