SPC’s 99th Anniversary Brings Titans Together for Music, History and Community

9/14/2026

Blue and gold filled 22nd Street South as music carried down the neighborhood streets and generations of St. Petersburg College Titans gathered at its Midtown Center to celebrate an institution that continues to grow alongside the community it serves. SPC hosted a massive 99th anniversary block party as it began its final countdown to the College's 2027 centennial.

The fifth annual SPC Day, sponsored by Suncoast Credit Union, traded formal ceremonies for a street-festival atmosphere. Food trucks lined the street, affectionately called the “Deuces Corridor,” while children stopped for face painting, families challenged each other to corn hole and live music performances kept crowds moving. And as a break from the afternoon heat, attendees enjoyed a tour of SPC’s modern 49,000-square-foot Midtown Center.

A College Built with Rich History

Retired SPC Senior Vice President, alumnus and historian Willie Felton provided a moving history lesson on the Center’s roots along the Deuces Corridor. For him, the history wasn’t abstract. Much of the story he shared unfolded just steps from where Saturday’s celebration was taking place. Felton traced the origin back 69 years to the 1957 founding of Gibbs Junior College, one of Florida’s original Black junior colleges named after Jonathan C. Gibbs.

Felton detailed the evolution from the initial 1961 integration and the 1965 merger to SPC’s first presence on the Deuces, which was a local storefront outreach run by Cecil B. Keene Sr. That outreach eventually led to the opening of the original Keene Student Center in 2003 and the current 49,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Midtown facility in 2015.

Felton went on to explain how Midtown represents the heart of SPC’s mission.

"Today we gather to pay homage to the history of the College, to the Center, and its rightful place in our community," Felton told the audience. "It builds upon the College's mission to empower students and the community, to achieve success and economic mobility, through academic excellence and engagement."

Nearly seven decades after Gibbs Junior College opened its doors, that commitment to access remains woven into SPC’s presence in South St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg City Council Member Corey Givens Jr. highlighted the city’s strong partnership with SPC, pointing to a recent $6 million joint city investment to fund job training and workforce development. Givens took the time to remind attendees of the why behind the SPC story.

“The idea was simple yet radical for its time. That higher education shouldn't be a luxury reserved for the few, but a stepping stone accessible by the masses,” said Givens. “SPC’s history is a testament to the belief that change is possible and that modern education must be flexible, inclusive and relentlessly forward looking.”

It’s a Great Day to be a Titan

When SPC President Dr. Tonjua William took the stage, her message brought SPC’s 99-year history back to the people at the center of it: its students and their families.

"We are here today because someone believed that everyone deserves a chance," Dr. Williams told the crowd. "People are coming to SPC because they’re trying to level up and we are here to offer what they need so they can get a job that will provide for them and their families."

The day's momentum was backed by record-breaking philanthropy, as College officials announced that SPC Day surpassed its giving targets. The drive blew past its original goal of 669 donors to reach 775 total donors, raising more than $170,000 including a donation of $10,000 from Suncoast Credit Union, to directly support student scholarships and emergency funds.

Behind those numbers are students who will have help staying in school, covering an unexpected expense or taking the next step toward a degree or credential.

And soon, Titan pride won’t be limited to campus. Dr. Williams shared that after years of advocacy, the official SPC Titan specialty license plate has been approved. The plate is entering production in October 2026, with availability slated for early 2027 so supporters across Florida can show their Titan pride.

Future-Focused: The Legacy Continues

Looking toward future career pipelines, SPC is also partnering with tech manufacturer Jabil to launch short-term training programs at the nearby Jordan Park Gym site. The gym will be the new home of the Industry 4.0 Smart Lab which will be a manufacturing training lab that helps fill the gap among employers in the area and will prepare students for high-demand, high-salary technician roles in soldering, semiconductor assembly and cleanroom technology.

The block party wrapped up with calls for students and alumni to gear up for the College's upcoming "Blue and Gold Sneaker Ball" as SPC enters the home stretch of its "Pathway to Better - The Centennial Campaign.”

Saturday may have celebrated 99 years but throughout the Deuces Corridor, the focus was just as much on what comes next. With its centennial now less than a year away, SPC is carrying nearly a century of history into its next chapter. Though the College is still rooted in the same promise that started it all: creating opportunity for the people and communities it serves.