Our Impact

An education from St. Petersburg College means something different for every student. For some, it's a way to earn an associate's degree while still in high school, a steppingstone to the next step in their academic and professional lives.

For many others, earning an A.A. degree or certificate is a lifeline, a way out of poverty, and into the middle class. A bachelor's degree can represent a crowning achievement, something that no one in the family has ever accomplished.

The work of earning a degree -taking classes, completing papers, finishing exams -is an opportunity to change the way they think, and to gain a new perspective on the world around them. Earning a degree is financially life-changing to be certain, but it also changes lives, forever.

At SPC, we develop academic offerings that are tailored to ensure that the 21st century workforce is ready for the careers that await them. True preparation requires not only learning the skills needed to complete all kinds of work -from repairing broken powerlines to nursing sick children -but also the innate ability to think, to consider and to make decisions.

This academic preparation is made possible by our benefactors who create chairs, professorships, and provide programmatic support, ensuring that we create Better Lives at SPC. And it's through your support, and the support of people just like you, that our students are able to find their own Pathways to Better.

St. Petersburg College plays a vital role in the Tampa Bay region through both its educational offerings and its significant economic impact. As one of the biggest drivers of economic growth in Tampa Bay, SPC added $3.2 billion in income into the Tampa Bay region in the most recent academic year.

Divided between operational spending, student spending, and the contributions of our alumni through workforce engagement, SPC accounted for 1.4 percent of the area’s total gross regional product. And our success in driving our local economy is in no small part thanks to the efforts of our supporters. People just like you.

Giving to SPC grows the Pinellas County economy. For every dollar that supports our college, the community gains $13.70 in added income and social savings. In this way, giving to SPC truly leads to better communities.

Your giving goes even farther. SPC supports more than 35,000 jobs each year, meaning that the college and its students support one out of every 62 jobs in Tampa Bay. Giving to SPC leads to more and better jobs.

But for all of the big numbers of jobs and dollars, the most important number of all is this – the SPC degree earned our alumni an additional $2.9 billion in combined income. Our graduates lead better lives.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, students earn scholarships, engage with programming, and receive wraparound services that ensure that they walk across the stage and earn a life-changing degree. Better jobs, better lives, better communities -- all thanks to you.

St. Petersburg College is more than a place where the people of Pinellas County come to learn. It’s a place that entertains, enlightens, and reinvigorates the soul. SPC’s outreach to the community through the arts and athletics makes Pinellas County a better place to live.

Whether it’s a Friday night concert at the Palladium, a raucous Titans basketball game on a Saturday night, or a quiet meditative Sunday morning at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, SPC’s outreach to the communities we serve is both varied and valuable. None of these experiences happen without the support of people who love the arts and athletics. People just like you.

Supporters to Titans athletics make a difference in the lives of our student-athletes who come from around the nation to compete in Suncoast Conference in two men’s and four women’s sports. Gifts to athletics for scholarships and facilities are an important part of the Pathway to Better campaign.

The Palladium Theater has been a landmark concert venue for nearly a century. Now, it’s undergoing a $10 million renovation made possible by supporters from throughout Pinellas County that love and appreciate it.

During the Pathway to Better campaign, benefactors to the Leepa-Rattner Museum can ensure that top traveling exhibits and talented local artists all find a home where the people of Pinellas County can find and appreciate them. The Museum, like the Palladium, is an integral part of Tampa Bay’s vibrant and growing arts scene.

Your gift, whether to the arts or athletics, will ensure that St. Petersburg College continues to make Tampa Bay a better community.