Published: December 09, 2020
The Children’s Advocate
SPARTAN SPOTLIGHT
Charles F. Scherer ’02
Charles F. Scherer ’02 (right) honors a community partner. Photograph courtesy of Charles F. Scherer ’02
Near the beginning of his career, as a child protective investigator with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Charles Scherer ’02 saw a lot that broke his heart. Like the time he entered the home of an 8-year-old girl and her mother, who was suffering from addiction, regularly inviting in drug dealers and putting her daughter in danger. What was worse: The mother denied any wrongdoing.
But a year later, something happened that Scherer will never forget. He was visiting a jail to see a client and that same mother spotted him. By that point, she was sober and had become a trusted inmate who was responsible for cleaning. She told him, ‘You probably don’t remember me, but I want to thank you. You saved my life.’ And then she hugged him.
“I was shocked,” says Scherer. “It was a good reminder that what I do impacts someone’s life at the end of the day. It is an honor to serve the most vulnerable in giving a child a voice that will be heard.”
Throughout his 15 years at DCF, Scherer earned six promotions. In 2019, he moved from that state agency to Children’s Home Society of Florida, a statewide nonprofit that has been a leader in serving children since 1902 and is a driver of child well-being through its child welfare, early childhood education, behavioral health and community solution programs. Scherer is regional executive director, leading operations and business development. In September, he was named to oversee the SunCoast region (Tampa Bay to Marco Island), in addition to the Broward and Palm Beach regions.
His impressive accomplishments were featured by his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, in its “Road to Greatness” column online this past June. Being treasurer and risk manager of Phi Delta Theta’s Florida Theta Chapter is one of Scherer’s fondest memories from his time at UT, along with being a judge on the traffic court and making everlasting friendships.
A government and world affairs major, he always felt a pull toward a career in public service. In fact, one class speaker at UT inspired him so much that it led to a semester-long internship in his senior year for U.S. Representative Jim Davis in Washington, D.C. During his time in D.C., Scherer was passionate about advocating for support of federal legislation that would prevent discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation.
Scherer, who is originally from a small town in Ohio called Ironton and lives with his partner, Frank, in West Palm Beach, FL, was drawn to UT while visiting a family member in Florida and driving by the University's iconic minarets. “I was like, what in the world is that?” says Scherer. “I knew I had to find out more. And I’m so glad I did!”
By Jane Bianchi