The digital magazine for faculty, staff, students and friends of Pensacola State College
December 15, 2021
“Change Makers” co-founder and longtime PSC supporter Jo-Ann Price, right, here with Beth and Rich Williams. In the photo below, “Change Makers” co-founder Michael Price, left, poses with Wendell Smith. Smith and his wife Beth are the donors of the Paul Dean Higginbotham Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Bottom photo: Longtime PSC supporters David and Cindi Bear.
They are called “Change Makers” for a reason – they change lives.

Pensacola State College honored its “Change Makers” – donors whose generous gifts and contributions help students earn an education – at the second annual “Change Makers – Expanding Possibilities” reception held Friday, Dec. 10, in the Charles W. Lamar Studio Gallery on the Pensacola campus. 

“Your gifts are going to make a difference for students,’’ said Andrea Krieger, PSC Executive Director of Institutional Development. “Your generosity will help transform lives.” 

The reception celebrated $2.8 million in new gifts and commitments to PSC that with matches and endowments, equal a $3.8 million impact to the College.
“Pensacola State College is a wonderful school that helps develop productive citizens in our community,’’ said David Bear, vice-president of the Lewis Bear Co., a long-standing family-operated Pensacola beverage distribution business. 

The Bear Family and the Bear Family Foundation have been supporters of PSC since 1967 and fund the Bear Family Foundation Scholarship. 

“What we need here in Pensacola is workforce development and job readiness and that’s what PSC is so good at,” Bear added. “Pensacola State gets students trained and into the workforce here in the community. It’s a great asset to Northwest Florida.”
Nearly 90 new nurses are pinned at Fall 2021 Pinning Ceremony
Rebecca Shutz grew up in Rhode Island, where she was homeschooled. Though, there really was very little schooling taking place. 

“I grew up homeschooled, but they didn’t teach me at all and we weren’t allowed to go to school,” Shutz said. “I just didn’t receive any real education.”

Yet on Thursday, Dec. 9, Shutz received her Nursing Pin, becoming a full-fledged RN, at a Pinning Ceremony at First Pentecostal Church in Pensacola. She was one of 69 Associate of Science in Nursing students who were pinned, as were 20 nurses who have earned a Practical Nursing Career Certificate.

There were also 25 Bachelor of Nursing Students, all whom previously had earned their nursing pins, who attended the ceremony.

All of the students received their degrees or certificates just a few days later at PSC’s 2021 Fall Commencement Ceremony at the Pensacola Bay Center.

“I’ve had a lot of heroes in my life,” said Dr. Troy Tippett, a Pensacola neurosurgeon who is a member of the PSC District Board of Trustees. “Many of those heroes have been nurses.”

He said nurses and others who work in the medical field “have a calling.” 

“I do know it’s the most rewarding occupation you could ever have,” Tippett said. “Where else can you go to work every day and save lives? There aren’t many places.” 
PSC’s Bachelor of Applied Science Senior Art Exhibition showcases new graduates’ best work
The images were eye-popping and demanding of any viewer’s attention. But of course they would be — that’s the point of graphic design and it’s what all who entered PSC’s Graphic Design program hoped to achieve.

Works of 10 PSC Graphic Design students were showcased in the PSC “How Design Makes Us Think, Feel, and Do Things” exhibition, which ran Dec. 6-10 at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for the Visual Arts. The exhibition is an annual senior showcase for those readying to graduate from PSC with a Marjan Mazza Bachelor of Applied Science in Business and Management – Graphic Design degree. 

“It’s been a long journey for these students, but they worked together and helped get each other through it,” said Mark Hopkins, PSC Graphic Design Program Coordinator. “The installations are incredible. I always look forward to this time of year.” 

The 10 student displays showcased marketing and advertising campaigns created by the students for fictional companies or products, as well as public service campaigns. The ventures ranged from candy companies and beverage companies to clothing lines, military ventures and even mountain-climbing safety displays. 

“I think there’s huge talent and commitment to design showcased by the students,” said Alaina Plowdrey, PSC Visual Arts department head. “Under Mark (Hopkins) they truly transformed into designers. It’s a beautiful process.” 

Now the students, degrees in hand, will start the job search, looking to bring their considerable talents to firms, companies, agencies, and non-profits looking for a graphic designer with artistic flair. 

“I know it’s going to be different,” said Jared Barrow, whose colorful, kinetic illustrations of military aircraft history won the exhibition’s Department Head’s Choice Award. “When you’re a student, you get to do what you want and what you envision, but in the real world, you don’t get that freedom. I’ll miss that, but it’s just part of it the process. I just know it’s been an incredible honor to be around all these great artists at PSC. There is some great work here.”

Here are the award winners from the exhibition:

  • Amanda Schmidt — Best in Show
  • Anthony McGriff II — Best in Show Runner-Up
  • Julie Garton — Most Creative
  • Jared Barrow — Department Head’s Choice

— Troy Moon
PSC graphic arts student not sidelined by tragic car accident
Recent Pensacola State College graduate Anthony McGriff II is going places. 

You can tell by his eye-popping graphic art designs that he has the talent to take him far in the world of advertising and marketing. Now, McGriff might need a car ride to actually get him to where he needs to go. But that’s OK. Because his family is there for him.

McGriff earned his Marjan Mazza Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Business and Management, Graphic Design concentration on Sunday. Some might have doubted he would be able to finish. After all, he was in a horrible vehicle accident during his second semester at PSC, an accident that shattered his hipbone and pelvis. 

McGriff wasn’t able to walk and was wheelchair-bound for six months. Compounding his problems – he and his family live in Crestview, about a 45-minute to an hour drive to the Pensacola campus. He couldn’t drive. He was an hour away from where he needed to go. That’s when his family stepped in. 

“I didn’t want to give up on my education,’’ said McGriff, a 2014 graduate of Crestview High School. “My family helped me out so much. My sisters (Miriam and Rachael) would drive me to class and take me home. Sometimes my parents would drive me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

McGriff had to re-learn to walk.

“His sisters would drive him to Pensacola, put him in the wheelchair and roll him to class,’’ said his father, Anthony McGriff Sr. “We (with mother Serall McGriff) did the same thing. He didn’t miss a beat. He kept his GPA up and kept going, even through physical therapy. We’re very proud of him.”
On Thursday, the family attended the PSC 2021 Marjan Mazza Bachelor of Applied Science in Business and Management – Graphic Design Senior Exhibition in the Switzer Gallery in the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts.

Students had to create marketing and advertising materials for fictional companies. McGriff’s company is “IBEX,” a clothing company. And his designs seemed worthy of any high-end fashion magazine or advertising campaign. 

“It ranges from street wear to fancier outfits,’’ McGriff said of his “IBEX” designs. “I think my style can be classified as smooth.” (Just like him. He’s so smooth that the black-and-green checker pants he wore to the exhibition matched the pants featured in one of his “IBEX” designs.)

“We’re do proud of him,’’ said sister Miriam. “He never gave up. We drove him because we want to support him.”

But that’s a long drive back-and-forth to Crestview – the sisters would spend time at the mall or other nearby businesses while their brother was in class. Did either of them ever wonder during those long car rides whether their brother was worth it? (We were joking, of course, when we posed the question.)

“We know he’s worth it,’’ Miriam said.

“Definitely,’’ Rachael said. “He’s dedicated and persistent and we’re all so proud of him. He’s definitely worth it.” 

Now that he’s graduated, McGriff is applying for various advertising and marketing positions.

“I just want to see where the road leads,’’ he said. “I want to be able to help my family. That’s one thing I know, but they’ve given so much to me. I want to be able to give back to them.” 
— Troy Moon
PSC’s Johnston and UWF professor publish research paper
Pensacola State College’s research guru Michael Johnston has helped develop a recently published research paper that can lead to better ways to improve routine urinalysis observations.

The paper – “Protocols to Dissolve Amorphous Urate Crystals in Urine” – was produced by University of West Florida Medical Laboratory Sciences Department Professor Kristina Jackson Behan and Johnston, Associate Vice President of Institutional Research and Management Information Systems. 

The paper was published by the Journal of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.

While the topic of the paper is important, Johnston said it also showcases the possibility of research collaboration between PSC and other colleges and universities, most notably UWF.

“The great part is that it shows the collaboration between Dr. Behan and her department and what we have here,’’ he noted. “There are a lot of opportunities for faculty and staff to collaborate on various types of research and create and foster even better partnerships between the two institutions. We can actually collaborate with people all across the world.” 

Johnston said this project seemed a perfect fit, because “the interesting part about medicine is that it walks hand-in-hand with education.” 

The project involves a dilemma sometimes found in routine urinalysis examinations – the forming of amorphous urate crystals which can obscure findings in the urinalysis. 

The research project concluded that that by prewarming specimens and adding a specified solution to it, the crystals are eliminated. 

“It’s something so benign,’’ Johnston said about the findings. “Usually specimens are refrigerated, and these crystals develop. We found a solution.”

While Behan worked on the medical science part of the research project, Johnston helped collect patient samples and was in charge of empirical results and analysis.

“It was a really impressive finding,’’ Johnston said of the research results. “Now, we’re helping change the face of medicine and laboratory testing techniques.” 
— Troy Moon
Lady Pirates basketball team extends win streak to 11-0
The Pensacola State College women’s basketball team continues to roll and climb the national rankings.

The 11-0 Lady Pirates are now ranked 15th nationally in the NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball rankings. 

Most recently, the Pirates handily defeated the North Arkansas Pioneers 68-45. Tai’Sheka Porchia led the team with 19 points and nabbed six rebounds. Kristin Williams poured in 16 points while Khadija Chambless scored 10 points. Danielle Luckey had a season high seven rebounds. 

The team will be back in action on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 when they take on Kilgore Community College and Hill College. Both games will take place in Lake Charles, Louisiana during the Lake Charles Classic Tournament.

The Pirates’ next home game will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, against Gulf Coast State College.
PSC Student Spotlight: Troy Watts
Troy Watts knows if his creation “Dribbles the All-Knowing Cat” is doing its job in educating children.

He uses a small focus group to gauge reaction from the target audience – children from newborns through 6 years of age.

“My 2-year-old daughter Sheena is my go-to person,’’ said Watts, a Pensacola State College graphic design student who will earn his Marjan Mazza Bachelor of Applied Science in Business and Management – Graphic Design Management concentration – in spring 2022. 

“If I have a new Dribbles’ song or video, I’ll run it by her. If she doesn’t like it, she’ll go ‘No, no, no’ and walk away. If she likes it, she’ll start dancing to it.” 

Watts has envisioned and designed the animated character “Dribbles the All-Knowing Cat,’’ a franchise that uses music, videos, books and more to teach children about their health, as well as focusing heavily on STEM and STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, arts and math) subjects. The line also includes plush toys and coloring books. 

“I started this for kids,’’ said Watts, who earned his Associate of Arts degree from Pensacola State two years ago. “I have a passion for children’s education. Children need more educational content, so I created Dribbles before I knew anything about graphic arts. That why I got into the graphic arts program – to get it started.” 

Watts has authored three “Dribbles the All-Knowing Cat” books that are available on Amazon – “Questions, Questions, Questions,” “ABC’s” and “Can Dribbles Read?” 

He also has designed a series of “Dribbles” coloring books and flash cards that should be available for purchase soon. Watts hopes to work with schools and school districts to see if they are interested in using “Dribbles” to augment their curriculum. 
“I want to get all my ducks in a row before I start making presentations to school districts and educators,’’ said Watts, a U.S. Marine Corp veteran who is a member of the PSC Student Veterans Association, a Sigma Beta Delta honor society member and a Sandy Sansing Scholarship recipient. “We’ve been taught to make it perfect, make it great because you don’t want anyone to say no.” 

Already he has a costumed “Dribbles” that makes appearances and stars in YouTube videos designed to promote childhood education. Watts recently introduced three of “Dribbles” friends to the production roster – “Nicky” the pig, “Blicky” the dog and “Ricky” the elephant. 

A musician friend, Dwayne Draine, helps create the music for any “Dribbles” videos or songs, and other friends help in a variety of capacities, from helping with editing to wearing the “Dribbles” costume.

He’s already spent a lot of money investing in his project.

“I’m bootstrapping it,’’ he said. “I’m getting help from my parents, my brother-in-law and sister. They believe in it (the project) too.” 

Watts credits PSC with helping him realize his vision.

“I knew nothing about computers or anything,’’ said the 57-year-old Watts. “The younger students were so friendly and taught me a lot, along with the professors. The professors and the kids all got me through it. I love this college. It’s really changed my life.”

PSC Visual Arts Department Head Alaina Plowdrey said Watts “has the perfect combination of heart and ambition.”

“His vision and production of ‘Dribbles’ have not only added a brilliant contribution to children’s literature,’’ she said, “but his work also showcases the high potential for student development from the classes and degrees offered in the Visual Arts Department. We are very proud of Troy and his growing accomplishments.” 

Watts hopes to keep growing the “Dribbles” franchise and will focus on the project even more after graduation.

He only has one complaint about PSC.

“I wish PSC had a master’s degree program,’’ he said. “I’d definitely enroll. This college means so much to me.” 

Where to find "Dribbles the All-Knowing Cat"

Dribbles has a Facebook page and YouTube Channel – just search “Dribbles the All-Knowing Cat.” 


“Dribbles” books are available on www.amazon.com. 
— Troy Moon