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Nicole Stott awarded top alumni honor
Nicole Stott, the astronaut who recently returned from a four-month mission to the International Space Station, was named SPC Alumna of the Year by the Board of Directors of the SPC Alumni Association.
Reached at the NASA facility in Houston, Stott said she was delighted to hear of the honor, which will be officially bestowed upon her May 8 at the college’s spring commencement ceremonies.
“There are things you never expect in life, and this is one of them,” she said. “It is huge to me, a real honor because I consider the experience I had there (at SPC) one of the things that helped me get where I am today.
“It means a lot to me to be recognized by SPC, and it is a total surprise,” she said. “It is really nice to see that good things are happening there.”
Stott said she takes pride in the fact that the college was a well-respected school when she attended classes in the 1980s, just as it is today.
Stott has been invited to attend the graduation ceremonies in May. If she does, the award will be presented to her at that time.
Related links: 10Connects.com story and video | NASA televison video on YouTube
Educational partnership teaches the public about legal system
 Guest speaker and lawyer Anthone Damianakis, above, discusses mortgages, liens, property foreclosures and property taxes during the class about Mortgages and Casualty loss on Thursday, Feb. 18. |
The college’s Paralegal Studies Program has worked with the Clearwater Bar Association for several years to help educate the community on the legal system through a series of free classes.
Together, the two provide the People’s Law School, a 15-week series that runs weekly each January through April, deals in issues from the court system, criminal law and consumer law. The classes are Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Arts or Teaching auditoriums at the Clearwater Campus.
“The legal system is actually there for all citizens and it is more useful if they know and understand their rights,” said Susan Demers, Dean of St. Petersburg College’s Paralegal Studies Program. “If you understand your rights, you are more willing to vindicate them and feel empowered by them.”
Elise Winters, chair of the Clearwater Bar Association Law Related Education Committee said, “people just don’t see the judicial system as one of the branches of government, so it’s important that we provide that information because it’s a big, big part of our lives. It’s probably the branch of government that you’re most likely to run into.”
Last year, 120 people took part the series; in 2008, more than 250 attended. Although this year’s turnout has been smaller than previous years, the series has a loyal following.
“We have people who come for years on end, so we try to mix it up a bit and we change the speakers here and there,” Winters said.
“Every year there are new topics,” said Demers, who has worked with the program for 10 years through the college. “Every year there is a different audience. It’s a great opportunity for us to have the public on the campus and see the good work of the college and the good work of the Clearwater Bar Association.
“We have some folks from our local court system—judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys—who come in and talk about how the system really works as opposed to the dramatized tales on television.”
When the series started, the largest groups of constituents were senior citizens and Pinellas County teachers.
“This seems like it is a smaller group than previous years but more diverse in terms of age,” said Anthone Damianakis, attorney with Peacock, Gaffney and Damianakis, P.A. in Clearwater. He was one of two guest speakers for the Feb. 18 class on mortgages and casualty loss. “There are a lot more younger people here.”
Damianakis, who has volunteered to teach the class once a year since 2008, said it is rewarding to share his knowledge.
“Most of the people here really want to learn, so they’re eager and it’s nice to be able to help them,” he said. “I think people appreciate it, and it’s good to share what I know.”
Bobbi Andrasy, a 37-year-old junior in the SPC Paralegal Studies program, said the classes provide a new source of information.
“A lot of people come because they are seeking advice and maybe don’t know where to go or where to turn,” she said. “These classes give a lot of extra information: Where you can go, who you can call, what you can do.”
Andrasy, who attends the classes to gain additional knowledge and to meet others in her field, said each class provides an opportunity to network.
“You get to meet attorneys, judges; plus you’re getting other valuable information out of the lecture,” she said.
More information about the program can be found on the Clearwater Bar Association’s Web site under the Public Information tab.
The remaining lecture topics:
- March 4, 7-9 p.m.: Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning – Arts Auditorium
- March 11, 7-9 p.m.: No class – spring break
- March 18, 7-9 p.m.: State of Our Circuit and Automobile Insurance – Arts Auditorium
- March 25, 7-9 p.m.: Bankruptcy – Arts Auditorium
- April 1: 7-9 p.m.: Immigration Law – Arts Auditorium
- April 8, 7-9 p.m.: Family Law – Arts Auditorium
- April 15, 7-9 p.m.: The Real CSI and Medical Malpractice – Teaching Auditorium
- April 22, 7-9 p.m.: Contracts and Construction Law – Teaching Auditorium
- April 29, 7-7:55 p.m.: Identity Theft – Arts Auditorium
- April 29, 8:06-9 p.m.: Closing ceremonies
Values & Visions highlights SPC Paralegal Studies program
 Cindy Tully, SPC Foundation's Director of Planned Giving, joins Pinellas County attorneys and friends of the College for lunch, and to learn about the college's paralegal program and plans for the mock courtroom on the Clearwater campus. |
Pinellas County attorneys were treated to lunch and an overview of the SPC Paralegal Studies program at the Foundation’s Values & Visions event Jan. 28 on the Clearwater Campus.
They also got a tour of the campus' mock courtroom, currently under construction. SPC paralegal students will eventually use it for mock trials. It also will be available to the local legal community for scheduled trials.
The courtroom will include space for judges, witnesses, 12 jurors, prosecution and defense attorneys and an instructor. The facility also will include seats for 66 observers and is convertible for classroom use.
SPC President Thomas Furlong and Clearwater Provost Stan Vittetoe highlighted new initiatives at St. Petersburg College and the Clearwater Campus, while Susan Demers, Dean of SPC’s Paralegal Program discussed SPC’s Paralegal Studies program and its impact on the legal community.
SPC's Paralegal Studies program includes:
Paralegal Studies Information Session/Orientation
Spread the word about the upcoming Paralegal Studies Information Session/Orientation on Thursday, March 25, from 5:30 - 7 p.m. at the EpiCenter, 13805 58th Street N, Largo in rooms 1-451 and 453. Learn more about the Paralegal Studies program(s) and course offerings (A.S., B.A.S., and post baccalaureate certificate in Paralegal Studies). For more information and to RSVP, please call 727-341-3178 or e-mail scites.jessica@spcollege.edu.
Paul Hanna, Executive Director of the SPC Foundation, announced naming opportunities for the new courtroom and the need for scholarship support for SPC paralegal students.
For more information, call Cindy Tully at 727-341-3126 or e-mail Cindy at tully.cindy@spcollege.edu.
Lunch with a Genius explores nursing program
 Mary Kay Thornton and Nell Spirek are fascinated by the newborn mannequin (simulator) at SPC’s College of Nursing SCENE. The simulators provide nursing students with clinical experiences that are not routinely available. |
Approximately 40 donors and friends of the college enjoyed lunch and an overview of SPC’s College of Nursing program at the Foundation’s Lunch with a Genius on Feb. 18 at the SPC Health Education Center. They also met some very unusual patients!
Phil Nicotera, Provost of SPC’s Health Education Center highlighted ongoing initiatives on the campus, and Dean of the College of Nursing, Jean Wortock, shared the creative educational initiatives experienced by SPC nursing students as well as their impact on the health care community.
Wortock explained that the SPC Nursing Program allows students to earn a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Associate Degree and transition to the Registered Nurse (RN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) tract.
After the luncheon, guests toured the St. Petersburg College Health Education Center’s million-dollar Simulation Center for Excellence in Nursing Education (SCENE). The four-room SCENE has simulators (mannequins) that can mimic clinical experiences for students such as cardiac distress and child birth.
In addition, Wortock mentioned the need for scholarship support for nursing students, especially in this difficult economic climate.
For more information on how you can help, call Cindy Tully at 727-341-3126 or email Cindy at tully.cindy@spcollege.edu.
LEED bus tour of green buildings
Michael Carter, SPC Director of Design and Construction, provides SPC’s Emerging Green Builders club a tour of the LEED Gold St Petersburg/Gibbs Student Services building, earlier this month.
The SS building is one of the most environmentally friendly higher education buildings in Florida.
CPR/AED training may be a lifesaver
Have you ever had a chance to save someone’s life? Most people have not, but your opportunity may be right around the corner. Learning Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) may be one of the greatest lessons of your life. The confidence and ability to perform the procedure in a pressure-packed environment is an invaluable skill.
The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that about 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in private, residential settings. CPR training can mean the difference between life and death. There may be no worse feeling than not being able to help someone in a crisis.
CPR helps maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain. The AHA reports that brain death begins four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR or defibrillation occurs. Performing CPR can increase the amount of time a patient has before a defibrillator, like an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), can be used to shock the heart back into normal rhythm.
Take an active approach to an important skill that is easy to master. CPR and AED training is fun, interesting and involves a hands-on approach.
SPC’s Staff and Professional Development will host CPR and AED classes starting March 16. Each employee that completes the four-hour course (12:30 to 4:30 p.m.) will receive official American Red Cross CPR/AED Certification.
The classes are free to full-time, budgeted employees and you can attend any session, regardless of your home campus. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to 10 students.
How to register
- Get your supervisor's approval before registering.
- Click the link below for the class you wish to register for:
- You will receive an e-mail confirming your registration and providing further details.
For more information, contact Eric Sierra, Staff and Professional Development (Human Resources), 727-341-3228.
Meeting notices
The Development Committee for the Board of Directors for the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art will meet on Wednesday, March 10, 3 p.m. in the Interactive Gallery of the museum to discuss general business.
The Finance Committee for the Board of Directors for the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art will meet on Wednesday, March 17, 3 p.m., in the Administration Building, AD136, Tarpon Springs Campus to discuss general business.
The Board of Trustees of St. Petersburg College will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, March 3, 3:30 p.m. at the EpiCenter, Room 1-453 to interview a presidential candidate. View legal notice of special meeting.
The Board of Trustees of St. Petersburg College will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, March 16, 8:30 a.m. in Room 107, at SPC Midtown, 1048 22nd St. S., St. Petersburg, to consider routine business including adopting or amending rules. View the legal notice of the meeting.
The final decision on who will be SPC's next president will be made at a Board of Trustees public meeting on Tuesday, April 13, at 4 p.m., EpiCenter, Room 1-453.