There are still plenty of emergency and recovery personnel on Pensacola State College campuses following Hurricane Sally’s destruction. You’ll still see cleanup crews, tree service crews and others on campus this week.

But in the immediate days after the storm, the PSC Pensacola campus was a staging area for the State of Florida’s emergency central fueling station.

Gulf Power Co. also used the campus to house out-of-town workers from Florida Power and Light who came to Northwest Florida from across the South to restore electricity to the region.

Large tents were set up on the lawn in front of Building 10 (Business) where several hundred Florida Power and Light linemen rested, spent their evenings and slept during work breaks.

“The whole west side of the Pensacola campus was a tent city,” said Pensacola State College President Ed Meadows. “We had over 100 bucket trucks on campus.”

Michael Johnston, PSC executive director of Institutional Research, visited the tents and talked to some of the workers.

“I never thought I would see a tent city in the United States, but I am grateful our campus could open up for the community and those workers in need,” Johnston said. “The aftermath of Hurricane Sally is sobering. I have met dozens of people who have traveled from all over the United States to help. I am beyond grateful.”

The crews arrived at PSC on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18 – the storm hit in the early morning hours of Sept. 16. Crews left the area on Sept. 23.

“We were glad we could do it,” Meadows said. “What a wonderful public service we were able to provide to a damaged Northwest Florida.”

Superheroes don’t always wear capes – sometimes they wear Pensacola State College T-shirts and athletic gear.

Recently, more than 50 Pensacola State student-athletes and coaches came to the rescue of local families whose homes and properties were devastated by Hurricane Sally. The category 2 hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle and coastal Alabama on Sept. 16 bringing wind, rain and storm surge.

Since Sept. 18, members of Pensacola State Athletics have helped at least 25 residents clear debris, remove fallen and cut tree limbs and waterlogged furnishings and other items from their homes and property, said Pensacola State baseball coach Bryan Lewallyn, who spearheaded the effort.

"I'm proud of all the student-athletes who have worked tirelessly going from one house to another, working in the rain, helping people who they will never see again,” said Lewallyn, who initially put out a Facebook call to residents letting them know PSC student-athletes were available to help with cleanup.

“We recognized there was a need in our community,” he said. “And as an institution, our target is the community and not something we want to only serve from an education standpoint, but whenever there is a need."

U.S. News and World Report has ranked Pensacola State College among the nation’s best postsecondary institutions in its 2021 annual report.

Work should begin within the next few months on a new Pensacola State College truck driving training facility in Santa Rosa County. 

On Sept. 18, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $1.6 million grant to PSC to help construct the facility at the Industrial Park in Santa Rosa County north of Interstate 10. 

Currently, Pensacola State’s truck driving program operates near Blue Angel Recreation Park west of the College’s Warrington campus. PSC President Ed Meadows said the new training facility should be open in late spring or early summer 2021. 

“This is a real shot in the arm and will help us jumpstart the construction phase for a driving range and facilities,’’ Meadows said. “This will ensure that it will be a state-of-the-art facility and give us the capability to do our own testing.”

Shannon Crawford, Pensacola State College’s Career Service Employee of the Year, is this month’s spotlight employee of the PSC chapter of the Association of Florida Colleges.

She has worked closely with the AFC Chapter Executive Committee, serving on many fundraising and community service project committees. Her willingness to donate her time and energy to these projects and causes has helped ensure their success. Most recently she co-chaired the AFC Food Drive for the student food banks located on all PSC campuses. She served as a drop off location for donations, contributed by bringing in her own donations and assisted with delivering the food items to Student Activities for distribution.

Obi Kalu, current Chapter President said, “Being located on Warrington campus, it can be difficult to coordinate college-wide activities. Without volunteers like Shannon, AFC wouldn’t be able to accomplish half of what we do each year. Shannon always has supported our chapter activities. It’s really nice to know there are people, like Shannon who are willing and able to help out when we need volunteers.”

Please choose to be a hero for a student struggling to stay in school. You can help them secure a better future to break a cycle of poverty that may have plagued their family for generations. Please help provide a scholarship that changes the life of a first-generation student. Whether you give $100, $250, or another amount, your gift will TRIPLE through matching funds and will make a profound difference for Pensacola State College first generation students. Donate today: https://foundation.pensacolastate.edu/first-generation/

Wear your masks, keep them on, maintain social distancing (6 feet apart), don’t congregate in groups, wash your hands frequently, and please stay home if you are sick. Special thanks to our student athletes for helping with this important message. L-R: Vernisha Robin, Amaya Bazemore, Dexter McKenzie, Jorja Barrett and Bryan Scribner.