History of Pensacola State College
1948 – 1954, Director James L. McCord
Pensacola State College began as Pensacola Junior College, Florida’s first public junior college to be established under the Minimum Foundation Program Law in 1947. This law recommended that junior colleges become part of local school systems supported by government funding.
In this historical narrative, the College will be referred to as Pensacola Junior College (PJC) from 1948 to 2010 and thereafter as Pensacola State College (PSC).
With pioneer spirit, Pensacola High School Principal James L. McCord, Dean Jesse Barfield, and teacher Margaret Andrus completed the documents for a new junior college and wrote PJC’s first College Catalog.
James H. Allen, president of Florida Pulp and Paper Company, contributed two years of rent for a boarding house at the southeast corner of Palafox and Cervantes streets. Pensacola Junior College held its first class there on September 13, 1948, with an enrollment of 136 students and James L. McCord as the first director.
Louis A. Ross, social science instructor, headed PJC’s first basketball team in 1949 and the first baseball team in 1951.
During 1949-50, the first student newspaper, The Beachcomber, and the first yearbook, The Tide, were introduced.
Due to increasing enrollment, in June 1953, the College moved one block south on Palafox Street to the former Pensacola High School facility.
1954 – 1963, President Henry L. Ashmore
Henry L. Ashmore became Pensacola Junior College’s first president in 1954. A well-known consultant in the field of teacher training, Ashmore held a doctoral degree from the University of Florida and served as the regional director for the National Association of Student Teaching.
In January 1955, the PJC Alumni Association was chartered and Joe Frosio, a 1950 graduate, was the first president.
On May 13, 1955, Florida Governor LeRoy Collins signed a bill appropriating $1,243,000 to the College for building improvement. The Pensacola Kiwanis Club had supported the bill and recommended a new campus location — the eighty acre Camp Franklin property on 9th Avenue, owned by the City of Pensacola and the Baars Estate.
Enrollment for 1955-1956 totaled 1,147 students. The College faculty had expanded accordingly and the weekly employee newsletter, Green & White, was initiated in 1955 to facilitate internal communication. The name of the student newspaper changed from The Beachcomber to The Corsair.
Accreditation was granted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in December 1956.
Students attended classes on the new 9th Avenue campus for the first time in September 1957. This campus later became known as the Pensacola Campus.
In 1958, PJC began its second decade by introducing a two-year nursing program — the first of its kind in the Southeast. The nursing program began as a joint venture with Baptist Hospital.
Lyceum, PJC’s cultural enrichment program, also began in 1958. Created by John T. Venettozzi, Fine Arts and Humanities chair, Lyceum continues to bring nationally known speakers, musicians, and artists to the College.
The Student Union for Good Government and Greek organizations emerged during the early 1960s. In 1960, Delta Chi Omega became PJC’s first sorority, and in 1961, Delta Kappa Alpha became the first fraternity.
Instructional television came to PJC in 1961. Closed-circuit broadcasting to PJC classrooms and selected public schools began in 1962.
PJC became one of three colleges in the state to establish a dental hygiene program in 1962.
In 1963, President Ashmore accepted the presidency at Armstrong State College in Savannah, Georgia.
1964 – 1980, President T. Felton Harrison
On July 1, 1964, T. Felton Harrison assumed the presidency of PJC. He had served as Dean of Instruction at the College since 1957.
In 1964, the new Center for Adult Studies became home to the Adult High School and PJC’s vocational and technical education programs.
The area’s first planetarium open to the public and a dental health clinic were included in an addition to the Mary Ellison Baars Science Building in 1965.
Expansion continued in 1965 with the opening of a new Educational Television Building. Lauded as the finest facility of its kind in the South, the new ETV Building housed two large television studios for closed-circuit television and a television station.
The PJC Foundation was incorporated on November 1, 1965, with Crawford Rainwater as the first president.
President Harrison spearheaded the merger of PJC with Booker T. Washington Junior College (WJC) in 1965. WJC was the first black junior college built in Florida and had served the black community since 1949. WJC President Garrett T. Wiggins joined the PJC administration as director of research. The merger brought approximately two-hundred black students to the PJC campus.
In September 1967, WSRE-TV Channel 23 went on the air open-circuit, beaming enrichment and college credit programs to the community.
The Triple G Club was founded in 1968. It was later renamed the Black Student Union.
The Florida legislature passed a bill in 1968 changing authority over community colleges from local boards of advisors who reported to county school boards to local boards of trustees who reported to the State Board of Education.
PJC’s former advisory committee became the District Board of Trustees, the governing body of the College. The College’s service district was defined to be Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Pensacola Junior College’s first District Board of Trustees included James Lay, chair, and members Leonard Wolf, O.M. Carter, H.T. Woodruff, Mrs. E.J. Moore, Shelby Walter, Warren Briggs, Dr. S.W. Boyd, and Earle Bowden.
In 1971, PJC’s Milton Center was created to better serve Santa Rosa County. Classes were held in the former Canal Street School in Downtown Milton with William H. Massey as the Milton Center’s first director.
WSRE began broadcasting in color in 1971.
In 1973, PJC celebrated its silver anniversary and dedicated a new $1 million Career Development Center that provided free services to more than 22,000 people each year.
Women were welcomed to varsity sports in 1974, and Joy DeSensi was hired to coach the Lady Pirates basketball team.
In 1975, a $1 million Learning Resources Center with state-of-the-art technology opened on the Pensacola campus.
A new campus in Warrington opened for classes on August 22, 1977. The $8 million facility was built on 164.7 acres donated by the U.S. Government. Gaspare Tamburello, the College’s Veterans Affairs director and a retired U.S. Navy captain, was instrumental in acquiring this land. John T. Venettozzi spearheaded the construction of the Warrington campus and became its first provost.
In February 1980, President Harrison announced plans for retirement.
1980 – 1997, President Horace “Ed” Hartsell
Following a national search, Horace “Ed” Hartsell became Pensacola Junior College’s third president in May 1980. Hartsell had previously served as president of East Arkansas Community College in Forrest City.
Doug Worley, Dean of Personnel Affairs, was selected as director of the Milton Center in 1980 and named provost later that year.
In 1981, PJC began an academic honors program featuring small classes and a challenging curriculum.
In December 1981, PJC opened a center at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, offering daytime and evening classes to both military and civilian personnel. David Sutton served as NAS Center director from its inception through 2005.
A pristine eighty-acre site along Highway 90 was purchased for the new Milton Center in 1982. Designed to preserve its natural environment, the Milton Center opened for classes in January 1985 and offered new programs in horticulture and wildlife ecology. Phase II was completed in 1986.
In 1984, J.C. Thedford became the first Provost of the Pensacola Campus. The following year, Thedford became Provost of Community Programs, and Richard Bedics became Provost of the Pensacola Campus.
In 1985, the Lady Pirates won the FCCAA State Basketball Championship, and Coach Vicki Carson, who had been selected as the first full-time coach for women’s basketball in 1980, was named FCCAA Coach of the Year.
The Academy of Teaching Excellence was established in 1986 by Charles Atwell, Executive Vice President to recognize outstanding faculty who have exhibited sustained excellence in teaching.
In 1988, Coach Mary Bailey led the Lady Pirates slow-pitch softball team to the NJCAA Division I National Championship. Bailey had been softball coach since the Lady Pirates team formed in 1981.
In 1989, PJC opened a Downtown Center in the Blount Building, offering courses geared toward working adults and the local business community. Continued growth prompted the move to a permanent, four-story facility on West Garden Street in 1996.
PJC honored its first president by naming the extensively renovated Building 8 as the Henry L. Ashmore Fine Arts Center in May 1990. The 314-seat auditorium and adjoining classrooms were originally constructed during Ashmore’s tenure.
The Baroco Center for Science and Advanced Technology was dedicated in October 1990. The 125,000-square-foot center was designed to provide the latest in science, mathematics, computer science, and advanced technology programs and house a high-tech planetarium.
In 1993, PJC sports enjoyed a banner year with the Pirates winning two national championships. The Pirates basketball team, under Coach Bob Marlin, became the first Florida team to win the NJCAA Division I National Championship in basketball. The Pirates golf team, under Coach Jim Donovan, won the NJCAA Division II National Championship that same year.
The $7 million, 43,000 square-foot Kugelman Center for Telecommunications opened in 1994 to house WSRE-TV, the area’s first digital television station.
The $5 million Lifestyle Improvement Fitness Education (LIFE) Center sports complex at the Milton Center was dedicated in 1995.
In 1995, President Hartsell and the District Board of Trustees began to acquire land adjacent to the Pensacola Campus for expansion and growth of the College.
PJC’s Milton Center became the site for the University of Florida’s West Florida Research and Education Center in 1996. The partnership made it possible for students to earn bachelor’s degrees in Natural Resource Conservation or Environmental Horticulture on the Milton Center, taking all upper level courses locally.
In 1997, President Hartsell and the District Board of Trustees announced plans for an eighty-foot bell tower on the Pensacola Campus as part of PJC’s fiftieth anniversary celebration. The carillon was named for M.J. Menge, a 1956 PJC graduate and the College’s general counsel for thirty-one years.
The year 1997 also marked the beginning of PJC’s fourth presidential search as President Hartsell began plans to retire in 1998.
1998 – 2002, President Charles A. Atwell
Following a national search, Charles A. Atwell became Pensacola Junior College’s fourth president. His inauguration coincided with PJC’s fiftieth anniversary in September 1998. Atwell had served as the College’s Executive Vice President since 1986.
Women’s volleyball began in fall 1998 with Kim Hollon coaching. The next year, PJC alum Pete Pena assumed the role of volleyball coach.
In December 1998, the PJC Foundation launched the College’s first capital campaign. The lead gift of $1 million from the Switzer and Reilly families established the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts. The campaign exceeded its goal, reaching more than $5 million. Nearly 750 individuals, organizations, and businesses participated in the fund drive, including more than 300 PJC faculty and staff.
PJC’s first Endowed Teaching Chair, named in honor of Margaret Moore Nickelsen, was awarded to Lou Fazio, dental health professor, in 1999.
During 1999-2000, PJC served 30,742 students in both credit and non-credit courses, including those offered through dual enrollment at area high schools.
The Sandra and Grover Robinson III Honors Program began in August 2000, with forty-two Robinson Scholars.
In fall 2000, a student ambassador program was initiated to help increase student recruitment and retention.
The first Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Teaching Chair was awarded to photography professor Warren Thompson in 2000.
Construction for the Warrington campus Health Sciences Complex and the Pensacola campus Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts began in January 2001.
In celebration of Community College Month 2001, PJC began a “Legends” program honoring employees who had served twenty-five years or more.
On July 3, 2001, WSRE became the second public broadcaster in Florida to air a digital signal. The station initiated a capital campaign in 2002 with a goal of $2 million to complete the digital conversion.
Former First Lady Barbara Bush visited PJC in February 2002 to help the Foundation launch the Universal Scholarship and Adult Literacy Fund.
The 2002 Pirates baseball team enjoyed renovated facilities and placed third in the State Baseball Tournament, setting a team record of 39 wins.
During 2001-2002, the Lady Pirates enjoyed great success. The volleyball team won the Panhandle Conference championship, the softball team was voted Academic Team of the Year in the Panhandle Conference, and Coach Vicki Carson earned her 400th win in women’s basketball.
In 2002, paramedic faculty member Joe Diamond was awarded the Margaret Moore Nickelson Endowed Teaching Chair.
In 2002, a grand opening was held for the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts and the Charles A. Atwell Health Sciences Complex was dedicated.
For the first time, the Foundation presented Governor Emeritus awards to Wayne Peacock and Jim Stolhanske in 2002.
President Atwell announced plans to retire in 2002.
2002 – 2008, President G. Thomas Delaino
Following a national search, G. Thomas Delaino became Pensacola Junior College’s fifth president on September 18, 2002. Delaino had served as Senior Vice President and Vice President of Planning and Administration at the College since 1993.
In 2003, Gael Frazer became the College’s first Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity.
In fall 2003, ceramics professor Bill Clover was awarded the Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Teaching Chair.
The Pirate baseball team won the State Championship - the first state title for Pirates baseball since it began in 1951 - and Coach Bill Hamilton was named Coach of the Year in May 2004.
Category Three Hurricane Ivan devastated the Pensacola area in September 2004, leaving more than $10 million in damage to the College’s campuses and centers.
Lady Pirates’ basketball coach Vicki Carson won her 500th game in January 2005. At the end of the season, Carson retired from twenty-five years of coaching with 515 wins, the most wins in FCCAA history. Chanda Rigby was named the new head coach for women’s basketball.
In February 2005, the Garrett T. Wiggins Student Affairs Complex was dedicated in honor of Wiggins, who was president of Booker T. Washington Junior College when it merged with PJC in 1965.
U.S. President George W. Bush held a town hall meeting at the College in March 2005.
In March 2005, the 16,257 square-foot Jean and Paul Amos Performance Studio was dedicated with several Public Broadcasting celebrities attending the weekend event at WSRE.
A new student literary magazine, Issue, debuted in June 2005 with Marzia Accardo as the first editor.
Green & White, the official internal weekly newsletter established in 1955, went to solely electronic publications with the July 18, 2005, issue.
Beginning August 2005, PJC’s academic calendar changed to three full terms — fall, spring, and summer — with each offering four sessions with a variety of starting and ending dates.
PJC participated in the first nation-wide observation of Constitution Day on September 22, 2005, with speakers and free copies of the U.S. Constitution.
The Foundation celebrated its fortieth Anniversary in 2005 by honoring the six visionary businessmen who launched it in 1965 — Crawford Rainwater Sr., E.W. Hopkins, M.J. Menge, Warren Briggs Sr., Howard Rein, and Gaspare Tamburello.
Partnering with Habitat for Humanity, the College began a carpentry program in May 2006, giving students hands-on experience building local Habitat homes.
The 2006 FCCAA Hall of Fame inducted Ken McAferty, the College’s Brain Bowl coach for twenty-three years, and Vicki Carson, women’s basketball coach for twenty-five years.
In fall 2005, sculpture faculty member Michael Boles was awarded the Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Teaching Chair.
In 2006, phlebotomy faculty member Wilma Duncans-Burnett was awarded the Mary Ekdahl Smart Endowed Teaching Chair.
The 2007 FCCAA Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame inducted Vicki Carson; Bob Marlin, former men’s basketball coach; and Mike Gilbert, long-time scorekeeper.
All College Day was launched February 2, 2007, with all faculty and staff participating in professional development workshops.
Retired President Ed Hartsell was honored with the dedication of the newly renovated Hartsell Basketball Arena on February 21, 2007.
The Corsair student newspaper won the national Pacemaker Award for the first time for its online version, eCorsair, in 2007.
Harvard University medical faculty conducted a three-day seminar at PJC’s Mary Ekdahl Smart Center for Patient Simulation Training and Research on the Warrington campus in May 2007.
President Tom Delaino was honored for outstanding leadership in the community with the Greater Pensacola Chamber’s PACE Pioneer Award in February 2008.
Milton Center sponsored its twentieth Forestry Conclave and Lumberjack Festival in February 2008.
President Delaino retired in May 2008.
2008 – Present, President C. Edward Meadows
Following a national search, C. Edward “Ed” Meadows was selected as Pensacola Junior College’s sixth president and began leading the College in June 2008. Meadows had previously served as president of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in Alabama.
NASA astronaut and PJC alumnus Alan Poindexter took a specially minted, gold PJC medallion with him on a 5.3 million mile Atlantis space shuttle mission in February 2008. In June, he presented the medallion to President Meadows and College officials.
September 2008 marked the sixtieth anniversary of Pensacola Junior College. Celebratory events included cake-cutting ceremonies on each campus and an outdoor, evening concert directed by Don Snowden, longtime Music and Theatre Department Head.
In October 2008, The Corsair captured the General Excellence Award for Florida community college papers for the fifteenth time in eighteen years.
PJC’s Associate of Science degree in Nursing program received full accreditation from the National League for Nursing and Accrediting Commission in 2008.
The Practical Nursing program ranked number one out of all 1,036 programs across the nation for the period of April through September 2008 based upon a 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for practical nursing by students who recently completed the program.
In 2008, PJC partnered with the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce to open the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Downtown Center. This incubator program provides a supportive environment to new business startups for high technology and virtual entrepreneurs.
The College's SkillsUSA student organization was chartered and began hosting the regional secondary and post-secondary skills competitions in 2008.
In November 2008, the College Board of Trustees unanimously voted to pursue the offering of baccalaureate degrees.
PJC’s nationally recognized Smart Simulation Center was designated as a Center of Educational Excellence by Laerdal Medical Corporation in December 2008. PJC was only the second community college in the country to receive this distinction.
In 2008, the District Board of Trustees revised the official College colors of green and white to green, white, and blue. The College’s mascot logo also was revised to a pirate profile designed by PJC alumnus Brett Swanson, son of Paul Swanson, longtime men’s basketball coach.
In April 2009, the Milton Center entry road was renamed Worley Boulevard in honor of Douglas Worley, the Center’s first provost.
Lady Pirate softball players christened their new field on the Pensacola Campus with double-header wins on April 22, 2009. From its beginning in 1981, the softball team had played all home games at the Milton Center.
In August 2009, the Edward M. Chadbourne Library was dedicated after a $9 million renovation and expansion. The spacious facility was named in honor of Chadbourne, a PJC alumnus, who through the Chadbourne Foundation gifted more than $1.2 million for student scholarships.
In fall 2009, photography faculty member Mark Francis was awarded the Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Teaching Chair.
During the September 2009 investiture ceremony for President Ed Meadows, the District Board of Trustees named all previous Pensacola Junior College presidents as Presidents Emeriti: Henry L. Ashmore, T. Felton Harrison, Horace “Ed” Hartsell, Charles A. Atwell, and G. Thomas Delaino.
G.I. Jobs magazine and website named PJC as a Military Friendly College in 2009 for its benefits to veterans and active duty military.
In December 2009, the Hobbs Center for Teaching Excellence was dedicated on the Pensacola Campus. During the ceremony, Pensacola Junior College President Ed Meadows and University of West Florida President Judy Bense signed a partnership allowing UWF students to join PJC students in benefiting from the state-of-the-art facility. The Hobbs Center, created through a $1 million gift in October 2007, benefits Adult High School and Secondary Education students as well as students enrolled in college-credit classes in order to become teachers.
In January 2010, the District Board of Trustees approved the renaming of the Adult High School to the Collegiate High School to better reflect its purpose.
In Spring 2010, PJC was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. It was one of only four Florida community colleges honored with this national recognition.
WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast, won a Bronze Telly Award and a People’s Telly Award in 2010 for its original documentary, “Gulf Islands National Seashore: The Treasure of the Gulf Coast,” narrated by renowned documentarian Ken Burns.
Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach Bill Hamilton was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in May 2010. In twenty-three seasons, with twenty at PJC, Hamilton amassed 702 career wins, the most wins in the College’s history.
Astronomy professor Wayne Wooten received the National Astronomical League Award, the highest award in amateur astronomy, in June 2010.
In 2010, the College received approval from the Florida State Board of Education and from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - Commission on Colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs including a Bachelor of Applied Science in Administration and Supervision and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
On July 1, 2010, the College name officially changed from Pensacola Junior College to Pensacola State College to reflect its expanded mission.
The College broke ground in July 2010 for its $9.4 million South Santa Rosa Center which would become the first College building to be constructed as a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building.
In 2010, the Milton Center was elevated to Milton Campus status by the State Board of Education.
In January 2011, inaugural classes began for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Administration and Supervision degree programs.
The first President’s Leadership Institute was initiated in 2011 as a rigorous, year-long professional development program open to full-time College employees who were selected through a competitive process.
In March 2011, the Lady Pirates basketball team, coached by Chanda Rigby, ended a 35-1 season with thirty-four straight wins. The Lady Pirates won the FCCAA State Championship for the first time since 1985 and the Panhandle Conference Championship for the first time since 1994 and returned from the National Junior College Athletic Association finals, ranked number three in the nation. Coach Rigby was named Panhandle Conference and FCCAA Coach of the Year.
In June 2011, the Florida Heritage Site Historical Marker was unveiled honoring the original site of the College at the corner of Palafox and Cervantes streets in downtown Pensacola.
For the first time in the College’s history, bachelor’s degrees were awarded at the December 2011 graduation. The seven students receiving BAS and BSN degrees also received specially minted coins recognizing their accomplishments.
In January 2012, Pensacola State opened two new centers – the new 35,000 square-foot South Santa Rosa Center and the extensively renovated Century Center.
The Lady Pirates basketball players made history in March 2012 as the College’s first athletic team to win back-to-back FCSAA State Championships. Coached by Chanda Rigby, the team again ended the season ranked third in the nation.
In summer 2012, Pensacola State College student Camille Nettles was awarded a silver award at the national ADDY awards, becoming the first person – student or professional – in the region to be awarded a national ADDY award.
In July 2012, PSC hosted its first annual Florida Master Teacher Seminar. Thirty-two faculty representing 21 Florida College System institutions attended this unique, retreat-like seminar.
Pensacola State College received the first annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine in November 2012.
The College began 2013 by unveiling a new logo reflecting Pensacola State College's name change and beautiful coastal area.
In April 2013, PSC hosted the largest-ever Florida SkillsUSA State Conference, drawing more than 6,500 participants.
PSC Visual Arts Professor Bill Clover received the U.S. President's Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 7,000 hours of volunteer service to Manna Food Pantries.
PSC Performing Arts Instructor Kadisha Onalbayeva was named an International Steinway Artist and performed on the legendary Steinway & Sons Horowitz piano in the North American tour.
In September 2013, PSC celebrated its 65th anniversary as the oldest college in the area and launched a new Alumni Affairs office to better serve the College's more than 96,000 graduates.
PSC welcomed the opening of a stunning 13,500-square-foot facility to house the PACE Center for Girls in fall 2013 - the only PACE Center in Florida located on a college campus.
In June 2014, PSC and the University of West Florida launched the PSC2UWF partnership to better facilitate students who complete an associate degree from PSC and transfer to UWF to complete a bachelor's degree.
PSC opened the first outdoor gallery of its kind with a 15X20 foot reproduction of the Dutch masterpiece, "Girl with a Pearl Earring," in summer 2014.
At the national ADDY awards in the summer of 2014, Pensacola State College student Libby Castellani received a gold award and student Blake Jones received a silver award.
The Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families presented a $1 million gift for construction of the Charles W. Lamar Studio at PSC's Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts.
Acclaimed National Geographic photographer, Steve McCurry, displayed 74 large format photographs in a first-ever, four-month solo exhibit at the Switzer Gallery.
In January 2015, PSC and the University of West Florida entered a partnership to admit select students from PSC's Bachelor of Applied Science degree program into UWF's Master of Business Administration or Master of Science in Administration, Health Care Administration Track.
After 18 years coaching the Lady Pirates softball team, Brenda Pena retired at the end of the 2015 season with 891 wins. She had coached the team since 1997 and held the distinction of being the first athlete signed to play for PSC’s inaugural softball team in 1981.
In June 2015, the Molly McGuire Culinary Arts Dining Room was dedicated in memory of Molly McGuire, a beloved restaurateur known for her unmatched hospitality.
Visual Arts Professor Bill Clover began his 50th year teaching at the College in August 2015. An award-winning artist, Clover was the longest serving faculty member in the history of Pensacola State.
In January 2016, PSC received approval from the Florida Board of Education to offer another baccalaureate degree program, the Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, designed around industry and Department of Homeland Security standards.
In spring 2016, Pensacola State’s Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing program became the first in this region to earn accreditation from two national agencies, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
In summer 2016, PSC held the 35th Annual Summer Dance Workshop, drawing more than 100 students from across the nation for the week-long seminar featuring an acclaimed professional dance faculty.
At the 2016 national ADDY awards, Pensacola State College students Amber Sidner and Zach Blessing each won silver awards.
In 2016, dental hygiene faculty member Donna Mathias was awarded the Margaret Moore Nickelsen Endowed Teaching Chair.
In 2016, dental hygiene faculty member Barbara Tarwater was awarded the Mary Ekdahl Smart Endowed Teaching Chair.
In December 2016, the White House TechHire Initiative added Pensacola, with Pensacola State College leading the way, to a national program that promotes access to well-paying technology jobs.
In January 2017, Pensacola State College’s Virtual Tutoring Program was awarded the prestigious national Bellwether Award in the category of Instructional Programs and Services.
In February 2017, Visual Arts students won 52 of 94 ADDY Awards in the regional college and university competition, including 19 gold, 30 silver, and three Judges’ Choice awards. In the Professional category, Mark Hopkins, Graphic Design Instructor, won a silver award.
In February 2017, PSC president Ed Meadows was awarded the Leadership in Education Award during the Greater Pensacola Chamber’s 57th annual PACE Awards.
In November 2017, Military Times included Pensacola State College in its Military Times Best Colleges 2018 list.
In October 2017, Pensacola State and Florida State University Panama City launched Direct Connect - PSC to FSU Panama City, allowing Pensacola State students easier access to the university's four-year bachelor's degree program.
In fall 2017, Pensacola State was ranked as one of the best colleges - regionally and nationally - by U.S. News and World Report. Published annually, the report ranks more than 1,400 private and public colleges and universities. In the "Best Colleges 2018 Edition”, Pensacola State tied for 4th in Top Public Schools-Regional Colleges-South - the highest ranked college in Florida. Pensacola State also ranked No. 28 in overall Best Regional Colleges South. Among national colleges and universities, Pensacola State ranked No. 11 in Best Schools for Veterans and No. 147 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs.
In December 2017, Pensacola State was named a 2018 Military Friendly School by Victory Media - the ninth consecutive year Pensacola State received the designated award for U.S. colleges and universities.
In January 2018, Pensacola State's Century Mobile Welding Program was named a Top 10 finalist for the 2018 National Bellwether Awards.
In January 2018, PSC was awarded a Florida Job Growth Grant Fund Workforce Training Grant of $1.86 million from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. A collaboration with FloridaWest, the Escambia County School District, and CareerSource Escarosa, the project was intended to increase the attainment of industry-recognized credentials and degrees required to enter and advance in the workforce.
In February 2018, Pensacola State Visual Arts students won 24 gold, 50 silver and two Judges' Choice awards during the regional college and university ADDY competition.
In February 2018, the Charles W. Lamar Studio at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts opened with a grand celebration to thank the Lamar, Reilly, and Switzer families for their continued support of Pensacola State. Their generous donations allowed Pensacola State's Visual Arts center to become the preeminent art gallery and institutional facility in Northwest Florida.
In 2018, Pensacola State College Athletic Director Bill Hamilton was inducted into the Florida College System Activities Association Hall of Fame. Hamilton has worked in collegiate athletics for more than 35 years. Twenty-nine of those years have been at Pensacola State where Hamilton was head baseball coach before retiring in 2010. He has served as the College’s athletic director since 1999.
In February 2018, Pensacola State College’s Veterinary Technology program received full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technical Education and Activities.
On April 6, 2018, Gov. Rick Scott signed HB 75/Military Assistance Bill which authorized Pensacola State College to waive fees for active duty military students using tuition assistance. Florida College System institutions, including Pensacola State College, were allowed to use the U. S. Department of Defense Military Tuition Assistance program to waive any portion of fees for student activities and services, financial aid, technology, and capital improvements.
In April 2018, six Pensacola State College visual arts students earned three gold and five silver awards at the 57th Annual 4th District American Advertising Awards Gala in Orlando. Kelly Bestgen won two gold awards while Alicia Kanuck won one gold award. The two automatically advanced to the 2018 national competition.
In April and May 2018, Pensacola State College hosted the 2018 SkillsUSA Florida State Leadership and Skills Conference. The conference, along with the Worlds of Possibilities Career Expo, was held at the Pensacola Bay Center. The event attracted more than 6,000 visitors and had a $3.8 million impact on the local economy. The College also will host the state SkillsUSA conferences in 2018 and 2019.
In June 2018, Pensacola State College received notification from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges of a reaffirmation of accreditation.
In June 2018, PSC graduate Kelly Bestgen was awarded a silver medal at the national American Advertising Awards.
In summer 2018, Pensacola State College students won two gold medals and three bronze medals at the national SkillsUSA competition.
In July 2018, the U.S. Department of Education listed Pensacola State College as a best value among public four-year colleges and universities for the seventh consecutive year. Pensacola State was ranked 37th on the list of institutions cited for the lowest tuition in the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency annual report.
In August 2018, the late Carl Duke, former head of Pensacola State’s Visual Arts department, bequeathed a sizable portion of his art collection to the College. More than 400 pieces were donated to Pensacola State with the stipulation the artwork be used to help visual arts students further their education. Pieces from the collection were available during the Bill Clover Memorial Auction held in October in the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts.
In August 2018, Pensacola State College announced plans to offer a Commercial Vehicle Driver program.
In August 2018, Pensacola State College received nearly $40,000 to help students pay for the cost of higher education. Most of the scholarship dollars ─ $27,220 ─ were donated by Florida Blue, the Helios Education First Generation Scholars program, and Bank of America’s Dream Makers First Generation Scholars program.
September 10-14, 2018, Pensacola State College celebrated the 70th anniversary of its opening with activities on all the College’s campuses and centers. September 13, 1948 was the official opening date of the College which began in the Aiken Boarding House on the corner of Palafox and Cervantes Streets with 136 students. Today, the College has grown to three campuses – Pensacola, Milton, and Warrington – and three centers – Century, Downtown and South Santa Rosa. More than 100,000 graduates have earned degrees or certificates from the College and over 1 million students have been enrolled in credit or non-credit courses during the College’s history.
In September 2018, Pensacola State College student Jennifer Ojeda was selected the Florida College System Chancellor’s Clark Maxwell Scholar of the Month. The award recognizes outstanding Florida College System students who demonstrate leadership skills, academic success or commitment to community service.
In October 2018, Pensacola State College became part of Pathway USA, a collaborative program between the University of South Alabama and select community and state colleges to create a seamless transition to USA for transfer students who earn an associate’s degree. Pensacola State is the first Florida College System institution to join the program.
On October 20, 2018, Pensacola State College’s Century Center held the inaugural Century Classic at Showalter Park in Century. Former PSC and Major League Baseball players, Bill Sadler and Greg Litton, along with Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry were special guests.
In October 2018, Pensacola State College’s Century Center started a community garden for the residents of Century and the surrounding areas.
In November 2018, ground was broken for the $13 million east wing of Pensacola State College’s new STEM building. The east wing will house the College’s cybersecurity programs and the Mathematics Lab. The total cost for the entire facility is projected to be $34 million.
In November 2018, Pensacola State College was among four Florida College System institutions recognized for innovation and excellence by FCS Chancellor Madeline Pumariega and was awarded a 2018 Chancellor’s Best Practice Award for the Virtual Tutoring Program.
In November 2018, Pensacola State College was awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). OVW’s Grant to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus Program supports initiatives to implement comprehensive, coordinated responses to violent crimes on campus through partnerships with victim services providers and justice agencies.
In December 2018, the Gulf Power Foundation pledged $150,000 to Pensacola State College to help establish training for nonprofit organizations’ professional staffs and boards. The first $30,000 donation will be used to develop Certified Fund Raising Executive courses on funding diversification, board development, grant writing, comprehensive campaigns, and donor-centered proposals and presentations.
In December 2018, Pensacola State President Ed Meadows was tapped to join the Governor-elect Ron DeSantis and Lt. Governor-elect Jeanette Nuñez Transition Advisory Committee on Education and Workforce Development.
In January 2019, painting and drawing faculty member Paula Work was awarded the Anna Lamar Switzer Endowed Teaching Chair.
In January 2019, Pensacola State College was named a 2019-2020 Military Friendly School - Bronze by Victory Media.
In January of 2019, U.S. News and World Report ranked PSC Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree #114 in the nation and #10 in Florida in the category of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs.
In January 2019, The Kilgore Review, the College’s literary magazine, and The Corsair, PSC’s student newspaper, won numerous awards at the Florida College System Publications Association Awards.
In February 2019, PSC students received 27 gold awards, 29 silver awards, one best-of-show award, and one Judges’ Choice award at the 2019 regional ADDY awards.
In February 2019, 10 of Pensacola State’s most-accomplished Pirates were inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame. Making up the inaugural class were 2019 inductees Joel Anthony, former Pirates basketball player and two-time NBA champion; the late Mary Bailey, former softball coach whose team won 1988 NJCAA Division I National Championship; William “Bill” Brantley, former PSC professor and longtime Pirates booster; Jim Donovan, former PSC golf coach who led team to 1993 NJCAA Division II National Championship; Charles Fairchild, member of PSC 1962-63 first championship basketball team and charter member of the PSC Athletic Program Boosters; Dana Gilmore, former softball player and most-decorated female athlete in PSC history; Dennis Lindsey, PSC’s first full-time assistant coach and current executive vice president of basketball operations for the Utah Jazz; Greg Litton, former PSC baseball player and 1989 World Series champion; Bob Marlin, former PSC basketball coach who led Pirates to 1993 NJCAA National Championship; and the late William “Bill” McArthur, longtime PSC basketball supporter and table coordinator at College for 42 years.
In March 2019, the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College launched a redesigned and extended PSC2UWF program, which features new benefits. PSC2UWF created a more accessible, streamlined pathway for students to transfer from PSC and earn a bachelor’s degree from UWF. The new agreement also includes a reverse transfer option for PSC and gives students access to a personalized UWF degree audit to track their progress toward earning a bachelor's degree while pursuing an associate degree at PSC.
In May 2019, eight successful Pensacola State alumni were recognized at the College’s 2019 Distinguished Alumni Awards. “Building on Tradition – Investing in the Future” was the theme of the inaugural event where alumni were recognized in five categories. Denis McKinnon, Sr., was the recipient of the Spirit of Pensacola Award. Steve Olesky received the Rising Star Award. Lifetime Achievement awards were presented to Gary A. DeLapp and Jarl “J.T.” Young. Hometown Heroes awards were presented to Cherry Fitch and Chip Simmons. Against the Odds awards were presented to Barry Cole and Thomas Vaughn.
In May 2019, the Gary A. DeLapp Alumni Scholarship was established by family, friends, and colleagues of the hotel executive and 2019 Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
In May 2019, the Aspire Higher Scholarship was established by 2019 Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Jarl “J.T.” and Deidre Young. The Young's $12,500 pledge gift was matched the PSC Foundation.
In May 2019, Delta Kappa Alpha Fraternity in partnership with the PSC Alumni Association agreed to raise funds for the Delta Kappa Alpha Scholarship. Fraternity members raised more than the initial $12,500 goal which was matched by the PSC Alumni Association Scholarship Matching Fund.
In May 2019, the Edward Meadows Meritorious Scholarship was established by PSC President Ed Meadows.
In May 2019, Baptist Health Care Foundation provided $15,000 in scholarship funds for PSC students who are enrolled in the emergency medical technician program. The gift is a three-year commitment to fund five $1,000 scholarships each year.
In June 2019, a facelift of the College’s Planetarium and Space was completed. Renovations started in 2017 with the repainting of the 40-foot diameter dome. Along with the dome – which was repainted by Astro-Tec Manufacturing, computerized LED lighting, a state-of-the-art surround sound system, new seating, carpeting and a computerized control console were included in the upgrades.
In July 2019, Pensacola State College’s RN to BSN program was ranked at No. 4 in Florida by RegisteredNursing.org, a nursing advocacy organization.
In August 2019, Monsanto-Solutia retirees donated $30,000 to PSC to establish the Monsanto-Solutia Retirees Endowed Scholarship fund. The scholarships will be awarded to students with a Monsanto, Solutia or Ascend connection, Ascend employees enrolled in programs to enhance job skills, students enrolled in a health care program, or chemical engineering students.
In August 2019, Pensacola State College received a $100,000 donation from Dona and Milton Usry to establish the Dona and Milton Usry Endowed Accounting Scholarship for full- or part-time students majoring in the field of accounting.
In August 2019, Pensacola State College alumnus Denis McKinnon Sr., along with his son, Denis McKinnon, Jr., and Wade Wilson – on behalf of Veterans National Homecare – donated $5,000 in scholarship funds to Pensacola State for first generation in college students. The organization also will donate $5,000 in 2020 and 2021.
In September 2019, the College started a Commercial Vehicle Driver Vocational Certificate Program. When students complete the 320-hour course, they are equipped with the tools needed to earn a Florida Class A Commercial Driver’s License.
In September 2019, the Irish Politicians Club, a social club based at McGuire’s Irish Pub, donated $35,000 to the College for the Molly McGuire Culinary Arts Endowed Scholarship fund which began in June 2015. McGuire Martin also donated $25,000 to the scholarship fund named for his late wife, Molly McGuire, who died in 2014. The endowment principal now is more than $300,000.
In September 2019, Sandy Sansing Universal Scholars were announced. The 2019 scholars were Cynthia Aceto, Elizabeth Askfeldt, Tabitha Cooper, Bethel Goodwin, Darriell Jones, Laura Shiver, Amelia Maltibia, Regina Young and Rajah Zulla.
In October 2019, Pensacola State College was named the beneficiary of a $2.4 million Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT) established by Ron and Jan Miller. Based upon the terms and conditions of the trust agreement, the PSC Foundation is the sole beneficiary of the remainder in the trust.
In November 2019, Military Times included Pensacola State College in its 2020 Best for Vets Schools list. The college was 100th among 134 ranked four-year universities and colleges. Academic achievement rates and other factors that make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, veterans and their families also are considered in the list.
In November 2019, The Corsair student newspaper placed second in the General Excellence category and won several other awards at the 2019 Florida College System Publications Awards Conference. The Kilgore Review, the literary magazine, also placed second in the General Excellence category and won numerous other awards.
During fall 2019, new Pensacola State College digital signs were installed at the corner of Ninth Avenue and Underwood Street on the Pensacola campus and on U.S. 98 on the Warrington campus.
In January 2020, Pensacola State College renamed the PSC Board of Trustees Room the Dona and Milton Usry Board Room. A portrait of the Usrys also was unveiled in the College’s Hall of Honor in Building 7. In 2019, the Usrys donated $100,000 to the College. The funds were used to establish the Dona and Milton Usry Endowed Accounting Scholarship.
In January 2020, Pensacola State College’s online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program was listed among the best in Florida and nation by U.S. News and World Report for the second consecutive year. In the “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs 2020 Edition” listing, the College’s online BSN program was ranked third among Florida College System institutions. Pensacola State also tied for 9th with Florida Atlantic University among Florida colleges and universities and was ranked 73rd in the United States.
In January 2020, October 2020, former Escambia County District 2 Commissioner Gene Valentino and his wife, Maureen, gifted property in Chumuckla appraised at $250,000, as well as an additional $20,000 to PSC to support the Entrepreneurial Program. The College will eventually sell the 4-acre-plus property and use the funds to establish an endowed scholarship and program support for Business Entrepreneurship students in the Valentino name. Students also will participate in an entrepreneurship competition for the scholarships each year. On Oct. 14, 2020 PSC honored the Valentinos by renaming a lecture hall in Building 10 on the Pensacola campus in their honor. The ceremony also included the unveiling of a portrait of the couple inside the Gene and Maureen Valentino Lecture Hall.
In January 2020, Pen Air Federal Credit Union donated $5,000 to the Pensacola State College Scholarship Fund in a ceremony held in the Pen Air Federal Credit Union Room located in Chadbourne Library. The scholarship donation is a continuation of the credit union’s support of PSC. In November 2016, Pen Air gifted PSC with a $100,000 contribution to establish the Pen Air Federal Credit Union Endowed Scholarship.
In February 2020, five legends were inducted into the Pensacola State College’s Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2020 inductees were Doug Bates, former baseball player, recipient of 1998 Lea Plarski Award and past president of the PSC Foundation; Vicki Carson, former Lady Pirates women’s basketball coach whose team won 1985 FCAA State Championship and was named 1985 FCAA Coach of the Year; Dr. Donn Peery, former athletic director and military veteran; Brenda Peña, former softball player, former head softball coach and 2003 Panhandle Conference Coach of the Year; and Dan Shugart, longtime PSC athletic supporter and WEAR-TV 3 sports director.
In February 2020, Pensacola State College was acknowledged as a top school for military veterans. The College was named one of 625 “Military Friendly Schools” for 2020-2021 by VIQTORY, a veteran-owned company that connects former military members to civilian employment and educational opportunities.
February 2020, Spring 2020, PSC graphic design student Jay Durham won a gold and silver ADDY at the national level. PSC won 95 awards – 34 gold, 58 silver and 3 Judges Award – at local competition held in February.
In May 2020, Pensacola State College recognized its 2020 Academy of Teaching Excellence inductees. They were Andrew Barbero, Amber Carey, Domenick Grasso and Deborah Woods. The Academy of Teaching Excellence also has named Lauren Rogers, Natural Sciences instructor, as Outstanding New Faculty Member.
In summer 2020, Pensacola State College implemented Phase 1 of Workday, an Enterprise Resource Planning system to replace the College's Financial Records System and Student System. College administrators, faculty, and staff underwent training throughout June. On July 1, the College's Financial Records Systems and Payroll and Human Resource package went live. The Phase 2 implementation will begin in Fall 2020 and start the process of replacing the Student System (eRosters, eAdvising, eManagement, Spyglass).
In July 2020, Pensacola State College implemented Phase 1 of Workday, an Enterprise Resource Planning system to replace the College’s Financial Records System and Student System. College administrators, faculty and staff underwent training throughout June. On July 1, the College’s Financial Records System and Payroll and Human Resource package went live. The Phase 2 implementation began in Fall 2020 and started the process of replacing the Student System (eRosters, eAdvising, eManagement, Spyglass).
In July 2020, PSC launched JobX website, a free job board where outside employers can post employment opportunities. The site also includes wages, hours, job location, number of openings and, in some cases, an actual link to a job application. Hourly wages also are listed. Employers who have posted listings on the site include Community Health of Northwest Florida, Creative School Age Child Care, Domino’s Pizza, Episcopal Day School, Firehouse Subs, Gulf States Automation, Keegan Staffing, Landrum HR, My Florida House, Nilssen Orthopedics, Santa Rosa County, TLC Caregivers and other employees.
Midyear 2020, Pensacola State College SkillsUSA chapter was named a 2020 Gold Medal Chapter of Distinction. The SkillsUSA Chapter Excellence Program honors chapter achievement relative to the organization’s framework of developing personal, workplace and technical skills. Chapters achieve status as a Quality Chapter – Bronze, Silver or Gold Medal Chapter of Distinction. The highest chapter honor is the Model of Excellence designation.
Also, four PSC employees were recognized for their service to the College and SkillsUSA. Rebecca Gunter, an office assistant in the Student and Program Outreach Department, received the SkillsUSA Honorary Life Award of the Year. Theresa Hoang, an office assistant in the Student and Program Outreach Department, was named Alumni of the Year for a second year. Sonja McCall-Strehlow, coordinator of the massage therapy program and facial specialty program, received the SkillsUSA Region 1 Advisor of the Year Award. Jennifer Ponson was named the SkillsUSA Florida Region 1 Champion of the Year.
In August 2020, PSC safely held nursing pinning ceremony and graduation ceremonies at the Pensacola Bay Center, despite COVID-19.
In August 2020, the Estate of the late Ralph and Elizabeth “Libby” Ruyle gifted approximately $140,000 to the College. Ralph Ruyle, a former Pensacola State math instructor, died in 2014. His wife, Libby, passed in August 2020. The couple were members of the PSC Bell Tower Heritage Society – and recorded their intent to make a gift to the College to memorialize their love of the institution.
Late summer 2020, the $15 million Baars Technology Building was completed in late 2020. Classes were first held in the building starting on March 8 - the start of Session D of the spring semester. The 23,389-square-foot facility will be home to cybersecurity, computer science and mathematics. It replaced the 60-year-old Mary Ellison Baars building which was the first facility constructed on the Pensacola campus in 1956. It was named after the Baars family matriarch in recognition of the Baars role in making the property available for the College.
In September 2020, the College received a second $5,000 donation from Veterans National Homecare for first-generation-in-college scholarships. Denis McKinnon Sr., Denis McKinnon Jr., and Wade Wilson presented the donation to the College.
In September 2020, more than 50 Pensacola State student-athletes and coaches came to the rescue of local families whose homes and properties were devastated by Hurricane Sally. The category 2 hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle and coastal Alabama on September 16 bringing wind, rain, and storm surge. Members of PSC Athletics helped at least 25 residents clear debris, remove fallen and cut tree limbs and waterlogged furnishings and other items from their property.
In September 2020, U.S. News and World Report has ranked PSC among the nation’s best postsecondary institutions in its 2021 annual report. The College was the Number 1 Top Performer on Social Mobility and No. 2 in Least Debt in the Regional Colleges South category in the publication’s “Best Colleges 2021 Edition.” In the All Regional Colleges category, PSC ranked Number 5 in Least Debt. Also, in the Regional Colleges South category, Pensacola State was listed Number 11 in the Top Public Schools category. The College also ranked Number 30 in the Best Regional Colleges South group among public and private schools. And PSC scored 51 percent in the Economic Diversity Score category which evaluates students from different economic backgrounds. Published annually, the 2021 report ranked more than 1,400 private and public colleges and universities.
In September 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $1.6 million grant to PSC to help construct a truck driving training facility in the Santa Rosa County industrial park. Currently, the truck driving program operates near Blue Angel Recreation Park. The new facility should be open in spring/summer 2021. The grant was issued through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration and must be matched with $2.9 million in local funds.
In September 2020, PSC was awarded $726,388 grant to help students enrolled in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) fields. The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund will provide $105,000 for CTE scholarships and about $500,000 for new, state-of-the-art equipment that will bolster a variety of the College’s CTE programs which offer training and routes to industry credentialing in high-demand fields. The GEER Fund is provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
In September 2020, TRIO-Student Support Services received a five-year $1.89 million grant ($379,197 each year) while TRIO-Veterans Student Support Services received a five-year $1.25 million grant ($125,000 each year).
In September 2020, for the second year, Veterans National Homecare donated $5,000 in scholarship funds to the College for first-generation-in-college students. PSC alumnus Denis McKinnon Sr., along with his son, Denis McKinnon Jr., and Wade Wilson – on behalf of the company – presented the First Generation Matching Scholarship donation to PSC President Ed Meadows on September 3 in the PSC Foundation office. In 2019, the company made its first donation and pledged a total of $15,000 to fund scholarships. A third $5,000 donation will be made in 2021. As available, future donations will be matched by funds from the First Generation Matching Grant Program.
In October 2020, more than $90,000 was raised at PSC’s 12th annual Day of Clays held at the Santa Rosa Shooting Center in Pace. Presented by Trane, over 111 shooters took part in the fundraiser which supports Pensacola State students and programs through the PSC Foundation Fund for Excellence.
In October 2020, PSC Milton campus debuted the College’s new 3.1 mile cross-country course during the 49th annual Washington High School Wildcat Invitational. PSC cross country team now has its own course to host competitions in upcoming seasons. PSC employee Richard Whatley Sr. conceived of the course, and with help from PSC cross country coach Julie Burger and Washington High School cross country coaches Brian Quinn and Krystal Falkler helped clean up and mark the course.
In October 2020, Sandy Sansing enjoyed lunch with several of the 33 PSC students who received a Sansing Universal Scholarship for the 2020 academic year. Since its establishment in 2002, the Sandy Sansing Universal Scholarship has awarded, along with matching funds, nearly $500,000 to 1,126 PSC students. The scholarships cover tuition, fees, and books up to $1,500. Recipients must demonstrate financial need and have at least a 2.0 grade point average.
In October 2020, PSC recognized the 2020 Employees of the Year. The Professional Employees of the Year were Ella Barker, Butch Branch, Paul Chaney, Michael Johnston, and Patrice Whitten. The 2020 Career Service Employees of the Year were Shannon Crawford, Ricky Enfinger, Teresa Jackson, and Melonie Miner.
In November 2020, more than $23,000 was raised during the Pensacola State College Alumni Association’s Annual Quail Hunt and Pheasant Shoot held November 6 and 7 at Dennis Lake Wing Club in Bay Minette, Alabama. Nine participants turned out for the quail hunt and overnight guests joined a fresh group of hunters at the venue’s clubhouse for the pheasant shoot. Overall, nearly 30 hunters participated in the shoot.
In November 2020, Pensacola State College’s Medical Assistant Program was named one of the best in Florida by medicalassistnatadvice.com. Of the 91 Medical Assisting Programs in Florida, Pensacola State was ranked Number 2 by the online resource. The rankings were based on graduation rate, net price, admission rate, retention rate, number of enrolled students and the reputation of the school. The College’s one-year vocational certificate program prepares students for employment in physicians’ offices, clinics, offices of other health practitioners and hospitals. The program also is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board. The total cost of the PSC program is $5,880 and it boasts of a 100 percent graduation rate.
In November 2020, McGuire’s Irish Pub and members of the Irish Politicians Club donated $50,350 to the Molly McGuire Culinary Arts Endowed Scholarship Fund. With the latest donation, the endowment principal is now $350,350, making it the College’s sixth-largest endowed scholarship.
In November 2020, the Gulf Power Foundation presented a $30,000 check to the Pensacola State College Foundation that is just part of the company’s pledge contribution to the PSC Nonprofit Center for Excellence and Philanthropy, a training center for area nonprofit organizations. The check was the third $30,000 payment of Gulf Power’s $150,000 commitment to the Nonprofit Center, which was established in 2019. The company has pledged to contribute $60,000 more to the Center over the next two years.
In November 2020, Pensacola State College was named one of the top-performing schools in the Florida College System. The College exceeded the FCS average in 23 of 30 evaluated metrics that measure student success and graduation rates, enrollment, transfer performance, college preparatory outcome rates and job placement of students who graduate or complete educational programs. PSC also exceeded its own goals in 20 of the 30 metrics and in seven of the 10 metric goals, the College was within 5 percent of the stated goal. The 2020 Pensacola State College Approved Accountability Measures Plan Evaluation was compiled by Michael Johnston, PSC Executive Director of Institutional Research.
In December 2020, the first Change Maker Program donated $175,000 to College for student scholarships. Founded by Michael and Jo-Ann Price, the couple initially contributed $50,0000 to the program. The Prices are major supporters of the College’s annual Holiday Experience which was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19. The couple met with PSC President Ed Meadows and PSC Foundation Executive Director Andrea Krieger to discuss a way to bolster scholarships for students who have lost jobs and incomes due to the pandemic. That meeting resulted in the creation of the Change Maker program, where the Prices encouraged College administrators to use their gift to inspire four other donors to each give $10,000 which they matched. And to encourage more participation, the Prices suggested using the final $10,000 to match $1,000 gifts from 10 other donors for universal scholarships.
Throughout 2020, the Lou Ross Center and Hartsell Arena received facelifts in 2020 and much-needed updates. The arena was repainted, and graphics, paint and branding were added throughout the hallways to tie into the improvements that were made in the lobby for the unveiling of the 2019 Hall of Fame display.
In January 2021, U.S. News and World Report's "Best Online Bachelor's Programs 2021 Edition," ranked Pensacola State's online BSN program second among Florida College System institutions. The College also tied for 8th among all Florida colleges and universities and was ranked 53rd in the U.S. by the publication. U.S. News and World Report also ranked the College 37th in the 2021 Best Online Bachelor's Program for Veterans category.
In January 2021, Pensacola State baseball coach Bryan Lewallyn and softball coach Lyndsey Angus were named the College’s new athletic director and associate athletic director, respectively. The pair assumed the responsibilities from Athletic Director Bill Hamilton who officially retired in March 2021. Lewallyn oversees the day-to-day operations of the PSC Athletics Department, its budgets, staff organization, facilities, emergency/crisis management and serve as a community liaison. Angus is in charge of NJCAA compliance and regulations. Both remained in their head coaching roles.
In January 2021, Jessica Johnson and Scott Schackmann were selected InWeekly’s 2021 Rising Stars. Johnson is the Wellness Case Manager at the College. Schackmann is a Spanish instructor and the coordinator of the Online Learning and Innovation. InWeekly’s Rising Stars edition spotlights young professionals who will have a meaningful impact on the community and help the Pensacola area grow and improve.
In February 2021, Pensacola State College graphic design and photography students won three Judges Choice Awards and 17 gold and 28 silver American Advertising Awards at the local level at a virtual gala. Judges Choice Awards winners were Jennifer Manare and Danny Nguyen. Both entries also received gold ADDYs. Gold ADDY winners were Joshua Clark, Spencer Clark, Alana Cox, Jay Dunham, Courtney Goodman (3), Lindsi Hicks (3), Miranda Magha, Manare, Anthony McGriff, Nyugen (2), and Amanda Schmidt. Silver ADDY winners were Husna Abubakar (2), Jared Barrow (2), Amber Beasley, Elisabeth Carver, Joshua Clark, Spencer Clark (2), Alana Cox (2), Kylie Crowell, Courtney Goodman (5), Jennifer Manare, Amelia Moore, Sandra Moore, Danny Nguyen, Amanda Schmidt (2), Cheryl Sturges, Eileen Medina Torres (3), and Brandon White. Zack Blessing, a 2017 PSC graduate and graphic designer in the College’s Marketing and Information Department, also won an ADDY for freelance work.
In February 2021, Pensacola State College was named a 2021 Military Friendly® School by Viqtory Media. This is the 12th consecutive year that the College has received the designation awarded to U.S. colleges, universities, and trade schools that dedicate resources to military students to ensure success in the classroom and after graduation.
The College - one of 747 schools to be recognized - received the Bronze designation for the 2021-2022 academic year. Pensacola State has more than 2,000 veterans, active duty personnel and their dependents enrolled in classes.
In February 2021, the College’s Associate of Science Degree in Sonography was ranked Number 2 in the U.S. by Best Value Schools.
Pensacola State was among the colleges included in the Best 15 Associates in Sonography Programs in the Best Value Schools’ 2021 listing. Each college was ranked based on its acceptance rate and estimated tuition and fees (published on each institution’s website). The tuition data also was calculated by the in-state tuition rate and academic semester year for all schools.
On February 26, 2021, 11 Pensacola State College students received African-American Memorial Endowment or Dr. Garrett T. Wiggins “Live Your Dream” scholarships. The 2021 African-American Memorial Endowment Scholarship recipients were Lecia Bradley, Ashley Buskey, Paris Guy, Nkyquashia Mitchell and Keyaundra Mobley. The 2021 Dr. Garrett T. Wiggins “Live Your Dream” Scholarship recipients were Nevaeh Anderson-Polk, Daniel Haile, Lakisha Jones, Nicole Lyons, Caleb Manassa and Xavier Sapp.
In Spring 2021, Pensacola State College’s Medical Assisting Program was ranked Number 2 in Florida for 2021 by medicalassistantadvice.com and findmedicalassistantprograms.org.
Spring 2021, six Pensacola State College students were named to the 2021 All-Florida Academic Team. Stefhan Al-Bayaty, Kevin Huang, Brandi Lowery, Shayna Payne, Julia Riser, and Steven Wood were among 137 Florida College System students selected for the team.
In April 2021, Pensacola State College unveiled its new state-of-the-art Baars Technology Building during a ribbon cutting ceremony. The $15 million - 23,839-square-foot - two-story facility will be home to the College’s STEM programs, including cybersecurity, mathematics, computer science, and other high-tech fields of study. It replaces the Mary Ellison Baars Building. Demolished in January 2019, the Mary Ellison Baars Building was 60 years old and the College’s oldest structure. It was named in honor of the Baars family matriarch for donating property to the College.
In April 2021, the College’s SkillsUSA chapter won four gold, two silver and four bronze medals at the organization’s Florida 2021 Virtual State Leadership and Skills Conference. The winners were: Gold: Patrick Newburn, Commercial Banking; Team A – James A. Martin and Keenan Stoughton, MRE Challenge; Amelia Moore, Photography; and Ashlyn Cain, Restaurant Service. Silver: Beth Burgeson, Commercial Banking, and Frederick Hallman, Photography. Bronze: Lisa Wicks, Commercial Banking; Carolyn Lungaro, Culinary Arts; Team A – LaTeisha Hughes and model India Malone; Esthetics; and Enrique Viveros, Job Interview. Advisors were Jimmie D. Langham, Commercial Banking, Culinary Arts and MRE Challenge; Sonja McCall-Strehlow, Esthetics; Mark Francis, Job Interview and Photography; and Joni Verlin, Restaurant Service.
In April 2021, Pensacola State College cybersecurity student Allison Dugas was one of three national winners of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s (NISOD) Student Essay Contest. Dugas’ essay, “A Woman of Letters,” was about Amber Carey, PSC Spanish instructor and Robinson Honors Program coordinator. Dugas works for Carey as a student assistant in the History, Languages, and Social Sciences Department and assists Carey with the Robinson Honors Program. Both Dugas and Carey, received $1,000 from NISOD, and the College received a complimentary membership.
On April 28, 2021, the Cantonment Rotary Club awarded scholarships to 18 PSC students. Music students – Amanda Duffey, Carlos Lopez, Lauren Mills and Lacie Scholz were awarded $1,000 Ike and Carolyn Hicks Terry Music Endowed Scholarships. Recipients of the $1,500 Ted Ciano Vocational Endowed Scholarship were Leon Dobbins II and Devon Luallen, both engineering technology-advanced manufacturing majors; Dominic Watson, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning student; and Dalton Alewine, a welding technology major. Layton Davis, an architectural design and construction technology major; Briana Esterberg, a nursing student; Alexis Faller, a graphic design major; and Casey Taylor, a radiology student; were awarded $600 Vocational I Endowed Scholarships. Recipients of the $500 Vocational II Endowed Scholarships were Carolyn Lungaro, business major Keshia Dunklin, health services management major Coby Myers and graphic technology student Autumn Notley. Paralegal Studies students Sarah Dawson and Alyssa Vasquez each received $500 Legal Assistant Endowed Scholarships.
On May 4, 2021, Pensacola State College unveiled the state-of-the-art Donald McMahon III Center for Cybersecurity, which is housed in the Baars Technology Building. The Center for Cybersecurity was named for McMahon, a Pensacola businessman and philanthropist, in appreciation and recognition of his $250,000 donation to PSC to support students enrolled in the cybersecurity program or closely-related fields of study. The College’s Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Cybersecurity also bear McMahon’s name. PSC offers both an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.
On May 7, 2021, the 15th annual Big Break Golf Classic raised more than $27,500 to support the College’s greatest needs. The event was held at Marcus Pointe Golf Club.
On May 18, 2021, the College announced plans to open a dual-enrollment charter school at the Warrington campus for military dependents and at-risk students. The proposed opening date for the Pensacola State College Charter School is August 2022. The Gulf Power Foundation presented the College with a $100,000 leadership gift that will fund a state-of-the-art Technology Innovation Center at the school, which will be open to 10th through 12th grade students. The charter school will offer precollegiate and collegiate classes, giving students the opportunity to graduate with both a high school diploma and/or an associate degree. It will be based in existing facilities on the Warrington campus.
In Summer 2021, the Margie and Alan Moore Endowed Scholarship was established as part of the College’s Your Community, Your Legacy campaign. Throughout their lives, the Moores have worked with and supported organizations that help open the doors of education for young people, including Margie Moore’s work as past president of the Pensacola State College Foundation Board of Governors and current chair of the Pensacola State College District Board of Trustees. The couple also has worked closely with Pace Center for Girls for many years and will first offer this scholarship to eligible Pace Center for Girls graduates.
In Summer 2021, Pensacola State College was ranked Number 2 for the Best Affordable RN-to-BSN Degree by University HQ. The ranking was based on several factors including the program’s costs, retention rates, the number of first-time, full-time students who return for a second year, graduation rates and more.
In Summer 2021, Pensacola State College was chosen a Best for Vets School by Military Times. The College was ranked the 27th best public college or university in the Southeast and was ranked 97th among public schools in the United States for its service and commitment to veterans.
In June 2021, six Pensacola State College instructors received the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s (NISOD) Annual Excellence Awards. Honored were Karin Carter, adjunct math instructor; Randal Evan McClellan, physical science instructor; Jimmie Langham, culinary arts instructor; Sarah Meyer-Patterson, Veterinary Technician program director; Scott Schackmann, Spanish instructor; and Britni Schoolcraft, English instructor. The NISOD Excellence Awards were established in 1991 to provide NISOD-member colleges with an opportunity to recognize individuals doing extraordinary work.
On June 24, 2021, Pensacola State College brought home two gold medals from the 2021 Virtual National Leadership and Skills Conference. Lateisha Hughes won gold in the field of esthetics, while Amelia Moore was a gold medal winner in photography. The SkillsUSA Championships feature more than 6,500 outstanding career and technical education students –– all state contest winners –– competing hands-on in 107 different trade, technical and leadership fields.
On July 14, 2021, Cassidy Gadsby, an active duty U.S. Navy corpsman and a Pensacola State College honor student, was named a 2021 Coca-Cola Military Leaders of Promise Scholar. She was one of 25 active duty members nationwide to receive the honor and the accompanying $1,000 scholarship. The scholarships are provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, which awards 200 scholarships annually – 25 of which are reserved for active duty military or veterans. Scholarship recipients must be members of their schools’ Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapters.
In August 2021, the College’s EMS-Paramedic Program earned continuing accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The CAAHEP accredits certificate, diploma, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs in many health disciplines all over the world. The College’s current five-year accreditation will be in effect through 2026.
On August 17, 2021, Pensacola builder Amir Fooladi established a scholarship to help PSC students hoping to enter the construction field. Open to students enrolled in the College’s carpentry, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, drafting design and similar programs, the scholarship also will help supply Northwest Florida with more construction trade employees. Fooladi’s initial gift was $13,500, with $1,000 of that immediately awardable to two students who received scholarships in Spring 2021 semester. The Alumni Association matched the remainder — $12,500 — to establish the current $25,000 endowment fund.
In Fall 2021, WSRE’s documentary, “Hank Locklin: Country Music’s Timeless Tenor,’’ was nominated for a 2021 Suncoast Regional Emmy in the “Documentary Cultural” category. The film was directed by James Roy. Emily Hudson Mitchell was associate producer, Ted King was assistant director and Tracey Burgess created the graphics for the film, which includes interviews with country legends such as Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam and more. The documentary premiered in fall 2020. In May 2021, it won a gold 2021 Telly Awards for “Excellence in Video and Television Production.” The Telly Awards honor excellence in television from all 50 states and five continents. The Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards are presented by the Suncoast chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The chapter covers all of Florida, and portions of Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Puerto Rico.
In Fall 2021, Pensacola State College’s Nursing RN Associate in Science Degree Program earned ongoing national reaccreditation through 2029. Observers for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing Inc. (ACEN) visited the College’s Registered Nursing program in February and notified administrators in September that reaccreditation was granted. The RN program was initially accredited in February 2008. The next site visit to the College by ACEN observers of the RN program will be in spring 2029. ACEN also awarded reaccreditation to the Practical Nursing Vocational Certificate Program this year. The next observer visit for that program will be in 2028.
On September 9, 2021, four Pirates were inducted into the Pensacola State College Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2021 PSC Athletics Hall of Fame inductees were: Florida Sen. Doug Broxson, first president of the College’s Booster Club. Catherine “Miss G” Gifford, a 50-year PSC employee who served as a tutor to student-athletes for 30 years. Gerald McArthur, official PSC basketball scorer for 32 years and a charter member of the Booster Club. Mark Whiten, a PSC student-athlete, who was a fifth-round pick for the Toronto Blue Jay in the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft. He played 11 years in the Major Leagues on eight different teams.
On September 23, 2021, Pensacola State College’s Director of Student Affairs Kathleen “Katie” Hudon was named a 2021 Pinnacle Award winner by 850 Business Magazine. The Pinnacle Awards spotlight leading women in business and education across 18 Northwest Florida counties. Hudon was one of 12 women to receive the award. An accomplished educator and academic leader with an impressive eight degrees, Hudon is currently working on a ninth – a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Business & Management here at PSC. She earned her first degree, an Associate of Arts, from then-Pensacola Junior College.
On September 27, 2021, Central Credit Union of Florida pledged $100,000 over a five-year period to the Pensacola State College Athletics Department. The gift will benefit the College’s six athletic programs – baseball, softball, men and women’s basketball, cross-country and volleyball. Each program will receive a percentage of the donation based on roster size. The softball program will receive an additional percentage and the credit union will gain naming rights to the College’s softball field. The field will officially be named later. A portion of the donation also will go to the General Athletics fund.
On September 30, 2021, ground was broken on Pensacola State College’s new $7.8 million Truck Driver Training Facility in Santa Rosa Industrial Park East in Milton. Sitting on a 15-acre parcel, the 13,000-square-foot commercial driver’s license training and testing facility and driving range is being funded by a $3.8 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant, a $1.6 million U.S. Department of Commerce grant, as well as state and local funding. The PSC truck driving program also has received other matching funds - a $250,000 GEERS Rapid Credentialing Grant, a $125,000 Florida Governor’s Job Growth Grant and $49,500 from the Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners.
On September 30, 2021, Pensacola State College’s honored the 2021 Academy of Teaching Excellence inductees - Karin Carter, Cybersecurity; Jimmie Langham, Culinary Arts; Sarah Meyer, Veterinary Technology; Scott Schackmann, Spanish; and Britni Schoolcraft, English. Randall McClellan, Physics, was named the Outstanding New Faculty Member.
On October 2, 2021, the 10th Annual Day of Clays Event presented by TRANE was the most successful shoot to date. More than $110,000 was raised with all proceeds directly supporting Pensacola State College students and programs.
On October 7, 2021, Pensacola State College recognized donors who have committed more than $750,000 toward the planned PSC Conference and Training Center. The approximately 13,000-square-foot planned conference and training center will house student activities such as job fairs and provide meeting space for seminars and workshops. Also, the facility will provide meeting space for the College’s Nonprofit Center for Excellence training program and community organizations.
On October 9, 2021, the 32nd Annual Northwest Florida Forestry Conclave Lumberjack Festival was held on the College’s Milton campus. It was the first Lumberjack Festival since 2019. The 2020 event was canceled because of COVID-19. The event featured folks throwing axes and knives, cross-country runners racing through woods, disc golfers throwing at target baskets in the same woods and more.
On October 18, 2021, Sandy Sansing shared lunch with some of the College’s 2020 and 2021 Sandy Sansing Scholars. The Sandy Sansing Scholars were Elizabeth Bowen, Wendi Butler, Katie Castleberry, Alan Drake, Quadeja Gray, Joseph Holt, Amanda Hoyt, Lewis Irby, Cedric Johnson, Christen Knox, Katherine Lavoie, Taylor Nelson, Pamela Perceval, Lisa Pressley, Teala Reguindin, Myeshia Rich, Catherine Royce, Sandra Savage, Destiny Seay, Dena Shea, Samuel Stevenson, Lauren Strickland, Ciera Strong, Olivia Wright, and Jacob Wynn.
On October 28, 2021, Pensacola State College recognized its 2021 Career Service Employees and 2021 Professional Employees of the Year. The Career Service Employees of the Year were Lanatta Barrett, Maria Brake, Fred Holt, Emma Johnson, Denise Reyes, and Penny Taylor. The Professional Employees of the Year were Tracey Burgess, Lynne Butcher, Kathy Dutremble, Jill Hubbs, and Nan Jackson.
In November 2021, Pensacola State College’s Warrington campus unveiled its new Immersive Technology Room, where instructors can recreate dozens of virtual environments that can in assist in health care training. Echo Healthcare’s “Immersive Interactive” uses four projectors and lasers to create an immersive, virtual world complete with sound and movement. The technology also includes cameras where staff can shoot various scenes – local hospitals, beach rescues and more – to use as virtual training spots.
On November 4, 2021, 74 Pensacola State College faculty and staff were recognized for years of service. Dawn Loyed and Wanda Osborne were honored for 40 years of service, Rose Hall and Darene Harris for 35 years of service; Tonie Anderson-Steele, Linda Lambert, Greg Ledet, Kathryn Merritt and John Noski for 30 years of service; Karen Atkins-Harris, Jamie Beck, Rich Cacace Jeremy Carr, Dave Delarge, Frances Jackson, Mary Anne Petruska, Brian Rucker and Kathy Schultz for 25 years; and Rick Dunn, Daniel Garber, Marie Hattabaugh, Holly Vaughn and Monica Williams for 20 years; Gregory Bloxom, DeWayne Bradley, Jennifer Brahier, Rachelle Burns, Mack Crider, Jennifer Ehrhardt and Summer Kreiser for 15 years. Diane Bracken, Amber Carey, Dave Courington, Diane Evett, Thomas Gilliam, Kay Hanson, Roberta Harvey, Lois Hurd, Linda Lewandowski, Robyn Ludlum, Gail McClure, Darlene Moseley, Jamie Russell, Debra Ryals, Melissa Sears, Sara Smith, Kathy Van Dyck and Marc Ward were honored for 10 years of service. Mollie Andrae, Lyndsey Angus, Andy Barbero, Rachel Barnes, Julie Burger, Richard Carr, Ingrid Davis, Melissa Davis, Stephen Gottschalk, Diane Jennette, Michael Johnston, William Kelly, Patricia King, Cindy Kirk, Mike Listau, Mary Mabins, Mel Miner, Susan Perry, Jac Rolison, Britni Schoolcraft, Diana Taylor, Bill Tice, Monique Vickers, Brian Ward, Steve Whiting and Handan Williams received five-year service pins.
On November 13, 2021, Maria Tibbetts, a PSC student-athlete and U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, competed in the 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Cross-Country National Championship in Richmond, Virginia. She qualified for the national championship run based on her time – 22.36 – at the Region 8 cross-country tournament in October. Tibbetts is enrolled in the College’s Nursing program.
On December 7, 2021, the Pensacola State College Foundation announced the establishment of the Escambia High School (EHS) Alumni Scholarship in Memory of Deborah Poe Milam with a $5,000 gift from the EHS Class of 1970 and a $1,000 gift from Willie Ray Milam Jr., in loving honor of his wife. Deborah Poe Milam was a businesswoman and leader in the banking industry for more than 40 years. She was also a community leader.
On December 10, 2021, the College honored donors who helped students earn an education at the second annual Change Makers – Expanding Possibilities reception. The event celebrated $2.8 million in new gifts and commitments to PSC that with matches and endowments, equal a $3.8 million impact. The Change Makers program was created in 2020 by Jo-Ann and Michael Price, who had hosted the College’s annual Holiday Experience. During the inaugural Change Makers program in 2020, the Prices contributed $100,000 for scholarships and challenged others to gift the College with donations of $10,000 or more. Community members responded and the fundraiser brought in more than $175,000.
In January 2022, Pensacola State College announced that a women’s soccer team will join the Athletics Department in the fall. The Pirates team will play home games at a yet-to-be determined local soccer facility. The current intramural field on the Pensacola campus will be reconfigured to a regulation collegiate soccer field.
In January 2022, Pensacola State College reinstated a cosmetology program at the Century Center in North Escambia County. The center previously offered cosmetology, but the program was shut down because of oversaturation in the profession. The new program can train up to 15 students. Vina Washington is the instructor.
In January 2022, construction started on Phase II of the Baars Technology Building on the Pensacola campus. The Phase II 45,000-square-foot building will cost $24 million to $25 million and is being funded with state money. The new building also will be home to cybersecurity, math, advanced technology, and other STEM classes. A third-floor connector linking the two buildings is part of the project along with a planned rooftop terrace for the Phase II building. Phase I, a $15 million 2,839-square-foot building, officially opened in April 2021. Both Phase I and Phase II buildings were designed by Florida Architects.
In January 2022, Patricia “Pati” Gandolfo, Madeline Heller, Daniela Gonzalez-Quesada and Bryan Lewallyn were selected InWeekly’s 2022 Rising Stars. Gandolfo is the women’s volleyball coach. Heller is a coordinator and administrative assistant in the Academic and Student Affairs Department. Gonzalez-Quesada is an instructor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. Lewallyn is the Athletic Director and head baseball coach. InWeekly’s Rising Stars edition spotlights young professionals who will have a meaningful impact on the community and help the Pensacola area grow and improve.
On January 25, 2022, Pensacola State College's online RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) Program continues to be among the best. For the fourth consecutive year, the College’s online RN to BSN Program moved up in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings. In the publication’s “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs 2022 Edition,” the program was ranked second among Florida College System institutions, fifth among all Florida colleges and universities and tied for 47th in the U.S. U.S. News and World Report also ranked the College 32nd in the 2022 Best Online Bachelor’s Program for Veterans category. This is the second year that the program was ranked. In 2021, the College was 37th in the category.
On February 10, 2022, WSRE-TV launched a new series, “Connecting the Community.” Dr. Rameca Leary-Vincent, PSC Coordinator of Diversity Initiatives, is the series host and producer.
In February 2022, PSC Board of Trustees chairman and retired neurosurgeon, Dr. Troy Tippett, established the Tippett Family Endowed Chair in Science, Technology and Mathematics at the College.
In February 2022, 16 PSC students took home 60 ADDY Awards – 21 gold, 38 silver and the Best of Show – at the AAF Pensacola 2022 American Advertising Awards Gala.
In March 2022, PSC was selected a 2022-2023 Gold Military Friendly® School by Viqtory Media for the 13th year.
In March 2022, PSC students Pierre Baldwin finished second and Rory Swanson placed third in Jazz Pensacola’s 12th annual Student Jazz Competition Collegiate Instrumental category.
On April 11, 2022, the Educational Opportunity Center was renamed the Eldon L. Norman Educational Opportunity Center.
On April 22, 2022, Danny Nguyen won a gold and two silver ADDY awards and Amanda Schmidt won a gold ADDY at the American Advertising Federation District 4 Awards competition.
On April 27, 2022, more than 30 PSC students received a share of $40,000 in Cantonment Rotary Club scholarships.
In April 2022, the College’s “Your Community—Your Legacy” capital campaign raised $12.6 million – surpassing the $11 million goal.
On June 8, 2022, ground was broken on Phase II of Pensacola State College's STEM facility - the Bear, Jones, Moore, and Reeves Center for Math an Advanced Technology. The building's name pays tribute to four local families - the Bear Family Foundation, Joe and Bill Jones, the late Peet Moore Family and Jim Reeves - who collectively donated $1 million to fund STEM-related scholarships at the College.
In June 2022, Jim Reeves was named a PSC Foundation Fellow in honor of his significant support of the College.
In June 2022, Dr. Paul Szuch, Gary Goldstein, Marie Young, Gregg Beck and Mary Hoxeng were named PSC Distinguished Alumni Association Award recipients.
In July 2022, the PSC Carpentry Program students completed at 600-square-foot mini house on Tarragona Street.
On September 12, 2022, Ascend Performance Materials’ Cantonment site presented PSC a $50,000 check for student scholarships. The donation matches the $50,000 given by retired employees of Monsanto and Solutia in 2019 to establish an endowed scholarship. It also brings the endowment principal to $100,000.
On September 20, 2022, PSC officially cut the ribbon on the completed Truck Driver Training Facility located in the Santa Rosa Industrial Park East in Milton.
On September 27, 2022, the late Carla E. Williams was inducted in the 2022 PSC Athletics Hall of Fame.
On October 8, 2022, the 33rd Annual Lumberjack Festival and Northwest Florida Forestry Conclave grounds were held on the Milton campus. The PSC team placed 1st in the Second Annual Lumberjack Open Cross-Country Tournament.
In October 2022, the Molly McGuire Endowed Culinary Arts Scholarship principal reached the $500,000 mark when McGuire’s Restaurant Irish Politicians Club donated $32,000.
In October 2022, PSC supporter and local media mogul Mary Hoxeng was bestowed an honorary Bachelor of Arts in Humane Letters degree.
In October 2022, four new masterpiece art reproductions were installed on the Pensacola campus. The reproductions are “Vase of Flowers,’’ 1670, Jan Davidsz. de Heem located on the north side of Building 14; “The Railway,’’ 1873, Edouard Manet, located on the south side of Building 14; “The Great Wave,’’ 1830-1832, Hokusai, located on Building 4 facing Ninth Avenue; and “Nighthawks,’’ 1842, Edward Hopper, located on Building 8 facing Ninth Avenue.
On November 3, 2022, the College and the University of West Florida entered into a new PSC2UWF MBA Articulation agreement that will expedite admission of PSC students graduating with a BAS degree in Business Management into the Master of Business Administration program at the university. The agreement also provides access to UWF’s John C. Pace Library resources for students enrolled in PSC’s newly created business climate analysis course which will be offered for the first time beginning in the spring term.
On November 10, 2022, a ribbon cutting ceremony for the PSC Veteran Student Success Center was held in Building 6.
In November 2022, the Lady Pirates Volleyball Team was named 2022 Panhandle Conference champions.
In November 2022, PSC was ranked the 23rd best public college/university in the Southeast and 78th among all public schools in the U.S. in Military Times 2022 “Best for Vets: Colleges” edition.
In January 2023, seven new art reproductions were added to the College’s Outdoor Galler. The works included three works of artist/naturalist John James Audubon’s “Birds of America” series – “Brown Pelican,” 1832, “Red-headed Woodpecker,’’ 1828 and “American Flamingo,” 1838. The others are “Horse and Boats,’’ 1883 and “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,’’ 1884, George Seurat. Both are on the east wall of the Lou Ross Center facing the track. Also, “Fruit Still Life,” by Robert Seldon Duncanson, 1849, on the south wall of Building 4, and “The Boating Party,’’ by Marry Cassatt, 1893, on the south wall of Building 4.
On January 19, 2023, PSC partnered with HCA Florida West Hospital to launch a Nurse Explorer Boot Camp. HCA Florida West Hospital donated $50,000 to the College to establish the boot camp on the Warrington campus.
On January 24, 2023, the Florida Power and Light Company Innovation Center in the Pensacola State College Charter Academy was dedicated on the Warrington campus. Funded by a $100,000 donation from Florida Power and Light, the Innovation Center will provide Charter Academy students with the opportunity to have cutting-edge technology at their fingertips.
On January 24, 2023, Pensacola State College's online RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) Program was ranked among the best in the Florida College System, the state and nation by U.S. News and World Report. In the publication’s “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs 2023 Edition,” the program was ranked third among FCS institutions, 10th among all Florida colleges and universities and 74th in the country. The online RN to BSN Program also was ranked second in the FCS, seventh among all Florida colleges and universities and 43rd in the U.S. in the publication’s 2023 Best Online Bachelor’s Program for Veterans category.
On February 2, 2023, the College renamed the EMT and Paramedic Classroom on the Warrington campus in honor of Dr. Marie M. Diamond who took the EMT course at Pensacola Junior College. Her son, Joe Diamond, was the instructor at the time. Dr. Diamond earned her GED at age 31, taught school for more than 30 years – retiring at age 70. She went on to earn her doctorate degree at age 77. The room rededication was spearheaded by First Responders Committee members.
March 2023: Pensacola State College was named a 2023-2024 Gold Military Friendly® School by Victory Media. This is the 14th year the College has received the accolade and the second consecutive year earning the gold designation.
May 2023: Seventeen students were the first graduates of PSC Charter Academy. Five of the graduates also earned associate degrees.
June 2023: PSC awarded nearly $2.5 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery funds to bolster construction trades employment in Hurricane Sally-impacted communities.
July 2023: President Ed Meadows was named chairman of the Florida College System Council of Presidents.
September 2023: Pensacola State College celebrated its 75th anniversary on Wednesday, Sept. 13.The anniversary celebrations culminated with a community gala in the Jean and Paul Amos Performance Studio.PSC’s Athletics Program received a historic boost with a $250,000 donation from Pensacola Sports Association. The donation was the lead gift in the PSC Athletics Program “Game Plan” capital campaign.
October 2023: The (Joe) Ambersley and (Pete) Peña Court was unveiled in Hartsell Arena. The court was named in honor of Peña, the College’s basketball coach for the past 15 years, and his longtime friend and PSC Athletics supporter, Joe Ambersley. PSC was awarded $310,000 from the Florida Blue Foundation to be used over four years to offer students mental health and case management services and mental health training to community members. PSC was selected as one of eight Bellwether Award Legacy Finalists to compete for the 2024 Legacy Award. The nationally recognized award identifies and honors an innovative community college program that demonstrates five or more years of student success. It is a replicable, scalable, equity-focused program with years of evidenced-based success. The ceremonial ribbon was cut on Oct. 30 on the College's Bear Jones Moore Reeves Center for Mathematics and Advanced Technology on the Pensacola campus.
November 2023: The PSC Volleyball Team finished fourth in the NJCAA Division II National Championship. The team also was awarded the DII NJCAA Sportsmanship Award.
February 2024: In U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs 2024 Edition," Pensacola State College's online RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing) Program was ranked second among the 28 Florida College System institutions and sixth among all public and private Florida colleges and universities. Pensacola State College graphic design and photography students won two Judges Awards and 18 gold and 39 silver ADDYs at the American Advertising Federation Pensacola 2024 American Advertising Awards Gala.
March 2024: Former Pensacola State College women’s basketball coach Chanda Rigby and former player and assistant coach - the late Carla Williams - were inducted into the Florida College System Activities Association Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Pensacola State College was named a 2024-2025 Gold Military Friendly® School by Victory Media. This is the 15th year the College has received the Military Friendly® School title and the third consecutive year earning the gold designation in the “Large Public” school category.