The digital magazine for faculty, staff, students and friends of Pensacola State College
July 15, 2020
Popular cultural showcase Zooms online for fall; podcast to launch soon
COVID-19 can’t contain culture. Throughout the country and the world, people are still creating, singing, writing, painting and debating.

And Pensacola State College’s long-running cultural showcase, Lyceum, won’t be contained either. It will be changed for a spell. But the shows still will go on.

Lyceum director Andrew Barbero said that, at least during the fall, the series will be conducted online, using Zoom technology that will allow 500 guests to watch the live programs that will feature musicians, writers, historians, performers, artists and more. Lyceum will also soon have its own podcast, “InTune,” which will be available on major platforms and feature Lyceum performers and guests, with questions and commentary by Barbero.

All fall Lyceum events will be offered for free.

“The idea is to still provide a quality season for the students and the community," Barbero said. “It will be virtual for at least the fall.”

Barbero said he hopes that COVID-19 will clear enough by spring to bring in live performers.

“We want to have a wide range of music and speakers and deal with topics that are relevant to where we are now as a society," Barbero said. “We have an election coming up this semester and we hope to use Lyceum to drive interest and education surrounding it.”

Barbero said he is currently talking with various speakers and artists, or their representatives, and hopes to line up another stellar Lyceum lineup for 2020-2021. No artists or speakers have yet been confirmed.

“We can set up these panel-style webinars and then I’ll turn them into an audio podcast after the event," Barbero said. “I’m envisioning these events as part performance, part interview, part reflecting. We have a lot to learn from the experiences of others.”

Barbero hopes the first Lyceum event will take place in early September.

-- Troy Moon
Pensacola State College spring/summer graduation set for Aug. 1
What’s better than a graduation ceremony? Two graduation ceremonies on the same day.

Pensacola State College will present two commencement ceremonies on Aug. 1 at the Pensacola Bay Center. The commencement ceremony for PSC spring and summer graduates was supposed to take place in May but was postponed because of the COVID-19 shutdown. 

Pensacola State College President Ed Meadows said the College is holding two ceremonies instead of one so as to limit the number of people on the Bay Center floor. 

The 10 a.m. ceremony will be for Associate of Arts degree graduates and a 3 p.m. ceremony will be for all other degree and certificate graduates. 
Students are limited to six guests each to ensure safety and social distancing. But for those who can’t make it, the ceremonies will be livestreamed on the College's website and Facebook page. 

“One of the most significant milestones for our students is celebrating the completion of their degree or certificate at commencement," Meadows said. “We want to acknowledge the students and their accolades as we always have done in the past. We’ll recognize our veterans, and the academic achievements of students in our various honor societies. It’s a way to salute our students and their successes.” 

There will be no guest speaker and a limited number of administration members, including Meadows, on stage. Everyone who attends, including guests, is required to wear a mask. 

“Safety is the first priority," Meadows said. “And we know we can do it safely if we’re all vigilant and follow the social distancing and face mask guidelines from the Department of Health and the CDC.” 

Meadows won’t be shaking students’ hands, but he will be presenting diplomas to students from across a table. Meadows will be wearing a face shield on stage.

Some students who were hoping to make the commencement march in May are grateful that they finally get to put on a cap and grown and have their accomplishments recognized.

“My Mom was more upset than I was (regarding the May postponement)," said Abigail Bott , pictured above, who has earned an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education. “It’s a pretty big deal because PSC has been important to me. I learned how childhood education works and how to be professional. I learned team-building skills and had a lot of opportunities.”

Bott is now PSC’s assistant coordinator of Student Engagement and Leadership. She was also a PSC Ambassador and is graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors. 

So who are the six guests that she’ll invite to the ceremony.

“My Mom, for sure, and my fiancé," she said. “The rest will have to fight to the death to see who goes.” 

-- Troy Moon
Recipients of goodwill can Pay It Forward with new PSC fundraiser
Maybe it was a scholarship. Maybe it was the guidance and support of a great instructor. But if someone helped you when you were a student at Pensacola State College or Pensacola Junior College – or any other college - you can help repay that debt.

The Pensacola State College Foundation has launched a new campaign ─ #PiratesPayItForward ─ that will benefit current students who are facing extraordinary challenges in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So many of our alumni have received support at Pensacola State College and we’re hoping that some of them would like to pay it forward now," said Andrea Krieger, PSC Executive Director of Institutional Development. “It’s a tough time to be a student now. It’s much different from what most experienced in their college careers."

Donations will go the Pensacola State College “Fund for Excellence,’’ an unrestricted account that meets a diversity of needs at PSC, including student scholarships. 

The #PiratesPayItForward campaign will begin in late July with a pre-campaign email to alumni who received financial support and or scholarships during their time at the College. Additional emails will follow to keep the campaign relevant in people’s busy lives. 

You can find the #PiratesPayItForward hashtag campaign on all Pensacola State College social media. Donations can also be made at https://foundation.pensacolastate.edu/the-fund-for-excellence/. 

-- Troy Moon
Let’s swim! Pensacola State College pool is open again!
Come on in! The water feels great!

The Pensacola State College swimming pool is back open after closing during the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, with COVID-19 still lingering, precautions will be taken to ensure safety:

  • Classes and recreational swim times are limited. Sessions will be limited to 30 minutes for recreational swimmers and 45 minutes for classes.
  • Temperatures will be taken for all staff and swimmers prior to entering the facility. Anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees will not be permitted in the aquatic’s facility. 
  • Social distancing will be required. Swimmers must stay 6 feet apart at all times.
  • Swimmers will be required to wear face covers when not in the pool. 
  • All surface areas, chairs, doorknobs and door handles will be cleaned after each 30-minute session.
  • Doors will remain open at all times.
  • Bleachers will be off-limits. Chairs around the pool must be at least 6 feet apart. 
  • Towels, shoes and other personal items cannot be shared.
  • Swimmers are asked to bring their own water bottles.
  • Swimmers are asked not to arrive early. Swimmers are to enter through the rear door and exit through the front door. 

“I’m excited to be back,’’ said PSC Aquatics Coordinator Kay Miller . “Everyone’s excited. We always have lots of swimmers, especially in the morning. So I know the community will be happy.”

Pensacola State College Swimming Pool hours:

  • Aerobic Swim: 5:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. (45-minute sessions)
  • Aqua Dynamics: 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 7 a.m., 9 a.m. and 6:35 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. (45-minute sessions) 
  • Recreational Swim: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional recreational swim times on Tuesdays and Thursday from 6:30-10 p.m. and from 7:30-10 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. (Recreational swimmers are limited to 30 minutes in pool.) Recreational swimmers are asked to reserve time. For details, call 850-484-1311 or 850-484-1797. 

-- Troy Moon