The Centennial Campaign for St. Petersburg College
People give for a variety of reasons. Some want to support student success through scholarships or express gratitude for the opportunities they received while attending SPC. Others donate to honor loved ones, while many simply want to help the College continue making a positive impact on the economy and community.
We encourage you to hear what our students, alumni and donors have to share about the impact of your contributions and why supporters were inspired to invest in SPC.
Daley, who was awarded an SPC Promise Scholarship, studied music at the College before graduating in Spring 2025 with her Associate in Arts degree. She plans to transfer to the University of Central Florida, pursue a bachelor’s degree in music performance, and carve out a career in performance.
The Promise Scholarship allowed her to attend SPC worry-free so she could focus on her studies and goals, Daley said.
“In my opinion, college is more than getting a degree. It’s valuable for broadening your worldview and trying new experiences. You can really make it your own, and you do not have to do it alone, especially at SPC,” Daley said.
Venieris is a proud alumnus of SPC’s Paralegal Studies bachelor’s degree program.
Scholarships helped Venieris focus on his studies while gaining hands-on experience in the legal field. “It encouraged me to advance with my studies and provided career opportunities that allowed me to gain experience, such as securing my first position with Floring|Roebig, PA.,” he said.
“To show my gratitude for SPC has provided me, I have made it a goal to contribute annually to the day of giving campaign. I’m always passionate when it comes to giving back to an organization whose mission is to support student success.”
Catalano earned her Associate in Arts degree in Fall 2024 and is a pursuing a bachelor’s degree at SPC with aspirations of attending law school.
A debilitating car accident in her 20s changed her life’s trajectory. After enduring numerous broken bones and multiple surgeries and representing herself in court because of a custody dispute, this single mom decided to head back to college. Scholarships allowed her to begin her education again at SPC without added financial burden.
“Since starting (at SPC) in 2002, the opportunities that opened up for me, it’s unreal for someone like me," Catalano said. “I know now that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”
An SPC alumnus, Mowry has paved the way for SPC students to follow in his inspiring fiscal footsteps
Mowry started working on his Associate in Arts degree at SPC and, after taking a break from school to focus on work, re-enrolled to earn his bachelor’s degree in finance. Now a senior financial designer for Clearwater-based Universal Financial Consultants (UFC), he realized early on that the work he was doing was similar to the approach he used in his SPC capstone project.
Through Mowry’s efforts, UFC now collaborates with SPC finance professors and the SPC Foundation to provide an award for eligible students, which has become a talent pipeline for the company. “We don’t have to pay a headhunter to go find us talent,” Mowry said.
Bill McCloud credits his experiences as a student at St. Petersburg Junior College for laying the foundation of his educational career. After SPJC merged with Gibbs Junior College in 1965, where McCloud was originally enrolled, he went on to graduate from SPJC’s mechanical engineering program and eventually obtained his bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. as well.
In 2006, McCloud helped establish the Gibbs Junior College Alumni Association Scholarship to provide financial assistance to students at and honor the historical impact of GJC.
“Sharing the legacy of Gibbs Junior College is important. It’s a legacy that’s very much a part of SPC’s history.”
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