Heart Screenings for SFSC Student-Athletes

Aug. 18, 2023 – South Florida State College (SFSC) and Who We Play For (WWPF) provided heart screenings for all student-athletes at the Highlands Campus on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. WWPF is a non-profit that travels to communities throughout the country to eliminate preventable sudden cardiac death in the young through affordable electrocardiograms (ECGs). SFSC Nursing students and athletic coaches accompanied the WWPF staff to screen each student-athlete for heart irregularities.

“The health and safety of our students is of the utmost importance and Who We Play For helps us to ensure that our athletes are ready to perform on the field, court, or trail,” said Rick Hitt, athletic director and head baseball coach at SFSC.

WWPF was established by a group of high school students after their friend, Rafe Maccarone, went into cardiac arrest and died on the soccer field. Rafe had an undetected heart condition, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, which is detectable 95% of the time by an ECG compared to 4% with a standard physical. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the leading cause of death in schools and 1 in 300 children have an undiagnosed, detectable, life-threatening heart condition. For over 10 years WWPF has screened over 250,000 students and saved the lives of over 200 student-athletes, all who had previously undetected life-threatening heart conditions that were missed in their standard sports physical. WWPF partners with over 500 school districts, sports clubs, and national groups, as well as some of the leading experts in the world at interpreting ECGs for student-athletes.

“We are honored to add South Florida State College to our growing list of partners,” said Stefany Perlow, heart screening director for WWPF. “We want to thank President Fred Hawkins for not only being the biggest lifesaving legislator in the history of Florida while he was in office by making CPR required in high schools but also for his unrivaled commitment to save lives by bringing this program to SFSC. We would also like to thank Rick Hitt and all the coaches and volunteers for their support and cooperation, this would not be possible without them.”

SFSC Athletics includes men’s baseball and women’s softball, volleyball, and cross country. Panther Volleyball begins its fall 2023 season with a home match on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. against Warner University in Panther Gym on SFSC’s Highlands Campus. Volleyball matches are free for the public to attend. Panther Cross Country starts its season on Monday, Aug. 28 at the Daytona Beach Relay. For more information about SFSC Athletics, visit southflorida.edu/community/athletics.

For more information on WWPF, visit whoweplayfor.org.

 

 

Aug. 7, 2023 – South Florida State College (SFSC) will welcome Frederick Shegog, founder and CEO of The Message LLC, at its annual Convocation on Monday, Aug. 14. Shegog will present his talk, “What is Your Legacy?” to SFSC faculty, staff, and administration, about his personal transformation from homeless to high honors.

“We are excited and grateful to have Freddy Shegog join us for Convocation,” said Dr. Michele Heston, vice president for academic affairs and student services at SFSC. “His message is both inspiring and hopeful, and although faculty and staff at SFSC regularly nurture and encourage our students, Mr. Shegog’s recommendations would further enhance our relationships with students as we begin the 2023-24 academic year.”

A decade of Shegog’s life was spent as an alcoholic who lived on the streets of Philadelphia and panhandled to survive. His struggle with mental illness and addiction derailed his childhood dreams until he decided to change his life and enrolled at Delaware County Community College in Pennsylvania where he excelled and became an honors student.

Shegog continues to travel the nation representing The Message LLC, his motivational speech company, and address audiences about his experience and motivate educators and administrators to provide additional services for students in need. He has spoken at events hosted by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD), the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY), Mississippi State University, The Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (TACRAO), and dozens of others. The Chronicle of Higher Education published “The Redemption of Frederick Shegog,” recounting his life story and it received the Education Writers Award. Shegog was honored as the Philadelphia Region’s Black Men Icon of 2020, joined Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Theta Kappa honor societies, and graduated summa cum laude in 2022 from West Chester University in Pennsylvania.

With Convocation signifying the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year, SFSC employees will enjoy Shegog’s “What is Your Legacy?” presentation and a Q&A with the speaker, along with departmental meetings, training, and staff awards. All SFSC campus locations will be closed from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Aug. 14 for Convocation.

The fall academic term begins on Friday, Aug. 18 and registration is still open. Visit southflorida.edu for more information.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Aug. 3, 2023 – South Florida State College (SFSC) is accepting reservations for the Young People’s Theater Series at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts in Avon Park. The performances are geared for students in grades K–6. Tickets are $5 per person, and groups receive one complimentary ticket for educators or chaperones for every 10 tickets ordered.

“The YPT Series is one of our most popular programs,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs. “Parents, teachers, and students are not only entertained by these professional productions, but they also are learning about science, social studies, or other subject matter. Free study guides are available for each performance as a curriculum assist.”

Numbers Don’t Lie is an original musical produced by Stages Productions and is scheduled for two performances on Tuesday, Oct.17 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Geared to students in grades 1–6, the performance is filled with fun audience participation. Two failing math students learn that, from sports to science and from medicine to music, math is necessary in every part of our daily lives. “The audience will sing along and learn about numbers, measurement, and even probability,” Garren said.

The Environmental Education Association of Alabama declared Steve Trash’s performance of Ecology is Awesome as the best environmental education program of the year. In 2018, Trash created the national PBS kids science TV show and it is seen all over the world. The show, which is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 14, is an excellent blend of eco-entertainment and eco-education featuring the Pollution Monster, green-themed magic tricks, music, and plenty of laughs. “Students in grades 3–5 will take home a new understanding of their connection to the planet,” Garren said.

“Last season, we sold out both performances of Holiday Traditions Around the World, so we’re bringing it back on Monday, Dec. 4 for students in grades K-3,” Garren said. This fast-paced, rollicking musical takes a joyous world tour of the dances, songs, and stories from Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and more. This wonderful jubilee creates a heartwarming experience that celebrates the true spirit of cultural diversity.

The Frog Prince, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 25, is a magical tale with lessons of compassion, keeping promises, and true beauty as the Enchanted Frog, Beautiful Princess, and the Entire Kingdom learn that “you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge a frog by his warts.”

The Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts is located on the SFSC Highlands Campus at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park. This project was supported in part by Florida Arts and Culture, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

For more information, call the SFSC Box Office at 863-784-7178 or email ypt@southflorida.edu.

Aug. 3, 2023 – On July 3, 2023, Fred Hawkins started his first day in the office as the fifth president of South Florida State College (SFSC) with campus locations in Arcadia, Avon Park, Bowling Green, and Lake Placid, Fla. Hawkins formerly served in the Florida House of Representatives for Osceola and Orange counties as the vice chair of the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee and the whip of all education committees. He was also the president and CEO of the Osceola County Education Foundation.

“I am honored to join such an exceptional group of educators and professionals at SFSC and look forward to working together as we continue to offer the life-changing programs and services that influence the workforce of Florida,” said President Hawkins. “I strive to build upon the already solid academic foundation that SFSC maintains and enjoys, and further advance the innovative offerings and partnerships.” 

Hawkins served three terms on the Osceola Board of County Commissioners where he was first elected in 2008. He served as chairman in 2010, 2014, and 2016. He also served on the Osceola County Planning Commission, Osceola County Charter Review Commission, Florida Association of Counties, Greater Osceola Partnership for Economic Prosperity (GOPEP), and the Orlando Economic Partnership. Hawkins was awarded the Legislator of the Year Award by the Florida Councils of the Boy Scouts of America, the Legislative Champion from the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), and the Community Supporter Award from the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce.

President Hawkins graduated from the University of Akron with a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Law and Political Science. He, his wife Tiffany, and daughter Kendrie look forward to meeting members of the tri-county community.

SFSC will welcome students for the start of the fall 2023 term on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Aug. 1, 2023 – Through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Emerge Scholars Program will give students access to scholarships toward an Associate in Science (AS) in Engineering Technology.

The NSF is an independent agency of the United States federal government that supports research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering. The agency has awarded $750,000 to SFSC and the grant monies will be available for six years.

Through the SFSC Emerge Scholars Program, students who have been admitted to and/or enrolled in SFSC’s AS in Engineering Technology may be eligible for a $4,625-per semester scholarship. Other criteria for the scholarship are that the student must have a current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file; must be registered for the term that the student is seeking assistance; and must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, U.S. national, or admitted refugee. It is preferred that the student have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

SFSC’s AS in Engineering Technology prepares students for high-skill, high-wage positions, such as systems technician, process analyst, technical sales technician, project technician, and calibration technician. It can serve as a terminal degree or the first step leading to a bachelor’s degree in a technical area or management through the Florida University System.

 

To apply for the Emerge Scholarship or to learn more about SFSC’s AS in Engineering Technology, contact Jazmin Rosario, PATHways advisor, at 863-784-7256 or jazmin.rosario@southflorida.edu.

If you have not completed the FAFSA and need assistance, contact the SFSC Financial Aid Office at 863-784-7134 or Finaid@southflorida.edu.