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Apollo winner highlights May graduationBy Bill Frederick It was the largest group of graduates in SPC history, easily besting the 662 who graduated during ceremonies two years ago. Receiving the Apollo Award, the college’s highest honor for two-year students, was Melinda Thackrah, a Clearwater Campus student who graduated with a 3.96 grade point average. The award, given annually by the St. Petersburg College Alumni Association, also carries with it a $1,000 scholarship. In her speech, Thackrah described how she returned to college after a debilitating accident that resulted in a long and difficult recovery period. “I believe that I exemplify what is possible through the open door policy of the community college system,” Thackrah said. “I am a high school dropout who recently was accepted to one of the pre-eminent liberal arts colleges in the country, New College of Florida.
“I often have said that my family and friends helped me survive the accident, but SPC gave me back my life,” she said. Thackrah was one of four Apollo Award finalists. The others were Margaret Beck, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus; Gezime Ismaili, Clearwater Campus; and Colin Del Degan, Seminole Campus. Among the graduates were 100 from SPC’s College of Education; 230 from the four-year baccalaureate program; 59 from the Collegiate High School; and 33 students from the Early College program. The latter two groups completed high school while earning two-year college degrees. College’s first ROTC grad earns degree and commission
By Bill Frederick After hospital release, mother and daughter graduate on same day
By Bill Frederick Michele, 18, started at SPC’s Collegiate High School three years ago, picked up her high school diploma May 8 and her associate degree the next day. Dolores, 52, started taking courses at SPC five years ago, hoping to earn an associate degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. Michele breezed through her program in timely fashion, working part-time at Stetson University College of Law in her off-hours; Dolores, who last had been in an academic setting in her Pennsylvania high school in the early 1970s, struggled a bit, and had to cope with surgeries and other setbacks that caused her to interrupt her studies. But the Gulfport residents made it to the finish line on the same day. Dolores made things interesting by spending time in the hospital, not once but twice, in the days leading up to graduation. She went from the hospital to her daughter’s high school graduation ceremony. “Someone I knew told me that she had gone back to school after her kids were raised, and I thought that sounded like a good idea,” Dolores said a few days before graduation. “So I did it. It has taken five years, but I will finally graduate.” Hospitality and Tourism Management was an obvious choice for Dolores because she already had been working in that field for much of her life. “I’ve done serving and bartending, and I owned my own sports café at one time,” she said. “Also, my family owned a boarding house and motel on the Jersey Shore and I worked there when I was growing up. If we didn’t work, we didn’t eat.” For Michele, the path was quite different. A gifted singer, Michele was studying voice at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High when she decided to transfer to the Collegiate High School for her sophomore, junior and senior years, where she could earn her high school diploma and an associate degree at the same time. Mother and daughter now will follow different dreams; Dolores plans to seek a management position in the hospitality industry, while Michele will move on to Eckerd College to major in biology. “She wants to be a pediatrician,” her mother said. Michele said the fact that she and her mother graduated on the same day was more coincidence than anything. Her mother would have graduated last year if some health issues hadn’t gotten in the way. “Graduating together was really a surprise,” Michele said. “But I feel that I am just as proud of her as I am of myself – she has gone through much more than I have to get where she is.” Dollars for Scholars Thrift Store helps studentsBy Barbara Wolter
The grand opening of the Dollars for Scholars thrift store was a huge success. Community members, as well as SPC students, alumni and employees, found bargains on clothing, jewelry, shoes, books and home goods when the store opened in May. The new thrift store even has a complete department of new clothing from Jim’s Harley-Davidson. All of the proceeds from the thift store go to scholarships, student services and student work-study. The Dollars for Scholars Thrift store is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and is located at the college’s Caruth Health Education Center, 7028 66th St. N, Pinellas Park. Donations can be dropped off during normal business hours. The thrift store is especially in need of men’s clothing, office supplies and computers (but NO monitors please!) For more information, visit Dollars for Scholars Web site at dollarforscholarsofstpetersburg.org for details or contact Michelle Piccione at 727-341-3620 or mpiccione3001@ad.com.
More honorsSt. Petersburg College President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. is awarded two medals by Sergey I. Kislyak, Ambassador of Russia to the United States during ceremonies in Washington, D.C. in June. One medal was “For the Contribution to the Cause of Friendship” and another was celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Consular Service of Russia. The medals were awarded for Kuttler’s 20-year commitment to fostering relations between sister cities St. Petersburg, Russia and St. Petersburg, Florida. He also was cited for solidifying the friendship between Russia and the U.S. Kuttler was appointed the Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation to Florida in 2004 and was reappointed in June. President Ann McGee is SPC’s 2009 Outstanding AlumnusBy Bill Frederick
E. Ann McGee, President of Seminole Community College in Sanford/Lake Mary, is SPC’s 2009 Outstanding Alumnus. Her selection was announced at the college’s May graduation ceremonies; she accepted the award at the July commencement. McGee grew up in Largo and graduated from St. Petersburg College in 1968. She earned her B.A. in speech and M.A. in communication from Florida State University, and her Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University. She is the second president in Seminole Community College history, having served since 1996. McGee said she was shocked and thrilled to hear that she had been selected for the honor, by the college’s Alumni Association.
Her SPC education almost didn’t get off the ground. After only a few weeks, she decided that it just wasn’t a good “fit.” “At 16, I was young and scared. I remember leaving the Clearwater Campus and driving across the causeway to Tampa, determined that I would not go back. About halfway across the bay, I stopped and looked out at the water. It was one of life’s defining moments. I remember saying to myself, ‘This isn’t my car; it’s my father’s. If I don’t go back, I don’t have a future.’ So I drove back to the campus, walked into the Dean of Students office, stuck my hand out and said to Dean Gene Bittner… ‘I want to get involved in student activities.’ His welcoming response made all the difference! I wouldn’t be where I am today without the care and support that I received from the great faculty and staff at SPC.” Bittner did more than sign her up for a few activities. He took McGee under his wing and, along with the Dean of Women, Vilma Zalupski, helped mold the future of the 16-year-old. “Back then, looking at Dean Bittner, I thought he was around 80 years old,” McGee recalled. “I now realize that he was only 38 when I walked into his office. By the time I graduated, I was Sophomore Class President and the first woman to win the Apollo Award as the outstanding graduate. So, I obviously got very involved in campus life. If I hadn’t gone back to SPC that day, I know that I wouldn’t be a college president today.” Clearwater Campus Dean Phil Fredrickson also took an interest in McGee, offering her a position as a work study student in his office. “Working for the Campus Dean allowed me to see many different sides of the campus. After I graduated and transferred to FSU, my summer jobs were working for Dr. Fredrickson, who was then SPC’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. He sent me out to work at all the campuses, which allowed me to see the full scope of the community college mission. I am sure this was a huge factor in my decision to pursue a career with Florida’s community colleges.” McGee’s career in education has had many important milestones since her graduation from SPC. She has held academic, administrative and executive positions at Florida Keys Community College and Broward College. She was a charter member of the Florida State University Board of Trustees. She has been the Presidential Phi Theta Kappa Ambassador for the All-Florida Academic Team and is a board member of The Foundation for Florida’s Community Colleges, the President’s Academy of the American Association of Community Colleges, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation. She is a former president of the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities. Among many other honors, she was named the 2006 Marie Y. Martin “Top CEO” by the Association of Community College Trustees, and also was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Central Florida by the Orlando Business Journal. McGee is in her 14th year as President of Seminole Community College, which enrolls nearly 32,000 students annually in programs that range from university transfer studies to career workforce majors to adult basic education. Her early experiences as a student at SPC provide a daily reminder to her, as a college president, of the importance of the “personal touch” in the lives and success of students. Collegiate high school earns county’s only ‘A’
By Stephanie Henningsen The St. Petersburg Collegiate High School was the only Pinellas County high school receiving an “A” from the Florida Department of Education for 2008-09. “We’re thrilled to be an A school,” Principal Starla Metz said. “And I’m very, very proud of the students and staff; they worked really hard.” The grades are based on Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores in reading, math, writing and science. SPCHS was one of 1,822 schools statewide earning “A” grades. SPCHS also has excelled and been recognized in several other areas:
Metz attributes SPCHS students’ achievement to the school’s outstanding staff and faculty, curriculum tailored to the individual student, and relationships staff and faculty build with students. “We’re teaching critical thinking skills, writing and reading across the curriculum,” Metz said. “When you do all those things well, that’s what empowers students to achieve at high levels.” Bill Hemme’s Great Adventure: A bike ride across America
As a kid, Bill Hemme dreamed of some kind of great adventure – sailing solo across the Atlantic, maybe, or hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Approaching his 50th birthday in April, Hemme realized that time was passing quickly and the great adventure of his childhood dreams remained undone. That all changed on May 12, when Hemme left from Sausalito, Calif. and pointed his bicycle toward St. Augustine, a solo cross-country trip that he hoped would take 10 weeks – if all went well. Hemme, who is returning to a teaching position after five years as Director of the Mathematics and Natural Science program on the Clearwater Campus, needed to pedal about 70 miles every day to stay on his schedule. He trained to make that happen. “I did a lot of riding in preparation,” he said before he left. “I purchased a new touring bike back in February of 2008, and I now have almost 6,700 miles on it. I’m not a competitive rider but I do get out on weekends and early in the morning.” He rode about 200 miles a week before he left. The idea for a cross-country bike trip had been in his mind before, perhaps as a good project to do with his son. “It actually was something I first thought of as a kid, when I envisioned sailing solo across the ocean or hiking the Appalachian Trail,” he said. “Then, about six or seven years ago, I was traveling with my wife and son and I happened to mention the thought of a cross-country bike trip, and my son thought it would be very cool. Then, when I turned 50, I realized I was in pretty good shape, and that’s when the idea really took hold.” His son Daniel, a sophomore at the University of Florida, couldn’t make the trip after all. Undaunted, Hemme decided to make it a solo adventure. The first day of the trip was one of the most interesting – it involved a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and dipping the rear wheel in the Pacific. In the days afterward, though, the ride got challenging – he got into the Sierra Nevada Mountains and had to climb to about 9,000 feet, a height where he expected to travel (and camp) in some deep snow. Hemme’s first week in California took him through such densely populated areas as Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Those early days were not without incident – on day four, as he was pedaling out of Placerville, Calif., grinding noises started emanating from the rear wheel. That turned out to be a bad hub and bearings, and repairs kept him in Placerville for an extra day. “Unexpected delays are an inevitable part of any long distance tour,” Hemme said when he posted to his Web site that evening. Better that the breakdown took place in a California town; a few days later, when he reached Nevada, he rode through areas that were essentially unpopulated. While traveling alone, Hemme expected to run into other bicyclists pedaling both east and west on similar cross-country treks. “This is considered a solo ride because I’m doing it without a partner,” he said. “But there are usually 200 or 300 people who make this trip by bicycle each year, so it is not unusual to encounter people who are making similar cross-country trips. Some of them may match up with me, or I them, so I think I may ride a few days at a time with others.” Hemme camped some nights, spent other nights in motels, and rested on other evenings in the homes of “Warmshowers” hosts – people who provide a bed, food and hot showers to long-distance bicyclists. He expected to arrive in St. Augustine on July 21, in plenty of time for the start of fall classes. However, at the end of June, as he pedaled into Missouri, Hemme found himself at a crossroads. His bicycle’s rear wheel, which caused problems a couple of times during the trip, was failing, and he feared it would give out completely somewhere far from a repair shop. So, after 2,681 miles over the 52 days from May 12 to July 2, Hemme decided to call it quits, at least for now. Next summer, he plans to finish the Missouri-to-Florida leg. To see Hemme’s online journal of the trip, with reports and pictures, visit www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/bills2009ride. Jason Green bumps into his hero, Captain Recycle
He wasn’t wearing his mask and cape, but college Sustainability Coordinator Jason Green recognized Captain Recycle the minute he walked into the room. To most people, Alan Shapiro is just a mild-mannered Instructional Technologist at the Seminole Campus. But it wasn’t too many years ago that Shapiro was Captain Recycle, Boca Ciega High School’s masked marvel of all things green and recyclable. Jason Green remembered because he was one of Captain Recycle’s students. And Green says that 18 years after his Boca Ciega days, he owes his ecologically friendly career to his old high school teacher. “He had such an impact. He was such a passionate teacher,” Green recalled. “He couldn’t help but have an impact on how I looked at the world. From that class, I became a lifelong environmentalist. I made sure my family recycled at home. When possible, I rode my bike rather than drive and tried to raise the consciousness of my friends and family about not wasting energy and water.” Now, both men are employed by St. Petersburg College, and both ended up in the same meeting at the Seminole Campus recently to discuss some college-related ecological subjects. Green recognized his old teacher right away; it took a few additional minutes for Shapiro to recognize Green. But Shapiro’s memory is pretty sharp when it comes to Captain Recycle. “I was a science teacher at the time, and the state of Florida had just passed a law requiring communities to recycle a certain percentage of their waste,” Shapiro said. “I wanted to get a recycling center started at the school, so I started a club we called Eco-Action.” Boca Ciega High School is in Gulfport, but Shapiro sought help from Tom Lehmann, the recycling coordinator for the city of St. Petersburg. He and his students drew up flyers, urging people to bring their recyclables to school. To generate excitement among his students, Shapiro dreamed up the Captain Recycle character. “I got a t-shirt airbrushed with the letters CR on the front, and I got a cape and a mask and I walked around the school as Captain Recycle,” Shapiro said. “The whole thing became pretty popular.” The club gathered and recycled aluminum cans, paper, cardboard and Styrofoam. The effort was so successful that the recycling center at Boca Ciega became one of the most productive centers in the St. Petersburg system. All of that made a big impression on many Boca Ciega students, but it made a huge impression on Green, who went on to a career as an architect and sustainability expert. He now leads all of the environmental efforts at SPC. “(Shapiro) didn’t care about appearances, he was so passionate and he ran around school in that cape and mask making sure students and teachers did the right thing by recycling,” Green said. Even though it took Shapiro a little while to recall Jason Green, once he did it created a rush of memories from his early-1990s Captain Recycle days. “It blew me away. It was wonderful,” he said. “Jason said, ‘You kind of inspired me.’ It made me feel good as a teacher, and as someone who still tries to do things for the environment. “Teaching can be good.” All of SPC’s recent green efforts, led by Jason Green, have Shapiro thinking about bringing Captain Recycle out of retirement. “My old cape is gone,” he said. “But I bet I could get another one.” College has two of county's first LEED® Gold-certified buildingsBy Bill Frederick
The college has obtained U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Gold certification for the new Student Services Building on the LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED Green Building Rating System™ is a nationally accepted certifier of high performance and environmentally sensitive buildings. Gold is its second highest designation. Susan Reiter, SPC’s Vice President of Facilities Planning and Institutional Services, said the U.S. Green Building Council finalized the LEED review process and issued the certification. Both buildings were designed to decrease pollution and negative impacts on the environment; decrease the impact on local aquifers; decrease energy consumption; and increase the quality of indoor air and the indoor working environment. There is no smoking within 25 feet of any entry.
“With only a handful of other LEED buildings in Pinellas County, the Student Services Building is an example of the many initiatives SPC is undertaking to become a leader in the sustainability movement,” said Jason Green, SPC’s Sustainability Coordinator. Additional facts about the building:
For more information, visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability. STAR scholarship named for an old friend
By Stephanie Henningsen When Raymond Townsend learned that he was selected to name the SPC Alumni Association’s 2009 STAR (Striving for Top Academic Awards) Scholarship, he thought of an old friend he met as a student at St. Petersburg Junior College. “I’m just not the type to put my name out there to get the glory from it,” said Townsend, Class of ’48. So this year, the STAR Scholarship is named for the late Randell Dixon Dodd. Townsend’s name was pulled from eligible names during a drawing at the Annual Alumni Association luncheon in January. The STAR Scholarship, which began this year, recognizes students for their achievements in the classroom and their potential for making a difference in the community. Recipients are chosen by the SPC Alumni Association Board. Each $10 donation to the STAR Scholarship gives donors the opportunity to enter a drawing and have the scholarship named for a person they select for one year. Those donating funds to the scholarship now will have chance at naming the 2010 scholarship. Townsend and Dodd met while both sang in the college chorus, later learning that they shared the same voice teacher. Although they took divergent paths after college, they remained friends. Dodd died in 2005. Upon hearing that he would be naming the STAR scholarship for 2009, Townsend, who lives in Atlanta, contacted Dodd’s widow, Mary, for permission to name the scholarship for her husband. “She was very pleased,” Townsend said. “She thought it was a wonderful way to remember her husband.” Vet grateful to SPC for his careerBy Stephanie Henningsen
It was chemistry class that led to the downfall of Matthew Toia’s academic career at the University of Maryland. But it was a chemistry class at St. Petersburg Junior College that helped him begin a successful veterinary career. Toia grew up in a military family that moved every year and a half, so he never had the opportunity to take chemistry in high school. Even serving in the Army’s Special Forces, where he received physician’s training and performed surgery, hadn’t prepared Toia for the rigors of freshman chemistry. So, after receiving a 0.7 grade point average, he was academically dismissed from the university. Toia later moved to Florida and was working as a lineman for a power company when lightning struck the pole he was on. “I decided I needed a new job,” Toia said. The power company thought Toia would be good in management, so it sent him to St. Petersburg Junior College, where he could get a degree in business management. One of the required courses was chemistry. This time around, things went differently for Toia; his chemistry instructor was a retired Army colonial and Toia excelled in the class. “Everything he said made sense,” Toia said. Meanwhile, Toia and a friend had been discussing what they wanted to do in the future. His friend suggested that since Toia had a background in surgery, he could become a veterinarian. The idea clicked. “My grades went from Cs to straight As because I was motivated at that point,” Toia said. “I had a goal; I never had a goal in my whole life except for staying alive when I was in the military.” After graduating from SPJC in 1965, Toia studied in California before heading back east to finish his bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida. He also studied for his master’s degree at UF, where he worked with NASA on the Skylab project to focus on space animal nutrition (specifically for chimpanzees). However, funding for this project was pulled. Toia graduated from the veterinary school at Auburn University in Alabama. He went on to have veterinary practices in Tampa and New England before returning to Florida to retire. He now lives in West Palm Beach and volunteers for the Humane Society, spaying and neutering animals. He also does relief work for animal hospitals. Toia also wrote a book called “You Want Me to Declaw What?!,” a series of short stories recounting his 35 years in veterinary practice and some of the unusual situations and animals he encountered in his line of work. “I owe it all to SPJC,” Toia said. “If it hadn’t been for that, I probably would’ve still been climbing poles for a living.”
For legal pioneer, it all started at SPJCBy Stephanie Henningsen Ruth Fleet Thurman was the outstanding woman graduate at St. Petersburg Junior College in 1949. Between then and when she retired in May from the faculty at the Stetson University College of Law, she distinguished herself many times. She was: • The first woman to serve as Assistant State Attorney in the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida • The first tenured female law professor at Stetson. • The only female in her graduating class from Stetson. “It’s been a privilege for me as a woman to see the opportunities for women that have grown over my lifetime,” said Thurman. Thurman said she came to what was then SPJC at an interesting time. When she began her studies here on an Opti-Mrs. Club of St. Petersburg scholarship, the college was a not-for-profit, private city college. By the time she graduated, it was a public, state-run entity. “Which meant a drop in our tuition, which was nice,” Thurman said. Thurman also was here during a major demographic shift. When her older sister attended SPJC, there were only about 50 male students at the college; many college-aged men were fighting in World War II. By the time Thurman got here, the student body had grown to 500 students; many on the GI Bill. After graduating from SPJC, Thurman went on to Smith College in Northampton, Mass., where she studied on a full scholarship. In 1960, when her son began kindergarten, Thurman returned to school, this time to Stetson University College of Law. “It was a lifelong dream to go to law school,” she said. “We studied the Supreme Court when I was in sixth grade, and that’s when I decided that I’d like to be a lawyer.” After nearly 13 years in private law practice, and service as assistant state attorney, in 1975, Thurman was asked to join the Stetson College of Law faculty and was awarded tenure in 1978. In 2005, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Stetson. This year, she was honored with a bronze relief of her likeness as a “Legal Pioneer,” which is displayed in the Stetson Law Library. She also has been named Professor of Law Emeritus at the college. Through all of her success, she remembers St. Petersburg College for its role in her success. “SPC is a fantastic resource for our students, giving thousands upon thousands of us a quality education,” Thurman said. Information for this story provided by Brandi Palmer, Manager of Media Relations, Office of Communications, Stetson University College of Law. Noted artist Allen Leepa; endowed SPC’s Leepa-Rattner Museum
By Bill Frederick A professor of art for many years at Michigan State University, he retired to Tarpon Springs. In 1997, the Leepas decided to donate their extensive art collection to St. Petersburg College, as well as $2.5 million to put toward establishing the new museum. The collection, consisting of thousands of works by Leepa; his mother, Esther Gentle Rattner; and his stepfather, Figurative Expressionist Abraham Rattner; and by Picasso, Chagall, Rouault, Hans Hofmann and others, is valued at more than $20 million. The groundbreaking for the 58,000-square-foot museum complex at the Tarpon Springs Campus was Nov. 9, 1999, and it opened in January 2002. At the groundbreaking, Leepa described his vision for the museum. “This museum is a vehicle to promote education through the arts,” he said. “The creative and emotional development attainable through personal involvement in art can offer profound guidelines in education and to the personal growth of the college student and public spectator.” SPC President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. remembered Leepa’s gift and discussed its meaning to the college as well as to the community. Lynn Whitelaw, Director of the museum, remembered Allen Leepa as a man whose commitment to his art never waivered. “To Allen, art dealt with what is real and true; philosophical and psychological; emotional and with expression,” he said. “On a personal side, Allen was kind and caring and appreciative of what people did for him.” Janice Buchanan, Coordinator of Development and Grants for the museum, was deeply involved in the gift of the art collection and knew Dr. and Mrs. Leepa well. “Dr. Leepa believed strongly that the collection should enrich this community, and he thought a lot about how that could best be accomplished,” Buchanan said. “We are delighted and proud that he chose St. Petersburg College, and we are deeply committed to keeping our shared vision alive.”
Lunch with a GeniusIt was all about the planets, constellations, and stars, and as everyone discovered, all is right in the universe – at least for the moment! All was right, too, for an out-of-this world Lunch with a Genius featuring St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus’ resident genius and Planetarium Director Craig Joseph. Guests were treated to a stellar lunch and a spectacular show at the Planetarium. Upcoming Lunch with a Genius events include:
These events showcase SPC’s talented faculty and introduce friends of the college to our great programs and resources, as well as student scholarship and other giving opportunities. It’s a family affair
|
| Annual | |
| 1960 |
Elliott Swift |
| 1972 | David Sweezy |
| 1991 | Rayne Hunt Vicki Kane |
| 2004 | Jose Romero |
| 2007 | Christopher Priest Pamela Rivera Kimberly Sandora Melanie Smith Sheila Weagle |
| 2008 | Adrienne Bench Randy Beyer Michael Bibey Michael Black Leah Bochichio Carlos Clarke Joanne Kunzman Joseph Norfleet |
| 2009 | Toni Boyd Martin Garrity Christina Worthington |
| Lifetime | |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Mary Poindexter |
| 1974 | Celeste Fletcher-Brozovich |
| 2009 | Margaret Beck Colin Del Degan Gezime Ismaili Melinda Thackrah |
Class notes
1960
Elliott Swift earned a master’s degree in psychology with a minor in theater from Columbia University before earning a doctorate in theater from New York University. He has taught theater in the U.S., India and Europe, and he directed “The Pirates of Penzance” for the St. Petersburg Little Theater. He recently directed “The Barber of St. Pete,” an adaptation of “The Barber of Seville” for young children, which was performed at the Tonne Playhouse at the Largo Cultural Center. He lives in Treasure Island.1978
After earning his Associate in Arts degree, Carl Gingola earned an associate in science degrees in police administration and legal administration before earning a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of South Florida. He retired as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, and works for the Florida Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement. He lives in Seminole.1980
Kathryn Darling earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in English from East Carolina University in North Carolina. She lives in College Place, Wash.1981
Susan Slavin earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Eckerd College and a master’s degree in library science from the University of South Florida. She has worked at nearly all sites of St. Petersburg College’s M.M. Bennett Libraries, and now works at the college’s Library Processing Center. She lives in St. Petersburg.1984
Tonya Scott Amankwatia, the 1984 Apollo Award winner, earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida, a master’s degree in Christian Education from Oral Roberts University, and a doctorate in learning sciences and technology from Lehigh University. She is the Director of Distance Education and Instructional Technology at DeSales University. She lives in Macungie, Pa.1992
Richard Ott earned a doctorate in pharmacy from Mercer University. He lives in St. Petersburg.1995
Jennifer (Kreeb) Joiner earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida, with a major in finance and a minor in psychology. She earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix and completed the Florida Graduate Trust School, earning a CTFA designation. She is a Trust and Fiduciary Business Support Officer for Bank of America. She recently married Jeff Joiner and lives in Riverview.2005
After earning her associate in science degree in Nursing, Sharon Blue completed certification in critical care nursing and is enrolled in SPC’s RN to BSN program. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in family practice nursing from the University of Tampa. She lives in Wesley Chapel.2007
Kimberly Sandora is the office manager at Citrus Orthopedic Products. She lives in Riverview.
In Memoriam
Noted former St. Petersburg College employees or friends of the college who died in the last six months.
Donald J. Bergsma
Donald Bergsma, an architecture instructor at SPC for 25 years, died Jan. 28. He was 75. He came to SPJC in hopes of establishing a high-quality architectural program mirroring the first two years of a university program, and was instrumental in transforming SPJC’s program into a fine architectural transfer program. Students of this program moved on to schools such as the University of Florida, Columbia, Harvard and other highly regarded institutions.Margaret Good Gregory
Margaret Good Gregory, Class of ‘31, died June 5. She was 97. Gregory met her husband at SPC and the pair later became teachers for Pinellas County Schools; she taught elementary school and he taught middle school. She and her husband are the namesakes of the college’s Harlan and Margaret G. Gregory Scholarship, which awards $500 to a St. Petersburg resident who is majoring in education.Earl F. Kohler
Earl Kohler, a political science teacher at SPC for 39 years, died Jan. 26. He was 93. Besides teaching political science, he served as coach of SPC’s Brain Bowl team, and, in 1978, was on the 11-person search committee that recommended the hiring of Carl M. Kuttler Jr. as the college’s new president.Frank Mullen
Frank Mullen, a well-known and well-respected jazz guitarist who set up SPC’s guitar program in the early 1970s and taught as an adjunct instructor here for 32 years, died June 5. He was 78. Before coming to the college, Mullen was a fixture on the national jazz scene and one of a select group of jazz guitarists who pioneered the classical guitar as a jazz instrument. In a career that began in the 1940s and lasted more than 60 years, he played with numerous musical icons such as Sammy Davis Jr., Tennessee Ernie Ford and Julie Andrews.