Saying ‘Good Bye’ (Sort Of) To Former PHSC Provost Dr. Stanley Giannet

By Gary Nager

Although we chatted several times since we first met a little less than two years ago, the picture on this page of Dr. Stanley Giannet, Ph.D., the now-former Provost of the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch of Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC), is how I remember him best — with a microphone in his hand, captivating anyone from his 3,000 or so students at the Porter Campus to emceeing the 2014 Wesley Chapel Rotary Spelling Bee, as he actually was in the photo.

Thankfully, “Dr. Stan” (as I like to call him) isn’t gone forever or really gone at all — he simply got another job with PHSC. In January, Dr. Giannet assumed the role of Vice President of Academic Affairs & Faculty Development/College Provost for all of PHSC.

In that new, “global” role, he says, “I am now overseeing curriculum and every element relevant to the academic programs at PHSC. “All of our campus provosts now report to and interface with me.”

The good-bye part has to do with the fact Dr. Stan is now based at PHSC’s West Campus in New Port Richey.

“But, I’ll have districtwide responsibilities, so I’m still involved in the academic programs and running all of the activities for all five PHSC campuses.”

Even so, he admits, “The Porter Campus and the Wesley Chapel community are very dear and important to me. We’ve done phenomenal things together and I’m proud to say that I know Dr. (Bonnie) Clark (see previous page) — whom I’ve worked with before (at PHSC’s North Campus in Brooksville) — will make sure that the Porter Campus continues to thrive.”

He notes that Dr. Clark’s ascension to VP of Distance Education for all PHSC online programs now gives the school, “A true online division. I really look forward to working with her in her new role. It’s a wonderful opportunity for all of PHSC to grow.”

Although it’s hard to not give Dr. Giannet a lot of the credit for the success of the Porter Campus, the former Honorary Mayor of Wesley Chapel and “Business Leader of the Year” for the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce says that. “The team I’ve been fortunate to assemble is what has made {the campus} such a successful place. The team makes this beautiful campus — which is an architectural marvel — come to life. I will miss the team and, of course, the students.”

He adds that he wants to express, “my deepest gratitude to the Wesley Chapel community for the warm reception they’ve provided me and for the level of dynamism of this community.”

The always-sharply-dressed and eloquent Dr. Giannet says that, the growth of the local business community will benefit not only the Wesley Chapel area itself but also the Porter Campus. “And, we know we will continue to grow and work hard to continue serving the needs of the business community in Wesley Chapel,” he says.

Hitting Some Highlights

Although he says he knew the Porter Campus — which graduated its first four-year degree student last semester — would be a success, Dr. Giannet was proud to have been part of the nearly doubling of the student population in two short years.

“The Porter Campus had 3,000 students as of the last (Fall of 2015) semester,” he says. “We were happy to open with 1,800 students when we opened for the Spring 2014 semester.”

Dr. Stan also says that PHSC’s Porter Campus still has two more phases of potential future expansion planned and room for that growth adjacent to the existing building. He notes that as he leaves the Wesley Chapel-based campus, “We have classes with very few gaps and very few spaces for more students, although the campus is not maxed out…at least not yet.”