St. Petersburg College
Encyclopedia
St. Petersburg College is a fully accredited post-secondary
educational institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida
, serving some 65,000 students annually. The institution currently manages nine separate campuses located throughout Pinellas County; four campuses within the city of St. Petersburg, and five additional campuses located in Seminole
, Pinellas Park, Largo
, Clearwater
, and Tarpon Springs.
The college was founded in 1927 as a private community college
and was Florida's first two-year institution of higher learning. Today it is a public institution. It still provides community college programs to students, but in 2001 the college also expanded its curriculum to provide students (beginning in 2002) with four-year bachelor degree programs in select areas such as education
, nursing
, technology management
, dental hygiene
, international business
, Orthotics and Prosthetics, paralegal studies, public safety administration, and veterinary technology.
St. Petersburg College has no resident-students. This is mostly because no single campus is large enough to warrant a need for student on-campus housing. Many of the SPC campuses do not offer a large curriculum of available courses, but instead specialize in one or two specific fields. For example, the Caruth Health Education Center in Pinellas Park specializes in courses centering around health care
, while the Seminole campus is a highly technology-oriented campus. The Seminole campus also serves to house SPC's University Partnership Center, a campus that offers select degree programs from 16 fully accredited institutions, including Barry University
, Case Western Reserve University
's Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Cleveland State University
, Eckerd College
, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
, Florida Gulf Coast University
, Florida Institute of Technology
, Florida International University
, Florida State University
, Indiana University
, Saint Leo University
, University of Central Florida
, University of Florida
, and University of South Florida
. In total, SPC's University Partnership program offers 60 bachelor's degrees and 39 graduate degrees.
as a way for local students to receive a postsecondary education without having to relocate or pay high tuition. On opening day, the college consisted of 102 students and 14 faculty members, operating from an unused wing of St. Petersburg High School
. After one semester, SPC moved its operations to a former high school facility overlooking Mirror Lake, where it remained until January 1942. At this point, the facility was moved into a single building on the corner of 5th Ave. N. and 66th St. N.—a building still in active use today as the James E. Hendry Administration Building, part of the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus.
Beginning in 1953, Clearwater High School began providing several higher-education classes in the evenings. After a 1959 study clearly illustrated the demand for a higher-education facility in northern Pinellas county, SPC began planning the development of a second campus located in Clearwater, Florida
. In 1962, the college acquired 72.8 acres (294,611.4 m²) of land in the vicinity of Drew Street and County Road 32 (Old Coachman Road), land which previously contained an orange grove and a waste disposal site. Construction began on February 25, 1964, ground was broken on the new site, and construction began. In May of the following year, students attending the evening classes at Clearwater High School were transferred to the new campus, which then consisted of only five buildings. The new campus was officially dedicated on November 21, 1965.
Since 2003, the Honors College has offered intellectual students with the opportunity to expand their minds in their own learning community focusing on group discussion, an array of honors courses, honors programs, interdisciplinary honors courses, seminars, independent study, graduation recognition events, and many other challenging activities.
, the current U.S. representative from Florida's 9th District
; Henry Lyons
, the former president of the National Baptist Convention
; Jim King
, the former president of the Florida Senate
; Frank Wren
, the current general manager of the Atlanta Braves
; Carl M. Kuttler, Jr.
, the former president of St. Petersburg College; and Nicole P. Stott
, NASA astronaut
.
Jim Morrison
of the Doors attended SPC shortly.
Both the Student Services building on the St Petersburg/Gibbs Campus and the Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education Building on the Clearwater Campus were both recently awarded LEED Gold Certification. The two buildings mark the first LEED Gold higher education buildings in Pinellas County.
The College of Technology and Management (CTM) developed the Sustainability Management BAS degree. The program focuses on sustainable business strategies, energy and resource management, legal aspects of sustainability, and sustainability in built and natural environments. Among other major courses, areas of study include Legal Aspects of Sustainability, Environmental Communication, Sustainable Enterprise Planning, Sustainable Business Strategies, Energy and Environmental Techniques, Sustainability in the Natural Environment and Sustainability in the Build Environment.
The Seminole Campus based Environmental Science Technology AS includes three sub-plans: Water Resource management, Environmental Resources/Energy Management and Sustainability and includes newly developed courses in Renewable Energy Resources, Solar Energy, Environmental Regulations, Environmental Compliance, Hydrology, Urban Resources Pollutants and Hazardous Waste/Materials Management.
In addition, St. Petersburg College’s Corporate Training department has partnerships with Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the US Green Building Council to offer online LEED examination training courses and with Solar Source Institute to provide online and face to face solar energy generation, installation and inspection training. SPC/CT offers nearly 50 other sustainability focused certification and continuing education programs.
In 2010, St Petersburg College was named Outstanding Business of the Year by Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the US Green Building Council.
Clearwater: Badeya (Black Student Union), Chess Club, College Democrats, Computer Club, Club Green, Emerging Green Builders, Ethics Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, High Achievers, International Club U.N.I.T (United Nations Integrating Together) and Latinos Unidos, Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship, Math & Science Club, Phi Theta Kappa- Tau Zeta Chapter, Positive Directions Association, Silent Titans, Student Ambassadors, Student Government Associations, The World Percussion Club, and Wheels in the Wind.
Downtown: Anime Club, Band/Jazz Ensemble, Brother to Brother, Campus Crusade for Christ, Campus Green Party, Chorus & Madrigalians, Circle K, College Democrats, Collegiate Music Educators, CoMotion Dance Theatre, Ethics in Action, Forensics, Friends of Internationals, Harmabee (Black Student Union), High Achievers Club (Affiliated with the Student Support Services Program), International Club, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Intramural Sports, Phi Theta Kappa- Eta Nu Chapter, Student Government Association, SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), and Student Republican Association.
St. Petersburg/Gibbs: Academic Team/Brain Bowl, Band/Jazz Ensemble, Brother to Brother, Campus Crusade for Christ, Chorus & Madrigalians, Circle K, Colleges Against Cancer, Collegiate Music Educators, CoMotion Dance Theatre, Ethics in Action, Friends of Florida Environmental Club, Harmabee (Black Student Union), High Achievers Club (Affiliated with the Student Support Services Program), International Club, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Intramural Sports, Latinos United, Medical Club, Peer Academic Advisory Club, Phi Theta Kappa- Eta Nu Chapter, Space Physiology and Medicine, Student Government Association, and Student Republican Association.
Seminole: Digital Media Club, Environmental Science Club, Student Government Association, Phi Theta Kappa, Videogame Lab, Seminole Campus for Christ, and Hospitality Club.
Tarpon Springs: Art Club, Billiards Club, Chess Club, Coffee House, Cultural club, COE Kappa Delta Pi Drama Club, Fitness Club, Christian Club, Phi Theta Kappa- Alpha Zeta Tau, Photography Club, St. Petersburg College Students Counsel for Exceptional Students, Student Ambassadors Program, Student Government Association, Sustainability Club and View from The Hill Campus Newsletter.
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
educational institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, serving some 65,000 students annually. The institution currently manages nine separate campuses located throughout Pinellas County; four campuses within the city of St. Petersburg, and five additional campuses located in Seminole
Seminole, Florida
Seminole is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,890 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,195. St. Petersburg College has a campus in the city.-Geography:...
, Pinellas Park, Largo
Largo, Florida
Largo is the third largest city in Pinellas County, Florida, USA and is part of the Tampa Bay Area. Centrally located, it is the crossroads of the county. As of the 2000 census, the City had a total population of 69,371. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was...
, Clearwater
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, and Tarpon Springs.
The college was founded in 1927 as a private community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
and was Florida's first two-year institution of higher learning. Today it is a public institution. It still provides community college programs to students, but in 2001 the college also expanded its curriculum to provide students (beginning in 2002) with four-year bachelor degree programs in select areas such as education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, technology management
Technology Management
Technology Management is set of management disciplines that allows organizations to manage its technological fundamentals to create competitive advantage...
, dental hygiene
Oral hygiene
Teeth cleaning is part of oral hygiene and involves the removal of dental plaque from teeth with the intention of preventing cavities , gingivitis, and periodontal disease. People routinely clean their own teeth by brushing and interdental cleaning, and dental hygienists can remove hardened...
, international business
International Business
International business is a term used to collectively describe all commercial transactions that take place between two or more regions, countries and nations beyond their political boundary...
, Orthotics and Prosthetics, paralegal studies, public safety administration, and veterinary technology.
St. Petersburg College has no resident-students. This is mostly because no single campus is large enough to warrant a need for student on-campus housing. Many of the SPC campuses do not offer a large curriculum of available courses, but instead specialize in one or two specific fields. For example, the Caruth Health Education Center in Pinellas Park specializes in courses centering around health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, while the Seminole campus is a highly technology-oriented campus. The Seminole campus also serves to house SPC's University Partnership Center, a campus that offers select degree programs from 16 fully accredited institutions, including Barry University
Barry University
Barry University is a private, Catholic university, which was founded in 1940 in Miami Shores, Florida, a suburb north of Downtown Miami. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami....
, Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
's Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
, Eckerd College
Eckerd College
Eckerd College is a private 4-year coeducational liberal arts college at the southernmost tip of St. Petersburg, Florida, in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.- Campus :...
, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private university in the US specializing in aviation and aerospace engineering. It teaches the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace. Called "The Harvard of the Sky" by Time Magazine in 1979, Embry-Riddle has a history dating back to...
, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University...
, Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is an independent private technical research university located in Melbourne, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the institute has been known by its present name since 1966. Florida Tech's curriculum...
, Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University is a private, non-profit, Roman Catholic liberal arts university established in 1889 and located in Saint Leo, Florida, 35 miles north of Tampa. The University is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine monastery...
, University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
, University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
. In total, SPC's University Partnership program offers 60 bachelor's degrees and 39 graduate degrees.
History
St. Petersburg College was founded in 1927 by Captain George M. Lynch, Pinellas County's city superintendent of schools for the city of St. Petersburg, as a private, non-profit institution. It was created in part because of the economic downturn preceding the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
as a way for local students to receive a postsecondary education without having to relocate or pay high tuition. On opening day, the college consisted of 102 students and 14 faculty members, operating from an unused wing of St. Petersburg High School
St. Petersburg High School
St. Petersburg High School, founded in 1898, is a secondary school located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school's current building, a historic landmark, was built in 1926 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The school was billed as the nation's first million dollar...
. After one semester, SPC moved its operations to a former high school facility overlooking Mirror Lake, where it remained until January 1942. At this point, the facility was moved into a single building on the corner of 5th Ave. N. and 66th St. N.—a building still in active use today as the James E. Hendry Administration Building, part of the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus.
Beginning in 1953, Clearwater High School began providing several higher-education classes in the evenings. After a 1959 study clearly illustrated the demand for a higher-education facility in northern Pinellas county, SPC began planning the development of a second campus located in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. In 1962, the college acquired 72.8 acres (294,611.4 m²) of land in the vicinity of Drew Street and County Road 32 (Old Coachman Road), land which previously contained an orange grove and a waste disposal site. Construction began on February 25, 1964, ground was broken on the new site, and construction began. In May of the following year, students attending the evening classes at Clearwater High School were transferred to the new campus, which then consisted of only five buildings. The new campus was officially dedicated on November 21, 1965.
Academics
The mission of the Honors College is to provide an exemplary education and build an intellectual community that encourages creativity, intellectual understanding, leadership qualities and critical thinking skills for our most talented and motivated students.Since 2003, the Honors College has offered intellectual students with the opportunity to expand their minds in their own learning community focusing on group discussion, an array of honors courses, honors programs, interdisciplinary honors courses, seminars, independent study, graduation recognition events, and many other challenging activities.
Demographics
As of 2007, of the 65,000 students enrolled in the institution, 36,133 were enrolled in degree seeking programs; while 25,797 were non-degree seeking students. 16,051 of those students were female and 9,417 were male. The average ages of student enrollment proved to be in the range 20-24, which provided education to over 7,698 students.Rankings
For four years in a row, St. Petersburg College was designated Florida’s leader in distance learning among the state's 28 other community colleges. It ranked first in the number of courses offered (2,309) and the number of students (16,656). SPC has once again placed near the top of Community College Week’s Top 100 Associate’s Degree Producers List. In the primary category, All Disciplines, SPC was ranked 10th.Notable alumni and attendees
Notable aulumni include Gus BilirakisGus Bilirakis
Gus Michael Bilirakis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives.- Early life, education and career :...
, the current U.S. representative from Florida's 9th District
Florida's 9th congressional district
Florida's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida that encompasses most of rural eastern Hillsborough County, northern parts of Pinellas County and the Gulf coast of Pasco County .The district is currently represented by Republican Gus Bilirakis.-List of...
; Henry Lyons
Henry Lyons
Reverend Henry J. Lyons is a former President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc..-Early life:Henry was raised by his grandfather, a Deacon named Booker T. Lyons. His own father, who was only 16 when Henry was born, played a minimal role in his childhood. He attended Gibbs Junior College...
, the former president of the National Baptist Convention
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. is the largest predominantly African-American Christian denomination in the United States and is the world's second largest Baptist denomination...
; Jim King
James E. King
James E. "Jim" King was an American businessman and politician. A Republican, he was a member of Florida House of Representatives from 1986 through 1999, and subsequently represented the 8th District of the Florida Senate from 1999 until his death...
, the former president of the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
; Frank Wren
Frank Wren
Franklin E. Wren is an American front office executive in Major League Baseball. Since the end of the baseball season, he has been the general manager of the Atlanta Braves....
, the current general manager of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
; Carl M. Kuttler, Jr.
Carl M. Kuttler, Jr.
Carl Martin Kuttler, Jr. is the former president of St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Florida, which he headed from 1978 to 2009.-Early life and education:...
, the former president of St. Petersburg College; and Nicole P. Stott
Nicole P. Stott
Nicole Marie Passonno Stott is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. She served as a Flight Engineer on ISS Expedition 20 and Expedition 21 and was a Mission Specialist on STS-128. In 2011, She flew a second time as a Mission Specialist on STS-133....
, NASA astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
.
Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
of the Doors attended SPC shortly.
Sustainability
The mission of the St. Petersburg College Office for Sustainability is to incorporate sustainable values and practices into the global culture of St. Petersburg College and that of its stakeholders. By working with students, faculty, administration and staff, we strive to be a model of environmental stewardship in the community by integrating social and environmental responsibility into college wide strategic forecasting; curriculum and educational programs; facilities planning and design; natural resource consumption; student activities; and community outreach.Both the Student Services building on the St Petersburg/Gibbs Campus and the Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education Building on the Clearwater Campus were both recently awarded LEED Gold Certification. The two buildings mark the first LEED Gold higher education buildings in Pinellas County.
The College of Technology and Management (CTM) developed the Sustainability Management BAS degree. The program focuses on sustainable business strategies, energy and resource management, legal aspects of sustainability, and sustainability in built and natural environments. Among other major courses, areas of study include Legal Aspects of Sustainability, Environmental Communication, Sustainable Enterprise Planning, Sustainable Business Strategies, Energy and Environmental Techniques, Sustainability in the Natural Environment and Sustainability in the Build Environment.
The Seminole Campus based Environmental Science Technology AS includes three sub-plans: Water Resource management, Environmental Resources/Energy Management and Sustainability and includes newly developed courses in Renewable Energy Resources, Solar Energy, Environmental Regulations, Environmental Compliance, Hydrology, Urban Resources Pollutants and Hazardous Waste/Materials Management.
In addition, St. Petersburg College’s Corporate Training department has partnerships with Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the US Green Building Council to offer online LEED examination training courses and with Solar Source Institute to provide online and face to face solar energy generation, installation and inspection training. SPC/CT offers nearly 50 other sustainability focused certification and continuing education programs.
In 2010, St Petersburg College was named Outstanding Business of the Year by Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the US Green Building Council.
Clubs and activities
Caruth Health Education Center: Human Services Organization, Physical Therapist Assistant Club, Radiography Club, Student American Dental Hygienists Association, Student Caruth Health Information, Management Association, Student Nurses Association, and Veterinary Technician Society.Clearwater: Badeya (Black Student Union), Chess Club, College Democrats, Computer Club, Club Green, Emerging Green Builders, Ethics Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, High Achievers, International Club U.N.I.T (United Nations Integrating Together) and Latinos Unidos, Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship, Math & Science Club, Phi Theta Kappa- Tau Zeta Chapter, Positive Directions Association, Silent Titans, Student Ambassadors, Student Government Associations, The World Percussion Club, and Wheels in the Wind.
Downtown: Anime Club, Band/Jazz Ensemble, Brother to Brother, Campus Crusade for Christ, Campus Green Party, Chorus & Madrigalians, Circle K, College Democrats, Collegiate Music Educators, CoMotion Dance Theatre, Ethics in Action, Forensics, Friends of Internationals, Harmabee (Black Student Union), High Achievers Club (Affiliated with the Student Support Services Program), International Club, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Intramural Sports, Phi Theta Kappa- Eta Nu Chapter, Student Government Association, SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), and Student Republican Association.
St. Petersburg/Gibbs: Academic Team/Brain Bowl, Band/Jazz Ensemble, Brother to Brother, Campus Crusade for Christ, Chorus & Madrigalians, Circle K, Colleges Against Cancer, Collegiate Music Educators, CoMotion Dance Theatre, Ethics in Action, Friends of Florida Environmental Club, Harmabee (Black Student Union), High Achievers Club (Affiliated with the Student Support Services Program), International Club, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Intramural Sports, Latinos United, Medical Club, Peer Academic Advisory Club, Phi Theta Kappa- Eta Nu Chapter, Space Physiology and Medicine, Student Government Association, and Student Republican Association.
Seminole: Digital Media Club, Environmental Science Club, Student Government Association, Phi Theta Kappa, Videogame Lab, Seminole Campus for Christ, and Hospitality Club.
Tarpon Springs: Art Club, Billiards Club, Chess Club, Coffee House, Cultural club, COE Kappa Delta Pi Drama Club, Fitness Club, Christian Club, Phi Theta Kappa- Alpha Zeta Tau, Photography Club, St. Petersburg College Students Counsel for Exceptional Students, Student Ambassadors Program, Student Government Association, Sustainability Club and View from The Hill Campus Newsletter.
External links
- St. Petersburg College Official Web site
- SPC Office for Sustainability Official Web site
- SPC Corporate Training Department Official Web site