The Dream of Teaching Becomes a Reality for Shelby Spencer

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 29, 2022 – Shelby Spencer has wanted to be a teacher since she was a child. On Tuesday, May 10, she will be the student speaker during South Florida State College’s (SFSC) 7:30 p.m. spring Commencement ceremony at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park. At the same time, her dream becomes a reality when she is conferred her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (BSEE).

A native of Hardee County, Fla., Spencer graduated from Hardee Senior High School in 2019 and earned her Associate in Arts from SFSC through the College’s dual enrollment program.

“It’s been an exciting journey,” Spencer said. “I want to be an educator because I want to be a positive role model in students’ lives. I’ve seen the impact on students who are not cared for or don’t have much parental support in their lives. I’m responsible, trustworthy, dependable, and loving. I feel those attributes will make me a great educator, and I’m passionate about kids.”

Spencer’s greatest inspiration for entering the teaching profession is her mother, Lisa. She has been a teacher for 27 years and, currently, teaches second grade at North Wauchula Elementary School. “Through seeing her interactions with her students, the way she is able to love them when they’re down, or just need support, that’s what really inspires me,” Spencer said. “She doesn’t just show up every day to teach. Although the main goal of a teacher is to teach students, it’s the loving, passionate relationship that my mom has with her students that truly inspires me.”

Her aunt also teaches third grade at Zolfo Springs Elementary School. Recently, the students took the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) test. Spencer’s aunt and her coworkers decided they wanted to encourage their students by dressing up as rock stars. “They came to school and would shout, ‘Let’s rock on. Let’s rock the FSA!’ in front of the school,” Spencer said. “It was to motivate and support the students. The kids were excited and would respond, ‘Rock on!’ Things like that really make me want to be an educator.”

Although Spencer says that her studies in the BSEE program have been a highlight in her life, she has been facing a personal challenge, along with her family. While preparing to graduate from high school in 2019, her mother was diagnosed with cancer and continues to battle the disease. “Your senior year in high school is supposed to be your most exciting time,” Spencer said. “But that’s been the hardest part of my life — trying to be strong for my mom. It’s hard to always be strong, but my family and I have faith in God for protection and total healing over her life.”

Spencer considers her mother her best friend and her role model. “When I start teaching, I want my mom to be there and help me decorate my classroom,” she said. “That’s what I dreamed of. I can’t wait for that day to come.”

In the meantime, life after the BSEE program is falling into place for Spencer. Although her most recent internship has been teaching fourth grade, she’s been offered teaching jobs and is leaning toward a position as a kindergarten teacher.

“I remember my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Carlton at Wauchula Elementary School,” Spencer said. “Because of her, every day at school was such a joy, and I want to do that for my kindergarten students — to be their first teacher and make a profound impact on their education. As students come to class for the first time, you don’t know what their background is, what their home life is like, or if they’ve been to preschool. I want to be the teacher that can make that first impact and be that proactive teacher who makes them want to enjoy school and learning from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade.”

Spencer’s also applied to begin a master’s degree at Florida Gulf Coast University with a focus in Curriculum and Instruction. “I want to keep going in education,” she said. “My goal is to, eventually, get my doctorate. After teaching elementary school for several years, I’d like to be a college professor in an Education program. I’d love to become an instructor and to inspire other students to become teachers, just like my professors at SFSC have done for me and my classmates.”

Spencer has learned various teaching strategies from Dr. Maday Leon, leader instructor for the SFSC BSEE program, and from Dr. Jerry Wright, her BSEE professor and the assistant principal at Woodlawn Elementary School. She mentioned using the Kagan Cooperative Learning Structure, a learning model in which every student becomes actively involved in instruction.

“It makes learning collaborative, so students talk to each other and they learn from one another,” Spencer said. “I noticed that through using Kagan, students’ test scores are usually higher. On weeks I didn’t implement as much Kagan into the classroom, the test scores were average. But you can tell the collaboration really increases the students’ learning overall.”

She also enjoyed classes that involved English Language Learnings (ELL). Taught by Michelle Macbeth, SFSC Spanish instructor, BSEE students learned strategies on how to support children who come into the classroom and know no English, little English, or are on the verge of becoming English proficient. Through Macbeth’s class, the BSEE students were able to obtain their English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement.

“I also loved Dr. Wright’s science class,” Spencer said. “In elementary schools, students often participate in science fairs. In his class, we created science fair projects to help us teach students by first experiencing the process ourselves.”

The BSEE program affords students the opportunity to earn a Reading endorsement. “Some of the most impactful courses that I had were with Dr. Leon,” Spencer said. “She gave us a plethora of reading strategies. The reading strategies that I love to implement the most are Reader’s Theaters and Choral Readings.” Reader’s Theater engages children in oral reading through reading parts in scripts. Choral reading is reading aloud in unison with a whole class or a group of students to build fluency and self-confidence.

Beyond her studies within the BSEE program, Spencer found support and a new best friend. “My professors weren’t just there to teach,” she said, “they would talk to me about things that were going on personally, especially, Dr. Leon. She has not just been a teacher, she’s been a personal savior in this instance. She let me come into her office to talk with her. She has stayed with me after class and before class. When you know someone, you can tell if they’re having an off day, and she could tell when I was having an off day in class. She would stay with me after class and say, “How’s your mom? How are you doing? Is there anything I can do to help? I’m praying for you.”

As part of a cohort program — one in which a group of students enter a program together and remain together until its completion — Spencer found a College family. “I met one of my best friends in my program, Rosaura Guido. She’s graduating from the BSEE program as well. Ever since the first class we had in the program, we instantly connected and we think so much alike.” In fact, Spencer and Guido grew up in Hardee County and never met until they became students in the program. Spencer will be celebrating Commencement with her other best friend, her sister-in-law Josie Spencer, who graduates from the Associate in Science in Nursing program.

“Shelby will be a fantastic teacher,” Dr. Leon said. “The goal of the BSEE program is to positively impact our school districts by preparing effective educators who create a positive learning environment for all students. The program’s emphasis is on helping student teachers implement collaboration and develop a classroom management plan based on the student-teacher relationship. The quality of our graduates is evident, because all of them have received more than one job offer during their final internship. Throughout the program, BSEE faculty inspire our students to work hard and implement inclusive strategies which accommodate English Language Learners, struggling readers, and Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students.”

“I strive to live everyday as if it’s my last,” Spencer said. “I do everything I can to make life enjoyable. I love adventure and trying new things. I love to hang out with my family and friends. They are my rock.”

April 27, 2022 – The Aspen Institute announced today that South Florida State College (SFSC) was among the 25 semifinalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, adding a milestone in the award selection process. The $1 million Aspen Prize is the nation’s signature recognition of community colleges that are improving and achieving equitable outcomes for students. In years past, only 10 finalists have been named on the road to the winner, and this change is designed to highlight the increased number of colleges across the country doing excellent work.

Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding performance in five critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. The winner will be announced in the spring of 2023.

“We are thrilled to see America’s community colleges making meaningful and measurable progress, educating people from all backgrounds and preparing them for good jobs,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. He cited graduation rates that have risen more than 6% for all students since 2015, and 5% for students of color. “These 25 colleges represent our dreams for a better country and a reinvigorated democracy.”

The 25 semifinalists are:

Amarillo College, TX
Broward College, FL
Cloud County Community College, KS
Elgin Community College, IL
Georgia Highlands College, GA
Harper College, IL
Hostos Community College (CUNY), NY
Imperial Valley College, CA
Itawamba Community College, MS
Kingsborough Community College (CUNY), NY
LaGuardia Community College (CUNY), NY
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, MS
Moorpark College, CA
North Iowa Area Community College, IA
Northwest Iowa Community College, IA
Pierce College District, WA
San Jacinto College, TX
Seminole State College of Florida, FL
South Florida State College, FL
South Puget Sound Community College, WA
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, WI
Southwestern Community College, NC
Tallahassee Community College, FL
Union County College, NJ
Western Technical College, WI

 “The recognition from The Aspen Institute affirms that SFSC is a top-performing college due to quality learning initiatives led by a stellar faculty,” said Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel, SFSC president. “By analyzing the data Aspen collects, SFSC far exceeds performance indicators in such areas as number of credentials awarded, graduation rates, and overall student success.”

The Prize selection process began this past October, when The Aspen Institute invited 150 community colleges to apply, based on data showing strong and improving student outcomes in key areas such as retention, completion, transfer, and equity. Applications went to a diverse selection committee of 16 higher education experts who reviewed extensive data and application narratives. Next, the committee will review interviews with leadership teams and narrow this selection of 25 semifinalists to 10 finalists, to be announced in early June 2022.

After 10 finalists are announced, next steps include:

• Fall 2022: Multiday site visits to each of the 10 finalists, when teams of experts collect even more student outcome data and gather insights about effective practices
• Winter of 2023: A distinguished jury decides who wins the Aspen Prize, based on quantitative data and qualitative information from each of the 10 finalists
• Late spring 2023: Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner

The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium, the Joyce Foundation, JPMorgan, and the Kresge Foundation.

Previous winners are:

• 2021: San Antonio College (TX)
• 2019: Indian River State College (FL) and Miami Dade College (FL)
• 2017: Lake Area Technical Institute (SD)
• 2015: Santa Fe College (FL)
• 2013: Santa Barbara City College (CA) and Walla Walla Community College (WA)
• 2011: Valencia College (FL)

About The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to advance higher education practices, policies, and leadership that significantly improve student outcomes, especially for the growing population of low-income students and students of color on American campuses. For more information, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org and linkedin.com/showcase/aspenhighered/, and follow @AspenHigherEd on Twitter. The Aspen Prize hashtag is #AspenPrize.

About The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a community-serving organization with global reach whose vision is a free, just, and equitable society. For 70 years, the Institute has driven change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the world’s greatest challenges. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Institute has offices in Aspen, Colorado, and New York City, and an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 26, 2022 – South Florida State College (SFSC) celebrates spring Commencement with two ceremonies on Tuesday, May 10. The first ceremony is at 4:30 p.m. and the second is at 7:30 p.m.; both in the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

The 4:30 p.m. ceremony features students who are earning their Associate in Arts or State of Florida High School Diploma. Trent Ferguson, who earns his Associate in Arts, will be the student Commencement speaker at this ceremony.

The 7:30 p.m. ceremony features students who are earning their Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management (BAS-SM), Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (BSEE), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Associate in Science (AS), or Career and College Credit Certificate. Shelby Spencer, who earns her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (BSEE), will be the student commencement speaker at this ceremony.

Live online streaming, accessed by clicking a website banner at southflorida.edu, will allow friends and relatives to see everything from the processional to the last graduate crossing the stage. The stream begins on May 10 at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. EDT.

Approximately 440 students will have met the SFSC requirements by spring 2022 Commencement. Of these, 21 will receive their BAS-SM, 10 receive their BSN, 12 receive their BSEE, 197 receive their AA, 93 receive their AS, 10 receive their State of Florida High School Diploma, and 97 receive the Career and College Credit Certificate. Students participating in the Commencement ceremonies will total 286.

Mace bearer and chief marshal for this year’s ceremony is Tom Bush, and marshals are Michele Macbeth, Joan Briand, Jennifer Groves, Kathleen Cappo, Rob Hampton, Ricardo Pantoja, Dr. Maday Leon, Garrett Lee, Cindy Kinser, Tina Stetson, Kendra Wellnitz, Mlisa Manning, Andy Polk, Michael Pate, Richard Hitt, and Dr. Mintoo Patel.

The Commencement rehearsal takes place Tuesday, May 10, at 10 a.m., in the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the SFSC Highlands Campus.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 25, 2022 – Trent Ferguson was born blind and was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia. However, what may be deemed a disability for someone else fueled his desire for knowledge and launched his career in radio.

Ferguson will earn his Associate in Arts from South Florida State College (SFSC) during the College’s Commencement ceremony on Tuesday, May 10 at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on SFSC’s Highlands Campus in Avon Park. In fact, he will be the graduation speaker during the 4:30 p.m. ceremony.

Upon graduation from SFSC, Ferguson plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida. Originally from Avon Park, Ferguson graduated in 2017 from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB), a public school for pre-K and K-12 students in St. Augustine, Fla.

Ferguson currently works full-time and remotely from Highlands County as the assistant news director for Flagler Broadcasting, located in Bunnell, Fla. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he would like to continue working in the radio industry. “Radio’s my dream career and a good fit,” he said. Additionally, he plays the drums for his church’s praise band and with Highlands County’s own California Toe Jam Band.

Ferguson began working for Flagler Broadcasting as a daily sports anchor in 2019. While he continues to anchor the sports each weekday morning, he also serves as assistant news director and produces commercials.

Ferguson began his radio career during his junior year in high school. The general manager for Flagler Broadcasting had invited students from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind to attend the ribbon cutting of a new building in St. Augustine. During the event, Ferguson chatted with folks from the radio station and they were impressed with his knowledge of radio. In January 2016, the general manager asked Ferguson to record commercials about the dangers of texting and driving. Because they were so well done, Ferguson was then asked to cohost with a popular morning DJ for one day in February 2016. Eventually, Ferguson was recording a sports podcast called “Outta Sight Sports.” “The name of the show was inspired by a band that I played in while at FSDB,” Ferguson said. “The high school band is called “Outta Sight.”

In January 2019, the podcast was turned into an on-air Saturday show on WNZF, broadcast out of Bunnell. That led Ferguson to a morning sports anchor job, and he has continued on a trajectory with Flagler Broadcasting.

Ferguson came to SFSC at the suggestion of his aunt, Janie Ferguson, who worked in the College’s Testing Center for many years. “After I graduated from high school, she said I would love SFSC – it gets you ready for the university,” he said. “She told me that I should take classes here and it has a great disabilities specialist – Charla Ellerker. Charla’s a godsend and amazing. She helps me with what I need to take classes and with accommodations. My first class was Oral Communications with the great Lynn MacNeill in June 2018.”

Ferguson doesn’t let anything stop him in his pursuit of his goals. “Being blind has been a blessing. Blindness is not a disability, but a way of life. My parents had the same expectations of me as they would for a sighted person—to be a successful person in society. And the school in St. Augustine had a huge impact on teaching me how to live on my own.”

Ferguson credits his grandparents for assisting him in his academic endeavors. “My grandfather, Dean Ferguson, drives me to campus nearly every time I have a face-to-face class meeting or I need to take care of other business,” he said. “And my other grandparents, Julie and T.J., help in this effort as well.”

Ferguson has had to overcome obstacles in his academic career, occasionally. “My screen reading software wouldn’t work with some textbooks. Instead of giving up, I have a human reader who’s assisted me. I’d like to give credit to him — Yoel Sanchez. Every time I’ve taken a course, he’s there to read my exams to me and read class assignments and assures me that they’re visually acceptable and meet the instructor’s requirements. He helps me to circumvent the technology barrier. My screen reader works 95% of the time, but technology sometimes doesn’t work.”

When asked how SFSC has helped him in his life, Ferguson said, “Big time. I credit my professors for being more than willing to grant me accommodations, such as giving me extended time on classwork. And Charla Ellerker helps me out. SFSC has given me the opportunity to learn new things. I’ve developed lifelong friendships with my instructors. It’s a relaxing place for me. I’ve had the honor of getting to know professors, and their willingness to accommodate me has been comforting.”

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 22, 2022 – The Hotel Jacaranda was recently approved for a $105,000 façade grant through the Avon Park Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) toward restoration.

Each year, the CRA takes requests for residential and business façade grants from home and business owners who live or conduct business within the Avon Park city limits. The residential CRA façade grant maximum is $2,000 and the business maximum is $5,000.

The Hotel Jacaranda was built in the 1920s and lies within the Avon Park Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The South Florida State College (SFSC) Foundation, Inc. purchased the “Jac” in 1987, when part of the Hotel became a dormitory facility for student athletes and other students who lived away from home. Shortly after, it became the home to the College’s Culinary Arts program. The Hotel continues to serve as a dormitory facility, Culinary Arts classroom, hotel, restaurant, and community event venue.

SFSC administrators, along with Bill Jarrett, a member of the SFSC Foundation Board, approached the CRA committee with a proposal for a Hotel Jacaranda façade grant. The CRA granted the SFSC Foundation $15,000 per address rather than the usual $5,000 per address for a business. Within the Hotel Jacaranda are seven separate businesses and street addresses, bringing the total grant to $105,000.

The Hotel Jacaranda restoration is underway. Plans are to update windows, window frames, and window sills on the north side of the building, where the dorms are located.

“The Jac has been a large part of downtown for many years,” said Garrett Anderson, mayor of Avon Park. “We’re happy and excited that the CRA funds can be used to restore that building. We’re happy to work with the College and hope to see more such projects and to work with the College in Avon Park.”

 “The importance of the Hotel Jacaranda to the city of Avon Park is that it’s a historic building and what it’s meant to Avon park since it was built,” said Mark Schrader, Avon Park city manager. “It’s the centerpiece of Avon Park. I never ran into anyone who didn’t like the Jac, and having the SFSC Foundation owning it and running it, it’s a great partnership.”

“Having a partnership like the one we have with the City of Avon Park is priceless,” said Jamie Bateman, executive director of institutional advancement. “The Hotel Jacaranda has become know as the jewel of downtown Avon Park, having other businesses and city official support is key to keeping our ‘Jac’ around for generations to come. As one of the few historic buildings in Highlands County that is still in operation, we’re proud of our Jac and what it means for our community.”

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 21, 2022 – The Florida College System (FCS) has named two South Florida State College (SFSC) students to the 2022 All-Florida Academic Team.

Each year, the FCS names a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Florida Academic Team to honor students enrolled at Florida’s public state and community colleges for their academic achievement, leadership, and service to the community.

The SFSC students earning this recognition are Carol Mitchell and Alyson Smyth. They join 144 of their peers from the 28-member FCS in being named to the academic team.

This year’s team of students were recognized at the annual college awards Thursday, March 31, and during an induction ceremony held at the Florida College System Chancellor’s Celebration in Orlando on Friday, April 1.

Mitchell, of Sebring, Fla., is a student in the Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse (LPN to RN) program. She anticipates graduating from SFSC in May 2023. Her plans are to continue her nursing education through the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at SFSC and, ultimately, become a nurse practitioner. She is the first person in her family to attend college, works as a lab tutor for the College’s Anatomy & Physiology classes, and is vice president of the Tau Epsilon chapter of PTK. Mitchell has also presented her undergraduate research on “Myxomatous Mitral Valve Degeneration with Secondary Congestive Heart Failure” at various professional and student scientific conferences across the country.

Smyth, of Sebring, will graduate from SFSC with her Associate in Arts at Commencement on Tuesday, May 10. She plans to continue her studies in biology at Florida Gulf Coast University in the fall and would like to, eventually, attend medical school. Smyth has also been involved in undergraduate research at SFSC and has made presentations on “Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy: An Underutilized Option for Healing Collegiate Athletes” at professional and student scientific conferences across the country.

Students named to the All-Florida Academic Team were drawn from SFSC’s Honors Program and the College’s Tau Epsilon chapter of PTK. In nominating students for the All-Florida Academic Team, colleges consider participation in academic honors programs, membership in and awards from collegiate societies, and academic enrichment gained from internships and special projects.

PTK is an honor society that recognizes the academic achievements of community and state college students and helps them to grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of over 3.5 million members in the United States and 10 additional nations. For more on PTK, visit ptk.org.

For more information about SFSC’s PTK chapter, contact Renee LaDue, PTK advisor, at 863-784-7327.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 20, 2022 – Six South Florida State College (SFSC) students presented research at the 2022 Florida Academy of Sciences annual meeting that was held on Friday, March 11 in a virtual format. During the meeting, SFSC student Alejandro Torres won first place in Undergraduate Research Posters in the Medical Division for his presentation on “Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition as Biomarker for Early Detection of Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer.”

The Florida Academy of Sciences is the Florida affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Academy sponsors the Florida Junior Academy of Science to encourage young scientists; publishes the quarterly journal, “Florida Scientist”; and sponsors an annual meeting to give members an opportunity to present papers, honor their peers, and participate in multidisciplinary scientific exchanges.

Although most undergraduate researchers presenting at the Florida Academy of Sciences meeting were from state or private universities, SFSC students came from one of two Florida state colleges that made presentations, the other being St. Petersburg College.

The SFSC students’ scientific research presentations for the annual meeting were varied. Devam Patel researched “Sugar: A Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease.” Syed Quadri and Amanda Money presented a poster on “Identification of compounds present in Ziziphus celata Fruit by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry.” Nylla Wilder’s poster was on “Early Studies on the Effectiveness of Industrial Hemp as a Phytoremediator of Polluted Water.” Angela Huang researched “The Circadian Clock-Linked Hormone Melatonin Inhibits MDA-T41 Thyroid Cancer Cell Death.”

Torres became involved in research at SFSC after his Biology I instructor, Dr. Mintoo Patel, mentioned it to her class. “I didn’t know that research was done at state and community colleges, so I thought I’d ask about it,” Torres said. “I didn’t have much experience with lab work.”

According to Dr. Patel, Torres’ mentor for his research, “Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease in which cells of the colon or rectum grow out of control. CRC is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers if diagnosed in early stages. Our project aims to establish biomarkers for early detection of cancer as well as metastasis. We studied human colorectal cancer tissue specimens to identify molecular patterns seen in cancer cells that enable them to detach from the colon or rectum tissue and start migrating to secondary sites in the body. This type of information, in addition to routine histopathological evaluations, helps in early detection of metastatic potential of the cancer and can be used in tailoring a personalized treatment plan for CRC.”

Torres is a senior at Hardee Senior High School and a student in SFSC’s dual enrollment program. He graduates this year from high school and from SFSC. His plans going forward are to major in biomedical sciences at the University of South Florida and, eventually, go to medical school. This year, Torres participated in three other scientific conferences: The Florida Undergraduate Research Conference, the Florida Undergraduate Research Leadership Summit, and the Florida Collegiate Honors Council Annual Conference.

“It’s lighting the fire for learning,” Dr. Patel said about undergraduate research at SFSC. “We give the students project-based learning, where they pick up the project and go have fun in the lab. It’s not stressful. It’s not just textbook learning where you read the chapters, come to class, take the exam. This is going deeper into the whys and hows. It sparks curiosity in the students so that they know how to ask proper questions.”

“Alejandro has a goal of going into the medical field and now he has so much knowledge about what diseases he has to learn about — how do the diseases arise and what we can do,” Dr. Patel said. “He’s getting in-depth knowledge. Our students are trained at the College, so that when they go to the university, they are much better candidates to get into the labs. They’ve already done the work, they’ve gone to conferences, and they’ve seen what research their peers are doing.”

For more information about undergraduate research at SFSC, contact Dr. James Hawker at 863-784-7329 or james.hawker@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 20, 2022 – Lake Country Cruisers, based in Lake Placid, Fla., has made it easier for Highlands County residents to attend South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Automotive programs.

Scott Teeters and Ron Ellerman, members of Lake Country Cruisers’ management team, recently visited SFSC’s Automotive Service Technology and Automotive Collision Technology Technician classrooms to learn about the facilities and speak directly with students. While at the College, they presented a check in the amount of $500 to go toward the Bill Jarrett Automotive Scholarship through the SFSC Foundation. The check was presented to Jamie Bateman, executive director of institutional advancement, who oversees the SFSC Foundation; Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel, SFSC president; and Dr. Sidney Valentine, vice president for Academic Affairs and Student Services.

“When a young man or woman goes through vocational training, they learn skills that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives,” Teeters said. “Besides that, we need people to fix cars. One of the things that I told the students when we were at the College is, ‘Even though you’re learning to fix cars, you’re learning how to solve mechanical problems. Every one of you is eventually going to be a home owner. When you own a home, there are all kinds of things to fix. Although you may not understand the fine details, you’ll know how to figure things out and work with your hands. You’ll learn skills at SFSC and take them with you for the rest of your lives and do things for other people.’”

Teeters and Ellerman only recently learned about the Bill Jarrett Automotive Scholarship. “We want to let members of Lake Country Cruisers know that it’s available for people who want to know all about cars just like we did when we were young,” Teeters said. “The donation to this scholarship fits into Lake Country Cruisers’ community outreach. That’s something else that we wanted to do: give back to the community. We’re very happy to be associated with the College.”

“We are so grateful to the Lake Country Cruisers and their support of our Automotive Program,” said Bateman. “The best part of our job is finding new friends from the community, inviting them to tour our campus, and then watch their reactions. They stand in awe of how great our College is. Many who have visited often leave saying, “I never knew the College offered this.” When we can spread the good word of what the College is doing in our community, it ensures that we will be able to continue offering opportunities of higher education to students for generations to come.”

The Bill Jarrett Automotive Scholarship provides full tuition and fees for one student each year in the SFSC Automotive Service Technology program and one student each year in the SFSC Automotive Collision Technology Technician program. Criteria for the scholarship are that the student must be accepted or currently enrolled in the respective program, they must receive a recommendation from the SFSC instructor of the program, and they must interview with representatives of the SFSC Division of Applied Sciences and Technologies and with representatives from Bill Jarrett Ford, if requested by the program instructor. Preference is given to applicants demonstrating financial need and a strong commitment to completing the respective program. To apply for a scholarship, visit the SFSC Financial Aid Office or southflorida.edu/support-sfsc/foundation-scholarships.

Lake Country Cruisers is a car club that has produced car shows since 2003 and is open to anyone who enjoys car culture. Lake Country Cruisers Car Shows are held every month from October through May, every second Saturday of the month, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lake Placid American Legion Post 25. Lake Country Cruisers Car Shows are open to all kinds of cars: antique, vintage cars, classic cars, muscle cars, street rods, pickup trucks, rat rods, sports cars, and foreign cars. The club will soon open the shows up to motorcycles. Plans are in the works to host the Lake Country Cruisers for a car show on SFSC’s Highlands Campus sometime in the fall. For more on the Club, visit LakeCountryCruisers.com.

SFSC offers a 12-month Automotive Collision Technology Technician Career Certificate and an 18-month Automotive Service Technology Career Certificate. For information about these programs, visit the SFSC website or call the Advising and Counseling Office at 863-784-7131.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 14, 2022 – Colleges and universities honor and encourage faculty who go beyond the requirements of the classroom. To that end, four SFSC faculty have been appointed as endowed chairs in their respective disciplines with funds donated through the South Florida State College (SFSC) Foundation.

Dr. Deborah Milliken, chair of dental education, was appointed as the Highlands County Health Facilities Authority (HCHFA) Endowed Chair in Dental Education, and Kathleen Cappo, nursing professor, was appointed as the HCHFA Endowed Chair in Nursing Education. The Norm and Laurie Stephens Endowed Teaching Chair went to Dr. Daniel Sanches, chair of natural sciences and biology instructor, and Peggy Sueppel, economics professor.

Faculty members appointed as teaching chairs are awarded $5,000 per year for two years, with half going toward equipment, professional development, or to attend a conference related to the faculty member’s discipline of study. The other half is a salary stipend.

Dr. Milliken plans to use part of the award to purchase Tal-Eval software for Dental Hygiene student assessment. “It is fairly simple for faculty to use and easy for students to follow their progress and understand where improvements are needed in their performance,” Dr. Milliken said. Part of the

award will be used toward recertification coursework to administer and teach nitrous oxide sedation and coursework on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies.

Carrying forward her training as a nurse coach, Cappo plans to continue teaching holistic care for nurses. “I would like to expand upon my role to enhance students’ learning to care for themselves,” she said. “Student nurses are at high risk for anxiety and practicing nurses are at high risk of burn out from the constant demands on them, especially during a global pandemic. My goal is to teach self-care to decrease stress and help the students in their roles as practitioners to help their patients decrease the stress in their lives during illnesses.” Cappo would also like to create continuing education for nurses in the community and apply these self-care techniques.

Further, she would like to enable SFSC Nursing faculty involvement in American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) conferences, so they can further teach students holistic care.

Dr. Sanches said that earlier in this academic year, five students participated in courses allowing them to learn cell culturing, cell assays, and cell image analyses. “The project is beneficial to students seeking our biology, chemistry, and pre-professional pathways,” he said. “It will allow them to develop their skills and apply their concepts to the actual life routine in a biomedical science lab. Through this grant, more students will be able to get involved in this project.”

Sueppel proposed purchasing a tablet and necessary software that would allow her to draw on an uploaded image that could be shown in real time to an online student and record the drawings as they are being done. “It allows a student to receive real-time help with problems and the production of additional videos covering more complex concepts,” she said. “Having this technology can potentially result in more students asking for help online. Currently, verbally describing the procedures has not always resulted in success and can be frustrating for the student.

It also gives me, as the instructor, a way to more effectively reach out to students who are struggling.”

Recipients for endowed teaching chairs at SFSC are chosen by a selection committee, with advice and counsel from College faculty. Selections are confirmed by Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel, SFSC president.

The idea of endowed teaching chairs at state and community colleges came from research chairs at universities. At SFSC, the Endowed Chair program rewards faculty who demonstrate caring and concern and who hold the belief that the student must come first. The award can be used to fund professional development activities that ultimately enhance student learning and incorporate classroom projects or activities above and beyond what is usually offered in a course.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 12, 2022 – Terra Tippie, South Florida State College (SFSC) Dental Assisting instructor, is among the first group of oral health professionals to earn the Dental Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC) certification. The CDIPC was developed by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) in conjunction with the Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention (OSAP).

According to DANB, the CDIPC certification is the first clinically focused dental infection control certification in the United States. The exam is rigorous and requires demonstrating not only knowledge of infection control guidelines and standards, but also the analytical and critical-thinking skills to apply them in a variety of scenarios. 

“Infection control is one of the most important things we teach our students at SFSC,” Tippie said. “If I were a patient going into a dental office, I would want assurance that the assistant or hygienist that’s working with me knows what they’re doing and that I’m not going to pick anything up in that dental office.”

Tippie said that it’s equally important that students understand why dental professionals follow infection prevention protocols. “When the students go out to practice in the real world and know why they follow infection control protocols, they’ll continue to use them every day. In class and clinicals, it protects our students, their classmates, and our patients. In a dental office, it protects the patients and the dental team. And it helps to protect our entire communities.”

An example of using infection control protocol is when the patient leaves the dental operatory. The patient is dismissed and, in a safe manner, the dental personnel gather the instruments used on that patient. A long process of cleaning those instruments and getting them ready to sterilize follows. Dental assistants must then return to the operatory and disinfect all of the surfaces to get the area ready for the next patient.

Along with her certification in dental assisting, Tippie will maintain her CDIPC by taking continuing education credits. “It means that I’m refreshed every year with our guidelines, and there have been a lot of changes in infection control protocols in the past couple of years.”

COVID-19 has been a major factor in those changes. In dentistry, many procedures produce an aerosol, and COVID-19 is an airborne pathogen. “So, in our situation, if we didn’t follow guidelines, especially for our personal protective equipment, we would be more likely to get something like COVID-19, flu, or the common cold,” Tippie said. “Because we follow guidelines, the dental office or our classrooms are the last places you’re going to pick up an airborne pathogen.”

Tippie indicated that one of the first classes taught in SFSC’s Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene programs is infection control and it is incorporated into almost every other class that students take within those programs.

“From talking to the people at dental offices where our students have their internships, the students are complimented all the time on knowing infection control and that they’re following the correct procedures,” Tippie said. “I’ve even had some assistants at those dental offices say that they learned some things from our students.”

SFSC currently offers an 11-month Dental Assistant Career Certificate and a two-year Dental Hygiene Associate in Science. Both programs are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). For more information on SFSC Dental Education programs, contact Danielle Ochoa, Health Sciences advisor, at 863-784-7027 or by email at healthsciences@southflorida.edu. 

DANB is the national certification board for dental assistants, with more than 37,000 dental assistants currently DANB certified across the country. OSAP is the only nonprofit membership association for oral healthcare professionals that focuses on infection prevention and patient and provider safety.