SPC now #1 in Florida for international program

St. Petersburg College (SPC) is ranked first in Florida and sixth in the nation among associate colleges for sending students abroad, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE) 2018 Open Doors Report. Over the last year, more than 150 SPC students have traveled to other countries while earning college credit.

Dr. Ramona Kirsch, Director of the Center for International Programs, highlighted that the program’s success is attributed to a collegewide collaboration and the students’ willingness to expand their out-of-classroom experience.

SPC student Maria Dotsok strongly encourages other students to travel abroad and experience new cultures.

“It is a wonderful experience to travel abroad and become a global citizen,” Dotsok said. “I would give one bit of advice to the students: don’t think – do it!”

SPC has a broad range of study abroad programs throughout the world. For 2019-20, the planned programs include:

• Students will study the Maori culture in New Zealand while living with host families in the Maori village.
• Social and health sciences students will study at the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa.
• Humanities students will travel to Greece and the island city of Kalymnos.
• Students will travel to Costa Rica to study biology.
• Students will study the theatre arts in England, which includes viewing a performance at the Globe Theatre and visiting Shakespeare’s home Stratford on Avon.
• Students will study the Spanish language in Spain.
• Dental hygiene students will travel to Jamaica to offer community volunteer services.

Learn more about SPC’s Center for International Programs online, or email studyabroad@spcollege.edu.

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SPC ranked 6th in the nation for study abroad program

St. Petersburg College (SPC) is ranked second in Florida and sixth in the nation, among associate colleges, for sending students abroad, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE) 2017 Open Doors Report. Over the last year, more than 140 SPC students have traveled to other countries.

Dr. Ramona Kirsch, Director of the Center for International Programs, celebrated the report naming SPC among leading institutions for study abroad education and emphasized the importance of out-of-classroom experience for students.

“When I arrived at SPC a little more than five years ago, SPC was not even on the radar for study abroad,” said Kirsch. “Now, in just a little over five years, we have increased study abroad participation by 113 percent.”

SPC has a broad range of study abroad programs throughout the world. The upcoming 2018-19 programs include:

• Veterinary Techology students will be working to assist troubled sea turtles in Australia
• Students will discover what makes India a cultural and religious force
• Social psychology in a global context will be explored in Ireland
• Students will be working with varying ecosystems and scuba diving in Israel
• Students will be studying World Literature and Culture in Japan
• High school students will say Bonjour Québec as they study International Relations and do service learning activities in Canada

Learn more about SPC’s study abroad program online or email studyabroad@spcollege.edu

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St. Petersburg College Recognized for Online Vocational Education Excellence

St. Petersburg College has been recognized as one of the best online vocational trade schools in the nation by The Community for Accredited Online Schools (AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org). As a leading resource for higher education and college accreditation information, the site released its annual ranking for the 2016-2017 school year, honoring St. Petersburg College as the #6 Best Online Vocational Trade School in the Nation.

“We wanted to highlight schools like St. Petersburg College, who are striving for excellence in education,” said Doug Jones, CEO and Founder of the Community for Accredited Online Schools. “These colleges offer an exceptional educational experience, upholding rigorous accreditation standards and showing an overall commitment to maximizing student success.”

In order for universities to qualify for this ranking they must hold public or private not-for-profit status and carry institutional accreditation. Top schools are determined by using a value-based methodology that analyzes more than a dozen qualitative and quantitative data points.

“St. Petersburg College prides itself on providing excellent educational opportunities for students to advance in their professions or move to new careers,” said Dr. Anne Cooper, SPC Senior Vice President of Instruction and Academic Programs. “From accounting to Veterinary Technician, our students online have a clear path from academics to careers.”

For a complete list of online vocational trade schools for 2016-2017 and more information on the methodology used to rank each school, visit the following page:

http://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/vocational-trade-school/online/

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Military Times Announces the Best for Vets: Colleges 2017

Military Times has announced its Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 rankings. St. Petersburg College was ranked among the top 30 four-year schools. SPC ranked highest as a community college that offers four-year degrees.

The eighth annual rankings factor in the results of Military Times’ comprehensive school-by-school survey of veteran and military student offerings and rates of academic achievement.

As with all Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that help make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families. More than 500 colleges took part in this year’s detailed survey.

“We limit our list to encourage competition, and we genuinely hope this helps raise the bar for veterans on campus,” said Amanda Miller, editor of Best for Vets.

Military Times’ annual Best for Vets: Colleges survey asks colleges and universities to meticulously document a tremendous array of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to students with military ties; and to describe many aspects of veteran culture on a campus. These institutions were evaluated in several categories, with university culture and academic outcomes bearing the most weight.

Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments, as well as three Education Department sources: the IPEDS Data Center, College Scorecard data and the Cohort Default Rate Database.

For the full Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 rankings, and survey methodology, go to: www.militarytimes.com/bestforvets-colleges2017

The rankings will be published online at MilitaryTimes.com, as well as ArmyTimes.com, NavyTimes.com, AirForceTimes.com and MarineCorpsTimes.com as of Nov. 1; and will appear in full in a special magazine issue of Military Times on newsstands in mid-November. The release of this year’s list also marks Military Times’ inaugural declaration of the month of November as Veterans Month. The independently owned media company is celebrating veterans beyond Veterans Day, with 30 days of veteran-focused coverage.

Military Times’ Best for Vets rankings include Colleges, Career & Technical Colleges, Business Schools, Franchises, Employers, Law Enforcement and Places to Live.

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About Military Times

The Military Times digital platforms and print products are the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. The military community relies on Army Times, Marine Corps Times, Navy Times and Air Force Times for reporting on everything important to their lives, including: pay, benefits, finance, education, health care, recreational resources, retirement, promotions, product reviews, and entertainment. Military Times is published by Sightline Media Group. To learn more, visit www.militarytimes.com.

About Sightline Media Group

Sightline Media Group, formerly Gannett Government Media, was established in 1940 as Army Times Publishing Company, an independent publishing company reporting on military news and information. Since then, the company has expanded into defense and government news, and has launched or acquired more than 13 periodicals and extended its brand globally into the online and broadcasting arenas. For more information, visit www.sightlinemediagroup.com.

 

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St. Petersburg College ranked #1 among Florida online colleges

Online Colleges ranked St. Petersburg College number one out of 112 Florida peer institutions for Best Online College. The college received a 99.61 overall rating. Each year, more than 20,000 students take classes through SPC’s award-winning eCampus online learning program. More than 650 online courses and dozens of degrees can be taken completely online.

.@OnlineColleges names 7 of our schools in their Top 10 Best Online Colleges in FL for 2016 https://t.co/loEbb4KEZ8 pic.twitter.com/DXZvaxQVdt

— FL College System (@FLCollegeSystem) September 13, 2016

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SPC student newspaper sweeps statewide news awards #spcinspires

The St. Petersburg College student newspaper The Sandbox News rocked the student awards in the Florida Society of News Editors (FSNE) Journalism contest by winning 11 out of 24 student awards–all while vying against large universities like the University of South Florida, University of Florida and Florida State University.

The Sandbox is written by students, including dedicated staff writers from the Mass Media Communications program. Volunteers make up the majority of writers, creating a diverse writing atmosphere.

As shown in this event, SPC has a strong Mass Media Communications department that utilizes the newest and strongest skills to best serve the news landscape and help students succeed.

SPC Mass Media Communications Professor and Newspaper Mentor Kathy Bryson said writing for The Sandbox is a great opportunity for any student.

“All careers are impacted by or look for coverage in media,” she said. “Everyone has a story, and working on the paper helps you learn how to communicate it effectively, whether in print, video or photos. We’re very proud of our FSNE winners who did great work!”

The winners and their respective categories can be found below. To read more about the awards and students visit our Communications blog

Non-Deadline Reporting	3rd	David Jolly on his Senate Race	Fred Arnold
Commentary	1st	To METI, or Not to METI? That is the Question!	Douglas  Marshall
Commentary	2nd	The Islamic State	Viviana  Angelini
Commentary	3rd	Cell Phone Apps Help Meet Transportation Needs	Pat  Denney
Sports	3rd	Make Your Volunteer Time “Special”	Juliana  Rangel-Acevedo
Multimedia	2nd	St. Pete Action Sports	Fred Arnold
News Photography	2nd	Shine On St. Pete!	Angel  Gonzalez
News Photography	3rd	American Victory Merchant Marine Museum	Nicolas Gatti
Sports Photography	1st	Lady Titans vs. Skagit Valley College	Robert  Gale
Sports Photography	2nd	Titans First Loss Does Not Upset	Jenna  Jean
Sports Photography	3rd	Lady Titans Fall To Broward College Seahawks	Chris Demmons

See photos from the FSNE banquet on Facebook.

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SPC receives statewide award for producing alumni who earn highest entry wages #SPCinspires

At the 2016 Degrees to Jobs Summit last week, Florida Governor Rick Scott awarded St. Petersburg College the Governor’s Higher Education Leadership Award in recognition of the college’s investment in Florida’s future by producing graduates with the highest entry-level wages among Florida’s state colleges.

SPC had the highest entry wage difference between average fulltime wages of College Completers (2014-15) and Local Service Area Entry Level Wages (2015) among all 28 State Colleges. The average fulltime wages of College Completers (2014-15) was $48,948 as compared to $19,802 for Local Service Area Entry Level Wages (2015), according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. This was a percentage difference of 147%.

“Higher wages mean increased economic opportunities for our students and their families,” said SPC President Bill Law. “It’s why we monitor industry gaps in real time and adjust our academic programs and industry-recognized certifications to align with ever-evolving workforce demands. This is a nice honor for St. Petersburg College, but more importantly, it’s about the success of our students, the strong partnerships we share with the public and private sectors and the overall health of our local and regional economy.”

The Degrees to Jobs Summit was held in Orlando May 24-26 and included a wide array of breakout sessions. The topics included college affordability, leadership accountability and how business leaders and education officials can better connect Florida students with meaningful jobs when they graduate.

Since 2010, businesses within the state of Florida have created more than one million jobs, Gov. Scott said, and will continue to need a skilled workforce to fill those jobs.

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