The digital magazine for faculty, staff, students and friends of Pensacola State College
September 2019
You don't need to be the Tiger Woods of disc golf to enjoy a day of fun at the Trilogy Challenge disc golf tournament Sept. 28 at the PSC Milton Pirates Cove course. The tourney is designed for all ages, all skill levels, and the entry fee gets you a bounty of great equipment and other goodies. Troy Moon has all the details about the event and the game, sending you on your way to your new outdoor obsession.
Presenting 'The Pirate,' a new approach to Pensacola State news
A new semester (well, somewhat new) means new courses, new challenges and new faces on the campus of Pensacola State College.

One new face you’ll be seeing a lot of in the months ahead is that of this digital newsletter, formerly known as “Pirate Briefs.”

In the current digital age, when various platforms and devices battle for the eyes and attention of busy readers, we wanted to do more for the faculty, staff, students and friends of PSC than simply present lists of links and calendar items. This digital magazine is a new way for PSC citizens to learn about themselves and the school they attend.

In “The Pirate” you’ll see more interviews, articles and in-depth coverage than ever before. You’ll meet more of the people who form the lifeblood of PSC. And you’ll learn more than you ever have before about the campuses of PSC.

Your input always is welcome. Send comments, questions or suggestions to snichols@pensacolastate.edu.
Not to be all click-baity, but we're not going to spoil the good news revealed in the latest U.S. News & World Report college rankings. The numbers are something of which the College can be very proud.

“I had never heard of Pensacola, couldn’t pick it out on a map but I found a home and a start here,” former NBA star Joel Anthony told the assembled Pirate fans at the 2019 Pirate Experience in Hartsell Arena. “I’ve had a successful career and opportunity to provide for my family ─ all thanks to Pensacola State College.” Anthony joined fellow PSC Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Division 1 coach Bob Marlin, at the event. Marlin told the assembled student-athletes, “You have all of the support you need right here in the faculty and staff at Pensacola State College to thrive and succeed in life,” he said. If you couldn't make it to the Experience, see what you missed through highlights and photos.

Benefactors: Big hearts, big checks
From working for 25-cent tips at a local Jitney Jungle, Sandy Sansing , the gentleman in the yellow shirt above, eventually built a Northwest Florida business empire. He hopes that by sharing his origin story with selected PSC students, he will help guide them on similar successful paths. Oh, and, by the way, he's providing scholarships for them too. Learn what drives Sansing to provide such assistance.

“ Dona and Milton Usry have been longtime friends and supporters of Pensacola State College,” says Pensacola State President Ed Meadows. He's not kidding: The couple recently donated $100,000 to PSC, earmarked for accounting scholarships .

Veterans National Homecare has a generous gift for first-generation-in-college students, pledging a total of $15,000 to the First Generation Matching Scholarship program.  Learn more about how this donation helps the College .

Troy Moon has words for Pensacola State
Marketing Department welcomes former News Journal feature writer
Readers of The Pirate who also have read the Pensacola News Journal within, oh, say, forever will be familiar with the byline “ Troy Moon.”

For three decades at the Pensacola newspaper, that byline appeared thousands of times, atop articles on subjects ranging from natural disasters and tragedies to concerts and Congress.

Moon retired from the newspaper in January, but he hasn’t ended his search for new and interesting stories. Last month he joined the PSC Marketing Department as writer and videographer, and already has produced articles on scholars, scientists and sports stars.

“I was always a big fan of Troy Moon when he was a writer for the News Journal and I have to pinch myself to realize he is now in our department,” says Marketing Director Sheila Nichols. “He has a way of drawing you into the story and making you want to read more. He is a welcome asset to the Marketing Department and College and we are thrilled he has chosen to work with us.”

Asked to reflect on his storied career at the PNJ, the Pensacola native says, “Wow, I remember having a private lunch with Dick Clark when he was in Mobile for some pageant. That was cool. I loved covering the first Lollapalooza tour in New Orleans, where I did some crowd surfing and fainting. I spent a week in D.C. for the 2001 inauguration of President George W. Bush, which was fun. Got to cover MTV’s Spring Break in Panama City back in the 1990s, where I got to hang out with Gilbert Gottfried and talk to Jenny McCarthy while she had a piece of green spinach dip stuck between her teeth.”

Moon joins two other News Journal veterans in the Marketing Department, Marketing and Information Coordinator Mary Mabins and Newsletter Producer/Editor Mike Suchcicki.

Moon says a marketing department was the last place he thought he’d wind up, post-PNJ.

“As a journalist, I was always wary of public relations folks, especially from the corporate world. Are you selling that product because you’re being paid to or because you believe in it? I could never try to sell something I didn’t believe in. But Pensacola State College is a center of education. I attended PSC. I think the school has provided so many opportunities for so many of our local family members and neighbors, so I’m honored to be promoting PSC and the opportunities offered here. I can sell something – education – and still feel good about myself.” 
“Watching the unveiling of the Delta Kappa Alpha permanent display cabinet was a deeply moving experience. It affirmed my belief that what we do in our lives really matters," said a DKA founding member. Learn about the event , and the monument, that paid tribute to an important chapter in PSC history.

Meet Julie Burger , who is not only the Florida Pharmacy Association's Pharmacy Tech of the Year (and PSC's pharmacy tech program director), but is also the coach of the newly formed PSC cross country women's team. Learn how she keeps everything running.

Trying to figure out the best and most efficient ways to raise funds for your non-profit? Then you'll want to attend the "Fired Up Fundraising" workshop on Sept. 26. You'll also want to read this profile of workshop leader Gail Perry , who literally wrote the book on, that's right, "Fired Up Fundraising."

This is Robert Seay . He is the central services supervisor in the PSC Receiving Department and a gentleman you want to get to know if you want to get things done. For that reason, and more you can read about, he's the AFC chapter Member Spotlight for September.

Here's the deal, literally: From 6 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, PSC students, alumni and staff can head to JCPenney for the first "Suit-Up" event, during which the store will offer a 30-percent discount on all apparel, shoes and accessories. I know, right? Surely you want to know more.

PSC is working on Workday , a planning system that will have a profound impact on just about everyone on the PSC campuses and centers. As we countdown, learn all about Workday and what it means to you.

Pensacola State College graduate Alessandro Bailett i recently returned to the College to speak to students about his path from Peru to life as a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, working in genetics, genomics and cell signaling. It's an inspirational profile you won't want to pass up.

The new PSC mobile app , available now for iPhones and soon for Android, will help you find the right course for your future, and will even help you find your way to class. Read more about how the app can help you and where to find it.

Looking for PSC gear and garb? Now you can procure your merch from the safety and comfort of your own home, thanks to the new PSC Online Store. Here's how to find it.

Keep up to date on PSC events with our online Calendar page
There's never an idle moment at Pensacola State College, whether you're into art, athletics, drama, music, science, technology, engineering, dance, movies, books or just plain socializing. Make plans to make plans with our online Calendar .

There's more PSC news online! Find it here!