Boca Ciega to dedicate fields to SPC Professor Emeritus Gerry Ramsberger

On May 3, new softball and baseball fields at Boca Ciega High School will be named after longtime coach and SPC Professor Emeritus Gerry Ramsberger, the Tampa Bay Times and the Bright House Sports Network reported.

Ramsberger was a teacher and coach in the first faculty at Northeast High School, then taught at Boca Ciega High School. From 1968 – 98, he taught Political Science courses at SPJC on the Clearwater Campus. Then, from 1998 – 2007, he ran the Press Box at Tropicana Field for the Rays.

Ramsberger’s former players and students are encouraged to come to the dedication ceremony.

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Possible delay for new SPC Midtown project

The Tampa Bay Times reported that a protest over the selection of the builder for the new St. Petersburg College Midtown project could push back its upcoming groundbreaking.

Peter R. Brown Construction, Inc., filed a protest letter after it was not chosen to manage the project. The Board of Trustees will discuss the issue April 16.

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SPC job fair attracts more than 200 students

A job fair at St. Petersburg College last week drew more than 200 students and close to 40 employers, making it one of the largest held at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus.

The fair was the second hosted this spring by the SPC Career Services Department. The next job fair will be held on April 4 at the Seminole Campus Conference Center.

Many students said their overall experience at the fair, held Thursday, March 21, was excellent and they would like to see more employer-hiring events on campus.

Employers who attended the fair represented a variety of fields including insurance, retail, marketing, health care, law enforcement, technology and banking.

Upcoming job fair: Thursday, April 4 Seminole Campus / Conference Center 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Some of the comments from employers at the fair were:

• “Really good turnout.” – Valpak
• “Great event.” – Blood Services
• “It was put together very well.” – Panera
• “This was actually one of the best job fairs we have participated in.” – Hill Top Research
• “This one was great and very well promoted!” – Radio Disney
• “Staff was great. Space area was great.” – Mortgage Investors Corporation
• “Great event! Would come back!” – FIS Global
• “It was great and well-attended.” – Tidwell Hospice

The Tampa Bay Times covered the job fair and took photos of the event.

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

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In the news: Construction firm picked for new Midtown Center

Bay News 9 and the Tampa Bay Times reported earlier this month on St. Petersburg College’s selection of a construction firm for the new Midtown Center.

The center, which will be built at 22nd Street and 13th Avenue South, will be a three-story building with brick accents, have twice as many classrooms and cost about $14 million. It will allow students to complete two-year associate degrees, a role the current building is not equipped to handle. A groundbreaking is planned for May or June, the Times reported.

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In the news: College program aims to help students with disabilities find jobs

The Tampa Bay Times profiled St. Petersburg College’s Student Employment Project in an article earlier this month. The program’s goal is to “find employment opportunities that match the skill sets, majors and aspirations of graduating students with disabilities.”

Kelley Ferranti, who heads the project, was interviewed for the article. “All my students are just as qualified as any other student sitting in the classroom,” she said. “They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t capable. I never want a company to hire one of my students because they have a disability. I want them to get the job because they are the best qualified.”

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In the news: City officials to meet with SPC leaders about Williams Park

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster said he plans to meet with representatives of St. Petersburg College to discuss students activities that could be held in Williams Park, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

The focus on the park and attempts to improve it come after police swept the area earlier in the month in the hopes of curbing “rampant drug use.”

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No application fee for SPC Week students

SPC Week kicked off Monday, March 18, with students touring the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus and applying without paying an application fee.

The college’s week of enrollment events runs through Thursday, March 21, at five different campuses – St. Petersburg/Gibbs, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, Downtown and Seminole. SPC’s $40 application is waived for students who apply at an event. The events run from 2 until 7 p.m.

Students will get a flavor of each campus location through tours and question and answer sessions with employees as well as a chance to see the various clubs and programs offered at each campus. Some campuses also have planned themed events and will be offering attendees chances to win Barnes & Noble gift cards.

On Tuesday, the Clearwater Campus will hold a Campus Expo at the new Ethics and Social Sciences building and offer refreshments at The Hard Drive Cafe.

SPC Week Events: March 18 – St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus March 19 – Clearwater Campus March 20 – Tarpon Springs Campus & SPC Downtown March 21 – Seminole Campus SPC Week participants should bring these items with them to apply for financial aid and/or get in-state tuition rates.

Two campuses will be holding events on Wednesday. Tarpon Springs will host a scavenger hunt tour with a pirate theme while SPC Downtown will offer a campus tour at its location in the heart of St. Petersburg. Both campuses will be holding gift card drawings.

SPC Week wraps up on Thursday at the Seminole Campus. Tours will include the state-of-the-art Digitorium and information about new construction coming later this year. Participants can meet with academic chairs from programs such as Entrepreneurship, Digital Arts, Media & Interactive Web Design, Environmental Science Technology, Hospitality & Tourism Management and Public Policy and Administration.

The Tampa Bay Times previewed SPC Week. “Would-be students can apply to St. Petersburg College without paying that pesky $40 application fee next week, but of course, there’s a catch: Applicants must attend one of four open house events at campuses throughout Pinellas County,” the newspaper reported.

See more pictures from the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus SPC Week event and later this week from other campuses on the college’s Facebook page.

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In the news: Palladium is host to an artistic smorgesbord

The Palladium Theater at St. Petersburg College has been featured in several news reports recently that showcase the variety of events at the venue, from jazz performances and a famous New York dance company to a Celtic music show marking St. Patrick’s Day.

• Jambands.com reviewed performances by Los Lobos and Keb Mo at the Palladium on March 1. Mo demonstrated his “well-known skills as a soulful singer, adept six-stringer and warm, friendly and funny crowd pleaser handily mixing his kind of blues with strains of R&B and pop,” according to the review. “Los Lobos, easily affirming the group’s well-earned reputation as a great American rock ‘n’ roots band, opened with the tumbling drums, snaking bass line and flavorful baritone sax.”
• TBNWeekly.com featured Canadian Brass, set to perform at the Palladium on March 15, in a recent story. “With a discography of more than 90 albums and an extensive worldwide touring schedule, the quintet has pioneered bringing brass music to mass audiences,” the report stated.
• Award-winning Ceilidh fiddler Andrea Beaton was scheduled to perform at the Palladium on March 16, TBNweekly.com reported. The Cape Breton native took top honors at the 2010 East Coast Music Awards for Instrumental Recording of the Year for her CD “Branches,” according to the article. In another article about the show, TBNweekly.com talked about Beaton’s musical heritage. “She’s one of the youngest members of an elite club: There have been generations of talented Cape Breton musicians – and more than a few came from her family,” it stated.
• The famed New York dance company Parsons Dance, set to perform at the Palladium on March 19, was featured on downtownstpete.ilovetheburg.com. “Parsons Dance, founded by David Parsons, has provided audiences with artistry and inspiration for the past 26 years,” according to site.

Paul Wilborn, the Palladium’s executive director, also was interviewed for a recent article in the Tampa Bay Times that looked at the health of the Mahaffey Theater under its current leadership.

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SPC career and entrepreneurship center part of area’s business startup scene

A Tampa Bay Times article about the area’s effort to support regional entrepreneurs and business startups mentioned SPC’s career and entrepreneurship center. The center was named as a “key player” in aiding the business startup scene.

The article also reported that a missing piece for business startups is the lack of venture capital focused on modern-day entrepreneurs. “Younger people involved in startups tend to cultivate Internet-based business ideas that often lie out of the comfort zone of older Florida investors accustomed to investing in real estate or retail franchises,” it stated.

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SPC Caruth Health Education Center honored

The Pinellas Park/Gateway Chamber of Commerce named SPC’s Caruth Health Education Center their Large Business of the Year last month, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

The center was honored along with several businesses and individuals at the chamber’s annual gala.

HEC was established to respond to the growing needs for health care workers. It offers opportunities for associate of science degrees, certificate programs and continuing education.

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