A man dressed in blue scrubs kneels over a mannequin and prepares to practice medical techniques while a group of students and an instructor watches him. Training health care workers is one of the many ways SPC investing in our students and the community.

Editorial: Investing in Our Community to Ensure Our Students’ Futures

In a recent editorial published in the Tampa Bay Times, SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams highlighted how St. Petersburg College — and community colleges in general — are working to move quickly to adapt to industry changes so students can keep up with the demands of the 21st-century workforce.

April is Community College Month, which celebrates all that educational institutions like SPC do for their communities.

SPC offers short-term training programs that quickly get students into careers and associate and bachelor’s degrees aligned with business needs. The college’s new SPC Promise Scholarship will cover tuition and fees at SPC. This is for an associate degree or financial aid-eligible certificate for 2023 high school graduates of five local high schools. High schools include Lakewood, Tarpon Springs, Pinellas Park, Clearwater, and Northeast.

“As our community’s college for almost a century, we will persist in our efforts to increase access to education and tailor our programs to industry needs. We will remain focused on career readiness and job placement. And we will continue to invest in our community to ensure our students are positioned to flourish in a new age,” Williams said in the editorial.

Read the full editorial online.