By Gary Nager
Wow, assistant editor & Neighborhood News photographer Matt Wiley and I were overwhelmed by our recent tour of what is still today called Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC)âs Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. However, as explained to us by high-energy Provost Stanley Giannet, Ph.D., the brand-spankinâ-new campus located off S.R. 56 at Mansfield Blvd. will soon officially have a new name â as will all five PHCC campuses.Continue reading
By Matt Wiley
If you were to search âHarrisâ or even âTaylor Emeryâ in the iTunes Store on a computer, numerous results for both song names and artists would appear. However, one result would be a song actually named âHarris,â written and produced right here in New Tampa, to honor Freedom High graduate Jordan Harris, who passed away after a long battle with brain cancer in October at the age of 18.Continue reading
By Matt Wiley
It looks as if New Tampaâs high schools have once again received good report cards from the Florida Department of Education (DOE).Continue reading
By Gary Nager
Even though, at our press time, the new Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC)âPorter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch (located on Mansfield Blvd. at S.R. 56), still looked like more of a construction site than a college campus, PHCCâPorter Campus Provost Stanley M. Giannet, Ph.D., said that school officials were expecting to receive the Certificate of Occupancy for the newest of Floridaâs 29 two-year college campuses on Dec. 10, with the building actually opening on Jan. 2 and classes for the Spring 2014 semester set to begin on Mon., Jan. 13.Continue reading
By Gary Nager
Even though, at our press time, the new Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC)âPorter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch (located on Mansfield Blvd. at S.R. 56), still looked like more of a construction site than a college campus, PHCCâPorter Campus Provost Stanley M. Giannet, Ph.D., said that school officials were expecting to receive the Certificate of Occupancy for the newest of Floridaâs 29 two-year college campuses on Dec. 10, with the building actually opening on Jan. 2 and classes for the Spring 2014 semester set to begin on Mon., Jan. 13.
Dr. Giannet gave a complete update on PHCCââ which actually will be renamed Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) when the five-campus community college receives its expected final accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges later this month (which will transform the current four-campus PHCC into a fully-accredited, four-year state college the day it opens) â at the Dec. 4 meeting of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, which meets Wednesdays at noon at Ciao! Italian Bistro in the Shops at Wiregrass mall.
The high-energy Provost of the (for now) PHCCâPorter Campus explained that the new campus is playing an integral role in PHCCâs transition to a four-year state college because it will be the home of the new PHSCâs first two Bachelorâs degree programs â a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Management &âSupervision. And, although the many of the two-year Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree programs to be offered at PHSCâs Porter Campus will be in allied health fields, including pharmacy tech and surgical technologist programs.
âTwo full floors of the Porter Campus will be devoted to nursing and allied health courses and degrees,ââsaid Dr. Giannet. âAnd, we already have an affiliation in place with Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) and are still finalizing opportunities for our students at the new North Tampa Behavioral Health (NTBH) facility, both just a couple of miles from the school. This campus is really going to be fully tied in with this community.â
In fact, the Provost also was hopeful that the other two-year degree programs at PHSCâs Porter Campus, which will include paralegal, financial services, heavy workforce business programs and information technology, will help PHSCâgrads get jobs at the planned Raymond James Financial office nearby on S.R. 56 and the other large companies that may soon be coming to the area.
And, Dr. Giannet told the Rotarians, at seven stories tall, the beautiful main building at the 60-acre Porter Campus will be the tallest building in Pasco County when it opens, but âthe real story is everything that will be going on inside the buildings…and the people who will be staffing them.â
The Provost called those who already have filled the first 47 of 50 available positions at the Porter Campus, âa superstar team of faculty, professionals and staff,ââand thanked FHWCâCEO Brian Adams for the hospitalâs hosting of a three-evening information session about the school, attended by, âabout 180 people.â
And, speaking of people, although Dr. Giannet said the total 2014 enrollment at PHSC is expected to be about 2,500, âwe may have to up that estimate because weâve only been accepting registrations for three weeks (at press time) and already have 1,050 students registered for the spring semester. Weâre all very excited about opening.â
For more info about PHCCâs Porter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd.), call 527-6615 or visit PHCC.edu.