The digital magazine for faculty, staff, students and friends of Pensacola State College
August 27, 2020
College is supposed to be hard. It’s supposed to present challenges. But college is not supposed to be debilitating. But for some students, it feels that way.

Sometimes the problems the students face don’t even stem from school. But sometimes those dilemmas are so overwhelming they threaten to affect the students’ performance in classes.

That’s why Pensacola State College has a team dedicated to helping ensure the emotional and mental well-being of students who are facing unprecedented challenges. Part of the Pirates CARE Team, these professional staffers offer mental health counseling and other resources to help students deal with conditions and situations that might affect their academic performance and overall well-being.

And they have a sweet, furry, friendly doggie named “Milly” on the team, which almost always gets a smile out of a visiting student.

Lynsey Listau, Executive Director of Institutional Equity and Student Conduct, said, “Over the past few years, our office has expanded to include mental health and wellness services for students. We want to help students with not only on-campus services, but regional resources as well. Some of our students come to school with various issues and baggage and we try to help guide them through their issues and concerns.”
A message from Ed Meadows, PSC President
Dear Pirates, 

This is to provide a further update regarding COVID-19 infections and exposures of employees and students. 
 
I am deeply saddened to report that a 30-year-old student recently passed away due to complications related to COVID-19. This student last attended classes in the spring term and all indications are that the student was not on campus at a time that would have resulted in the possibility of infecting others. I will be contacting the family to offer the College’s sincere condolences.  

I cannot stress enough the importance of assuming responsibility for your own safety as well as the safety of your work colleagues, friends, and loved ones by wearing face masks and observing social distancing. There have been three separate occasions in which employees have ridden together in one vehicle to go to lunch and it was later discovered that one of those employees was positive for COVID-19. Not only did the infected employees have to quarantine, but all of those riding and eating lunch with those individuals also had to quarantine. Engaging in such practices puts others in danger of becoming infected, and could compromise not only your health but the health of others. 

Between Wednesday, July 29, and Wednesday, August 26, 55 people have been affected by COVID-19 (28 students and 27 employees). These individuals have tested positive for COVID-19, have been exposed to COVID-19, or have been ill with symptoms of COVID-19.

Currently, there are 22 people in quarantine:
  • 7 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 (6 students and 1 employee);
  • 10 people who have been exposed to COVID-19 (4 students and 6 employees); and
  • 5 people sick with COVID-19 symptoms (3 students and 2 employees).

Please note that any employee or student who has been determined to have been exposed by others has been notified of the need to quarantine.  

Remember — if you are closer than 6 feet for 15 minutes or more to an infected person, you will still be required to quarantine regardless of the fact that you both had on a mask.  

I know that no one wants to be the cause of infecting another individual and the only way to safeguard against such exposure is to be diligent about wearing a face covering over your mouth and nose and practice social distancing. If you feel ill, stay home. Let’s all work together to be productive at work while still safeguarding our colleagues, our students, and our families. 

Take care and stay safe,

Ed Meadows
President
Pensacola, Warrington campuses can stay put for coffee, pastries, lunch
Just a reminder: There are places to eat on Pensacola State’s Pensacola and Warrington campuses if you’re hungry and don’t have the time or desire to leave the College. 

Subway has shops on the Pensacola and Warrington campuses, while the Drowsy Poet Coffee Company has a location in the Edward M. Chadbourne Library on the Pensacola campus. The businesses recently reopened after shutting down during the spring when the College closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We love being on this campus," said Scott Richardson, a Drowsy Poet franchise owner who also operates locations in Pace and at West Florida Hospital. “We just hope the students and staff are happy to have us back.”

The coffee shop has been on the Pensacola campus for five years. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. But Richardson said hours could change depending on business ─ fewer students are on campuses since a majority of classes are being offered online during the fall semester.

“So those hours may change depending on our numbers," Richardson added. “We just hope everyone will be flexible.” 

Stephanie Bisso owns both PSC Subway locations and said her restaurants are ready to serve students breakfast and lunch. 

“It’s not just the sub sandwiches that we have," she said. “We also have pizza, pretzels and breakfast. Some students get her before lunch and are hungry when they get here.”

The Subways are open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

-- Troy Moon

PHOTO: Drowsy Poet owner Scott Richardson and employee Summer Brown. Photo by Troy Moon.
From Puerto Rico to Pensacola, all for PSC’s Vet Tech program
Keila Martinez is from Puerto Rico but wanted to attend school on the United States’ mainland to study veterinary technology. But she also wanted to remain as close to home as possible, so a college or university in Florida was a logical choice.

She picked Pensacola State College, even though PSC is farther from her home in Caguas than any other college in the state. And she picked PSC for a good reason. Actually, a couple good reasons.

“I was thinking about St. Petersburg College too, but after doing my research, I decided on Pensacola State," said Martinez, who is in her second week of Veterinary Technician classes on the Warrington campus. “It has a good reputation and is accredited, which is important. And it’s less expensive. I like what I read about the program and the pathways to get your license.”  

PSC Veterinary Technicians graduate with a better understanding of the field and the profession they are entering than most. More than 77 percent of PSC Veterinary Technician students who graduated from 2015 through 2018 earned a passing score on the Veterinary Technical National Exam during their first attempt. The national first-attempt passing average is 70 percent.

“Our pass rate, our curriculum, our faculty, our smaller class-size, the way we treat our students…there are a lot of reasons that people chose to come to Pensacola State," said Sarah Meyer-Patterson, Program Director. “We are not only more affordable; I think that we graduate a high-caliber of students.” 

Though this is Martinez’s first visit to Pensacola, it’s not her first visit to the U.S. mainland. She has visited numerous South Florida cities, as well as New York. 

First impressions have been good, she said. 

“It’s been crazy and exhausting, but it’s been good," Martinez said. “Everyone has been nice and helpful, and I like the facilities and the program so far. The first day I was lost and asked for help and a classmate helped me and taught me how to use Canvas. That was completely new to me. So, everyone has been nice.” 

Her parents came with her from Puerto Rico in early August to help her move and get settled but already have left. She has an apartment and a roommate and has rented a car to help her get around in her new city. 

“I’m on my own here now," the 25-year-old Martinez said. “They helped me move in and then they went back. But I’m excited. I’m nervous, but excited.” 

After graduating from PSC, Martinez would love to go on to a university to become a veterinarian.

She has worked in a wildlife conservation center and had previously shadowed at a veterinary clinic in Puerto Rico.

“I wanted to acquire the veterinary technician skills first," she said. “Then, I would like to become a veterinarian. But this is the beginning.” 

-- Troy Moon
Cross Country only PSC athletic team active this fall as COVID-19 pushes other sports to 2021

During a normal year, the Pensacola State College volleyball team would have already started its season and the basketball teams would be practicing in anticipation of a November start.

But, well, you know. Nothing’s normal. The National Junior College Athletic Association has suspended most fall sports until the spring term, which begins Jan. 8. Cross country is the only sport that is being played this fall.

“Basketball and volleyball have been most affected," said PSC Athletic Director Bill Hamilton. “Baseball and softball won’t be as affected as much because they usually start around the beginning of the year. They’ll have a condensed window to practice and will be least affected.”

The men and women’s basketball teams are expected to start their seasons in late January and will play 22 games, as opposed to the 30 games the teams normally play. The schedule includes 16 conference games as opposed to the normal 12 conference games. Pensacola State is one of five Florida College System institutions that make up the Panhandle Conference.

“Our No. 1 priority is the safety of our student-athletes," Hamilton said. “You don’t want to have an event and have someone be exposed.”

Hamilton and cross country coach Julie Burger both said the very nature of cross country competitions makes them less susceptible to virus spread. Which is why cross country is the only sport being held this fall.

“No pressure," Burger said about being the sole PSC athletic team to represent the College this fall.

The cross country team is only in its second year and features seven team members this season. Some are recent high school graduates, while others are older students who might not be seen as traditional college athletes.

“We have a mixture of different types of students," Burger said. “Some are your traditional students right out of high school. Others might be a little and be at different stages in life.”

One of the latter is Samantha Hart, a 29-year-old mother of two, who also cares for her grandmother and niece. She works 12-hour shifts in patient registration at Baptist Hospital, and is a full-time PSC student. Hart also works from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., then shows up for 6:30 a.m. cross country practice.

“I don’t get much sleep," said Hart, who hopes to enter PSC’s Nursing Program. “But I love to run and being on the team makes it a priority. It’s rewarding, and it’s hard when you first start, but the next day, it’s not quite as hard.”

The PSC Cross Country team begins its season on Sept. 4 with the Ocala Horse Park Invitational. The only Pensacola competition the team will compete in is the University of West Florida Argonaut Invitational on Sept. 19.

-- Troy Moon

PHOTO: In a screen-grab from Troy Moon's video, cross country coach Julie Burger trains with team members Samantha Hart, left, and Jabria Brothers. See the entire video at facebook.com/PensacolaStateCollege.