Page 5 - Jupiter Spotlight - February '23

Jupiter Spotlight, Page 5

FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute from page 4

Center where analysis of immense data are manipulated
for the 3-D modeling of proteins and drugs as well as
to decipher the complex physiological signatures of the
human brain. The space also will support advanced training
of high school, undergraduate and graduate students in
computational biology, chemistry and neuroscience.
Additional space on the third floor is envisioned as
a Center for the Resilient Mind, created to advance
the understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying
coping with early life and ongoing stress, the temptations
of drugs of abuse, and the mood disorders that plague
millions worldwide. Key to this center will be the creation
of formal partnerships between psychologists, engineers, Another major, transformative element of the
social workers and educators. This interdisciplinary Nicholson gift is the establishment of the Stiles-Nicholson
activity will boost the understanding of how an STEM Teacher Academy, which bridges the high-caliber
intersection of genetics, social interactions and life research setting with middle and high school teachers and
events drive changes in the brain in some, but not all students, and will provide premier experiential STEM
people. Additional open lab environments will support training programs for educators through the Jupiter
centers for brain development and autism research and campus’ nationally recognized FAU High School. The
for neurodegenerative disease research. academy will complement Nicholson’s investment in the
Sitting On A Rainbow

Palm Beach Gardens Book Review:
Taylor Hagood, a Professor of Literature at FAU,
Resident, James Patrick and among other impressive achievements author of the

Rooney, Is Proud To upcoming Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country
Music Legend had this to say about Sitting on a Rainbow:
Announce The Release Of This debut novel is full of magic, Irish folklore and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute’s ASCEND Program,
which focuses on STEM training for middle school
history, and romance all wound around experiences
His First Novel: Sitting On A of disability and drama inside a high-stakes wealth students who are just beginning to consider careers in
science, engineering and medicine.
management firm in West Palm Beach. James Patrick
Rainbow: A 21st Century Irish Rooney gives the reader a great yarn with intriguing “Today is the culmination of great generosity, hard
work, deep commitment and a true vision to help advance
American Morality Tale characters and a fully realized protagonist whose defeats groundbreaking discoveries in neuroscience, as well as
and triumphs are attuned to an excellent soundtrack.
Jim extends his gratitude to the accomplished Professor STEM education throughout Palm Beach County through
Hagood for his generous comments. the Stiles-Nicholson STEM Teacher Academy,” said Chris
Sitting on a Rainbow: a 21st Century Irish American Delisio, FAU vice president of institutional advancement
Morality Tale (ISBN: 9781958729625 /9781958729571) and CEO of the FAU Foundation. “At the heart of the
can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute is the desire to
Walmart, Books-A-Million, and elsewhere. The paperback engage with the community and better understand the
retails for $20.99, the hardcover retails for $29.99, and the human brain and how it functions. We are immensely
eBook retails for $6.99. Wholesale orders are available grateful to Mr. Nicholson for his continued support
through Ingram. Review copies, signed copies, interviews, and commitment and for helping us to inspire the next
and book club appearances may be available upon request. generation of neuroscientists.”
Nicholson is a philanthropist and wealth manager with
About The Author: a demonstrated history of successful accomplishments in
First time author James Patrick Rooney was born in financial services and education. After a distinguished
career with IBM and Weyerhaeuser, Nicholson applied
Bronx, New York, raised in Westchester County, and has his pioneering mathematical and engineering skills to
been living and working in Northern Palm Beach County for the global financial markets, ultimately opening three
his entire adult life. After having been blessed to reside in
Sitting on a Rainbow: a 21st Century Irish American such world-class communities as PGA National, Admiral’s quantitatively driven hedge funds and his own firm, York
Morality Tale is a story of severe loss and courageous Cove, Tequesta Country Club, Seminole Landing, and Old Management & Research, Inc., in 1978. York relocated
resilience, financial markets and malfeasances, Irish Marsh, he and his wife, Cindy, now live in the exceptional the hedge fund complex to Jupiter in 1990 and continues
history and mythology, justice served, and broken promises community of BallenIsles. To accomplish this impressive today as a single-family office.
remaining to be mended. array, in sum, they always bought early and sold too soon. He formed the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation in 1992
Set in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the early 2010s, the Young Jimmy’s first loves included sports, particularly to honor the military sacrifices of his father, William
novel follows Patrick Connelly, a mid-fifties paraplegic ice hockey, a variety of music and culture, and his adopted Stiles, a fallen soldier, and stepfather William Nicholson,
who works as a stockbroker and financial advisor at a major homeland of Ireland. When an ice hockey-related injury a German POW survivor. The foundation supports major
Wall Street firm. The protagonist, whose life experience at age nineteen left him a paraplegic, he turned his focus local and national education initiatives, which educate
oftentimes mirrors the author’s, not only faces the adversity away from the physical toward developing his mind. Soon citizens about entrepreneurship, the free enterprise
of disability each day, but also has a front row seat to the after finishing college at (then infamous) “Suntan U” in system, financial literacy, education reform and STEM.
financial difficulties plaguing so much of society. Through Coral Gables, he began a successful thirty-year career in Nicholson is a former director of Junior Achievement
his journey, from disruption in his career to struggles with financial advisory with a major Wall Street firm. At about of the Palm Beaches, as well as the Jupiter Medical Center
love, powerful friendships to moments of despair at the state that same time, he met his enduring love—his family. Foundation and the Washington-based Tax Foundation.
of humanity, readers are pulled into a rich, detailed world Married to Cindy ever since, together they’ve raised After 10 years of service, he retired as trustee, treasurer
that combines elements of history, Irish myth, finance, the two superb children—Patrick and Megan—who are now and chairman of the Investment Committee for the Jupiter
arts, and beyond. As the story unfolds, Patrick must take thriving young adults. Medical Center Foundation, and currently volunteers as
bold action to save his career—and maybe even his life. While managing an ambitious reading group (Old chair of the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation; vice chair of
Complete with a playlist of relevant songs to enjoy Marsh—2005-2014), Jim fell in love with fine literature the South Florida Science Center & Aquarium; trustee of
while reading, Rooney’s book is a unique approach to and was inspired to write more competently (i.e., several the Foundation for Florida’s Future; director and member
memoir, fiction, and education that ultimately digs into college-level creative writing courses and other modes of of the Chairman’s Council of the Business Development
what it means to live a life of joy and purpose. Readers self-learning). To hone his skills further, he wrote short Board of Palm Beach County; a member of the Physics
will encounter romance, business, mystery, and folklore in stories, imaginary book reviews for his reading group, and Astronomy Advisory Council of Johns Hopkins
this textured and detailed narrative, and feel inspired by and later edited and authored articles for a now defunct University; the Palm Beach County School District
the main character’s determination to find the magic and lifestyle website (2018-2020). After stepping away from Financial Literacy Council; and STEM Advisory Council.
beauty all around him. financial advisory in 2014, Jim began working on his first About Florida Atlantic University
With messages of hope, lessons from both history and novel. As is often said, starting with a few core ideas the Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961,
present day, and a window into the daily experiences of story then wrote itself. officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public
disability, Rooney’s sweeping story contains eye-opening To learn more, please visit Jim’s related website at: university in Florida. Today, the university serves more
insights and inspiring moments for readers of all kinds. https://jamespatrickrooney.com/ than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students
Jim hopes his lighthearted, romantic, suspenseful, and across six campuses located along the Southeast Florida
cautionary morality tale will entertain all who come and coast. In recent years, the university has doubled its
sit on the rainbow with him. research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student
achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and
excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where
traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated
a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public
university by U.S. News & World Report and a High
Research Activity Institution by the Carnegie Foundation
for The Advancement of Teaching. For more information,
visit www.fau.edu.