More than 350 attend Annual Hurricanes and Healthcare Conference

More than 380 health care professionals from hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other health care facilities gathered this week for the Annual Hurricanes and Healthcare Conference at the St. Petersburg Coliseum to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.

Local television meteorologists (left to right) Steve Jerve, Mike Clay, Paul Dellegato, Jim Van Fleet and Denis Phillips with Debbie Peck from Pinellas County Emergency Management

Highlights of the program, held Tuesday, March 19, included a weather panel chaired by local television network meteorologists: Denis Phillips, Jim Van Fleet, Steve Jerve, Mike Clay and Paul Dellegatto along with Daniel Noah, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service for the Tampa Bay area.

Phillips posted about the conference on his Facebook page. “Great afternoon sharing thoughts and stories with some of the local meteorologists in town,” he said in the post, which included a picture of the television meteorologists.

Other conference speakers included Doug Meyer, an emergency management expert who responded to Hurricane Sandy, and Bernard E. Hudson, manager of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Long Term Care Unit. Hudson came from Tallahassee to speak on the state’s Emergency Status System.

Co-sponsored by St. Petersburg College, the Tampa Bay Regional Hurricane and Health Care Planning Coalition, Metropolitan Medical Response System, the Florida Health Care Association and local county emergency management offices, this conference has been in existence for over 30 years.

For conference questions or more information, contact LaNona Robinson at 727-341-3376 or robinson.lanona@spcollege.edu.

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Crowd gathers for Clearwater ‘School, Work, Life’ event

More than 200 students attended the School, Work, Life community resource fair at the St. Petersburg College Clearwater Campus Wednesday, March 20.

The event featured a variety of college and community groups. Representatives provided students with the chance to learn about the various resources, organizations and non-profits that can assist them.

In addition to meeting with the various group representatives, some students won prizes at the event. Sofia Ailin Aquirre won a Nook. The following students each won a $50 gift card from Barnes & Noble: Asoi Dawodu, Jessica Ketter and Jennifer Porter.

Participating organizations included: Homeless Emergency Project, Inc. (HEP) Clearwater Free Clinic Bay Area Pregnancy Center CredAbility Youth Connect, WorkNet Pinellas & Pinellas Education Foundation SPC Veterans Services Kimberly Home Pregnancy Resource Center Home Share Pinellas The Salvation Army SPC Internship Program The Haven of Religious Community Services The Suncoast Hospice Metro Wellness and Community Center Guardian AD Litem Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Center NAMI Pinellas County Florida – National Alliance on Mental Illness SPC Corporate Training Project Prosper Clearwater Marine Aquarium American Red Cross, Tampa Bay Chapter SPC Women on the Way Operation PAR and LiveFree! Pinellas Lighthouse of Pinellas 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc. All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg College SPC Microsoft Software Available for Students at No Extra Charge BayCare Health System – Student Assistance Program SPC Learning Support Commons & Writing Studio SPC Men Achieving Excellence (MAX) Club

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Clearwater hosts upcoming ‘School, Work, Life’ event

This month, SPC will hold “School, Work, Life: Connections to Help You Achieve Your Dream,” an event focused on increasing student awareness of the many resources available to help them succeed both in and outside of the classroom.

On Wednesday, March 20, the fair will be hosted at the Clearwater Campus. The event is aimed at offering students the opportunity to learn about the numerous resources, organizations and non-profits in our local community and on campus that can assist them.

More than 25 groups and programs will be at the fair with representatives available to meet with students.

The college is committed to student success. Our faculty and staff realize that many factors influence how students do in the classroom. SPC wants to provide them with ways to help them overcome any difficulties they may be having that could hinder their progress in school, work or life.

At the event, food will be provided to students with their ID and a prize drawing will be held for students.

Important information:

• The fair runs from 12 to 2 p.m.
• The event will take place on the Clearwater Campus quad
• Lunch will be provided for all
• Students who visit half of the tables at the fair will be entered into a prize drawing. Cards will be available for them to get stamped at each table and enter the drawing.

Participating organizations:

• Homeless Emergency Project, Inc. (HEP)
• Clearwater Free Clinic
• Bay Area Pregnancy Center
• CredAbility
• Youth Connect, WorkNet Pinellas & Pinellas Education Foundation
• SPC Veterans Services
• Kimberly Home Pregnancy Resource Center
• Home Share Pinellas
• The Salvation Army
• SPC Internship Program
• The Haven of Religious Community Services
• The Suncoast Hospice
• Metro Wellness and Community Center
• Guardian AD Litem
• Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Center
• NAMI Pinellas County Florida – National Alliance on Mental Illness
• SPC Corporate Training
• Project Prosper
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium
• American Red Cross, Tampa Bay Chapter
• SPC Women on the Way
• Operation PAR and LiveFree! Pinellas
• Lighthouse of Pinellas
• 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc.
• All Children’s Hospital
• St. Petersburg College
• SPC Microsoft Software Available for Students at No Extra Charge
• BayCare Health System – Student Assistance Program
• SPC Learning Support Commons & Writing Studio
• SPC Men Achieving Excellence (MAX) Club

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Annual Hurricanes and Healthcare Conference set for March 19

Employees from hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities will prepare for the state’s dangerous weather and emergencies it can cause at the upcoming Hurricanes and Healthcare Conference.

The annual conference is scheduled for March 19 at the Coliseum. Participants will join sponsors Bay News 9, the Tampa Bay Times, Progress Energy and Ready Alert Services.

In existence for more than 30 years, the conference is a collaboration involving SPC, the Tampa Bay Regional Hurricane and Health Care Planning Coalition, Metropolitan Medical Response System, the Florida Health Care Association and local county emergency management offices.

“This is the largest and oldest program in the state to educate the health care industry. It is a ‘must attend’ for health care facilities,” said Ed Smolik, Director of Facility Services and leader of Emergency Management at Morton Plant Mease. Smolik is a founding member of the coalition.

Attendees will learn about 2013 weather expectations and storm planning from local weather experts. Conference participants also will:

• hear from Hurricane Sandy, boots-on-the-ground emergency management experts
• learn about the challenges facing those at a facility that has been evacuated multiple times due to a storm
• how to use social media to discover and distribute storm information
• how to build solid, sound emergency evacuation and sheltering-in-place plans

Get more information about the conference, a brochure and the day’s agenda or register at www.spcollege.edu/hurricane. The Coliseum is located at 535 Fourth Ave. N., St. Petersburg.

For conference questions or more information, contact LaNona Robinson at 727-341-3376 or robinson.lanona@spcollege.edu.

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SPC named Business of the Year for Economic Advancement

St. Petersburg College received the Business of the Year for Economic Advancement award from the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce at the annual awards dinner earlier this month.

The award, presented by city council member Doreen Hock-DiPolito, cited the college’s contribution to economic development, including the Collaborative Center for Emerging Technologies, Corporate Training’s Learn to Earn program, and the college’s Veteran Services program

Anne Cooper, Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, accepted the award on behalf of the college.

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CNNMoney: community college grads outearn bachelor-degree holders

Training you for jobs in demand: SPC offers training for a variety of careers that only require an associate degree including: Computer engineers Draftsmen Paralegals Machinists Read more about our workforce training opportunities.

Nearly 30 percent of Americans with an associate degree now make more than those with a bachelor’s degree, according to a report carried by CNNMoney.

The information was part of an article from The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education-news outlet based at Teachers College, Columbia University, that was posted by CNNMoney.

On average, community college graduates fresh out of school earn more than graduates of four-year universities, the article stated.

The increase in wages for community college grads is being driven by a high demand for people with so-called “middle-skills.” These jobs don’t require more than an associate degree and included professions such as lab technicians, teachers in early childhood programs, computer engineers, draftsmen, radiation therapists, paralegals and machinists.

By mid-career, many bachelor’s degree recipients have caught up in earnings to community college grads, the article went on to report.

However, four-year degrees are more expensive than a two-year degree, said Mark Schneider, vice president of the American Institutes for Research, in the report. A two-year community college degree costs about $6,262, according to the College Board. A bachelor’s degree from a four-year, private residential university runs about $158,072.

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Former U.S. Poet Laureate at SPC March 12

Billy Collins, who has authored eight poetry collections, will read at the SPC Music Center as well as the Palladium Theater on March 12. A distinguished professor of English at Lehman College of the City University of New York, he was Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003 and Poet Laureate of New York State from 2004 to 2006.

Collins is one of three award-winning poets, Denise Duhamel, Peter Meinke and Billy Collins, to visit SPC campuses this semester.

Collins’ reading starts at 12:30 p.m. at the SPC Music Center and at 7 p.m. at the theater. This event is free for SPC students with a valid ID and $10 for the general public.

Read more about Collins in The Sandbox, the online student newspaper at SPC.

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Students: internships available, even in the White House

‘Tis the season to get thinking about internships, according to SPC’s Internship Office.

The office has a number of great opportunities in the Tampa Bay area posted on Optimal Resume. The college offers the online tool to help link employers with college candidates. Among the internships available are openings with the Florida Department of Emergency Management, American Stage and Space Machine & Engineering Corp.

For those looking for an internship out of state, consider a run at the White House.

SPC students can now apply for the Fall 2013 White House Internship Program. The program’s mission, according to organizers, is to make the “People’s House” accessible to future leaders from around the country.

Read more about summer internships and the White House internship opportunity on the Internship Office’s blog.

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Fee waiver, other prizes at SPC Study Abroad Fair

The Center for International Programs hosted the first evening of the SPC Study Abroad Fair at the Tarpon Springs Campus on Monday, Feb. 4.

SPC student Mason St. Martin won a waiver for the program’s $200 application fee.

More dates are set for the fair both this and next week at other SPC campuses. Students will have the chance to win prizes such as application fee waivers for the program.

Study Abroad faculty had an opportunity to discuss how each of their programs work. After the general discussion, students interested in a specific program talked directly with faculty leading that program and asked questions.

One of the most exciting parts of the evening for students was a free drawing. Random winners for a variety of prizes were chosen.

SPC student Mason St. Martin was the top winner, receiving a waiver for the Study Abroad $200 application fee! St. Martin was so excited and thankful for this prize that he quickly submitted his application for the Spain program the following morning!

This was the first time SPC has offered students the opportunity to waive the $200 application fee for Study Abroad.

Instructor Tim Wolter answers questions about the Study Abroad program.

Drawings for additional waivers will be held at the next three Study Abroad Fair events:

Wednesday, Feb. 6, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Music Center, 6-8 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 11, Clearwater ES 104, 6-8 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 12, Seminole Digitorium, 6-8 p.m.

Learn more:
Invite your students to stop by and learn more about these programs.
• Belize
• Costa Rica
• England
• Ireland
• Italy
• Spain
• High School program

Questions?
Please call 727-341-4355

See more photos from the event on the college’s Facebook page.

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‘School, Work, Life’ student event draws crowd at SP/G

Students wait in line to sign in at the School, Work, Life event at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus on Thursday, Jan. 31.

More than 400 students, faculty, staff and vendors attended the inaugural School, Work, Life community resource fair at the quad at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus on Thursday, Jan. 31.

The event was an opportunity for various community and college services to come together to help students learn healthy ways to maintain balance between school, work and life.

Participating groups included:

• 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc.
• African People’s Education and Defense Fund, Inc.
• Agency for Persons with Disabilities
• Bay Area Pregnancy Center
• Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA)
• Community Law Program, Inc.
• Florida Resurrection House
• Lighthouse of Pinellas
• LiveFree! Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Pinellas County
• Operation PAR, Inc.
• Project GRACE
• Tampa Bay Harvest
• SPC’s Men Achieving Excellence (MAX)
• St. Petersburg College
• Uhuru Solidarity Movement
• SPC Internship Office
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Pinellas County
• Suncoast Hospice
• United Way HandsOn Suncoast
• The Edible Peace Patch Project
• BayCare Health System – Student Assistance Program
• SPC Women on the Way (WOW)
• American Red Cross
• Homeless Emergency Project, Inc.
• SPC Corporate Training
• All Children’s Hospital
• Gulfcoast Legal Services
• SPC Learning Support Commons and Writing Studio

The event also featured food, music and a drawing for three Kindle Fire HD Tablets. The student winners were:

• Keeyawna Barnes, Associate in Arts
• Nicole Jensen, Management and Organizational Leadership
• Joseph Stringer, Associate in Arts

Visit the SPC Facebook page to view an online photo gallery from the event.

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