Creating partnerships that change lives                                                   February 2016

 

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In This Issue
SPC Honors Dr. Vilma Zalupski
Rothman Literacy Initiative
Treasures of Midtown: The Minson R. Rubin Collection
Ride 2 Recovery Opens on Clearwater Campus
Fourth Annual Keys to Manhood Seminar
Get Social with SPC
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SPC Foundation
Board of Directors
Bill McCloud
Chairman

Angela Beltz
Joseph G. Blanton
R. Michael Carroll
Kenneth P. Cherven
Stephen O. Cole
Paul Demirdjian
John W. Dosher  
Theresa K. Furnas
Robert L. Hilton
Beth A. Horner
William D. Law*
Frances Neu*
Steven Shepard
Shan Shikarpuri
Richard B. Winning
David Zillig

Directors Emeriti
Dan Carlisle
Leon R. Hammock
Helen K. Leslie
Alfred T. May
Henry B. Sayler

Honorary Director
Wendell R. Ware

* Ex officio members



The  Tampa Bay Times recently reported that the number of vacant registered nursing positions has increased more than 30 percent since 2013. According to the
Times, there are currently over 12,000 open nursing positions in the state and that number is expected to increase by almost 10,000 in 2016. 
 
St. Petersburg College is preparing nursing students with the experience, skills and credentials necessary to meet the growing demand. Our College of Nursing offers Associate and Baccalaureate degree programs as well as programs for current licensed practical nurses and paramedics to transition to become Registered Nurses.
 
The Foundation awarded over 260 nursing scholarships last year to help underwrite the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies for students pursing a nursing credential.  These scholarship funds are made possible by generous individuals, community groups and businesses in our community. If you have an interest in supporting the SPC Nursing Program or any of the college's allied health programs, please contact us at (727) 341-3302.  

Sincerely,     
Frances Neu
VP of Institutional Advancement &
Foundation Executive Director
St. Petersburg College
 

SPC Honors Dr. Vilma Zalupski

Dr. Vilma Zalupski takes part in the dedication of the Clearwater Campus Women on the Way center, which was renamed in her honor.
St. Petersburg College recognized Dr. Vilma Zalupski for her devoted service and tireless dedication to the Women on the Way (WOW) program at a ribbon cutting of the newly renovated WOW Center on Clearwater Campus, named in honor of Dr. Zalupski.

The program offers a lifeline to a better future for many SPC students through scholarship support and programs supporting student engagement, retention and personal growth.

"Working within WOW, and my career in general, I always made it a point to know everyone: how many kids they have, what they are going to school for, their hardships," Zalupski said. "That general interest kept me connected to what was important."

"SPC promotes out-of-class support, interaction and help, as well as a genuine college experience to give students a push towards success," SPC President Bill Law said. "WOW is the best example of that model."

SPC plans to establish a WOW center on every campus in the coming years.
Rothman Literacy Initiative

Instructor Karen Vuurens (left) with student Tangela Carbart receiving books to distribute to preschoolers
The Rothman Family Foundation has partnered with the SPC Foundation to provide Literacy Sets to students enrolled in Early Childhood Development coursework at the college. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to improve literacy among pre-school learners receiving care at licensed St. Petersburg-area Childcare Centers or Home Care environments. 

Students who successfully completed one of the classes in the program received a set of books and materials encased in a SPC book bag. The students will utilize the materials to help preschoolers master language and reading skills. To reinforce these lessons, the SPC students will distribute the books and a personal book bag to the children they are teaching.

The Rothman Family Foundation was established by Thelma and Maurice Rothman and has gained an impressive reputation for its advocacy of children's causes, particularly childhood literacy. The Rothman's daughters, Margie, Carol and Nancy, continue to honor their parent's legacy by giving back to the Tampa Bay community.  Their efforts are helping to build a strong foundation for life-long learning among our community's youngest learners.
Treasures of Midtown: The Minson R. Rubin Collection
 
Minson Rubin
An impressive collection of artifacts and memorabilia donated to the Foundation by Minson R. Rubin are the heart of the new exhibition
In Black and White: Stories of 22nd Street South
at the SPC Douglas L. Jamerson Midtown Center.

Mr. Rubin worked for more than 20 years to collect, preserve and tell the stories of his community. These treasures give us a glimpse of the past, and illuminate some of the important contributions African Americans made to St. Petersburg.

In Black and White explores the history of 22nd Street South
, once considered the heart of St. Petersburg's African American community. It was a haven during the segregation era, and the epicenter of the local Civil Rights movement. The photographs on display offer a small glimpse into everyday life during the era, telling some of the stories that shaped the rich character of the neighborhood.
   
Born in 1944, Mr. Rubin grew up in Jordan Park and attended Pinellas County Public Schools and Gibbs Junior College (which later merged with St. Petersburg College). Mr. Rubin earned a degree in education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). Mr. Rubin retired in 2001, after a distinguished 33-year career as a teacher and coach with Pinellas County Schools. In 2015, he donated a portion of his collection to the SPC Foundation.
Ride 2 Recovery Opens on Clearwater Campus  

Ride 2 Recovery members and officials open their newest bicycling training facility on SPC's Clearwater Campus.  
The grand opening of Ride 2 Recovery, a national rehabilitation and recovery program for veterans, opened a training facility at the SPC Clearwater Campus.

The center, called Project HERO (Healing, Exercise, Rehabilitation and Opportunity) Central Florida, strives to enhance the lives of area service members and veterans through adaptive cycling. According to Ride 2 Recovery, the mental and physical challenges of cycling have proven an aid in the recovery process of veterans, who train in an environment of support and camaraderie among like-minded riders.

At the center, veterans receive tailored fitness regimens as well as dietary and lifestyle counseling as they progress through individual cycling programs.
Fourth Annual Keys to Manhood Seminar
Panel discussion at fourth annual Keys to Manhood Seminar.

On February 12th, local high school and college students, their teachers and professors attended the fourth annual Keys to Manhood Conference at St. Petersburg College's Seminole Campus. Presented by Transamerica, the free seminar included a variety of workshops focused on helping male students succeed. The productive day concluded with a keynote address by Christopher Zorich, former player for the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins.
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