SFSC District Board of Trustees Evaluate President Hawkins; Set Goals for 2025

Jan. 27, 2025 – The South Florida State College (SFSC) District Board of Trustees (DBOT) conducted their annual review of President Fred Hawkins and established goals for 2025 at their regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.

The DBOT goals for 2025 include:

• Continue to provide affordable tuition through scholarships and grants
• Analyze the College’s physical and academic footprint to confirm all facilities and programs are being utilized and offered efficiently and economically
• Maximize revenues and minimize expenditures to ensure positive gains while navigating through a competitive grant cycle and vying for funding with other institutions
• Partner with community businesses and industries to meet their employment needs
• Advance and support student success and retention through graduation
• Implement strategies to modernize the current infrastructure

“We are extremely excited to share that President Hawkins has received outstanding feedback on his annual evaluation from the SFSC District Board of Trustees,” said Terry Atchley, chair of the SFSC DBOT and Hardee County manager. “This highlights the president’s commitment to service and setting goals that uplift and inspire the College and our community. The dedication and goals set by both the president and the board will continue to guide our great institution into the future for the betterment of our students and our region.”

The DBOT meets monthly on the Highlands Campus of SFSC in Avon Park, Fla. For more information and meeting details, visit southflorida.edu/board-of-trustees.

Jan. 23, 2025 – The South Florida State College (SFSC) Foundation hosted its eighth annual Million Dollar Hole-in-One Golf Shootout sponsored by Bill Jarrett Ford on Saturday, Jan. 18. This year, all finalists were unable to place, but the event raised $16,029 in support of SFSC Athletics.

Golfers participated in the three-day Golf Shootout and new Putt Challenge, which began on Thursday, Jan. 16 at Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club in Sebring. A record number of golfers turned out to vie for the $1 million prize with 116, and 24 golfers tried to putt their way to $10,000.

The golfers who rounded out the group of 12 shootout qualifiers were: Kyle Braxton, Dave Johnson, Jeff Polen, Steve Sortore, Tosh Banning, Scott Hitt, Jeff Taylor, Julian Gonzalez, Randy Bonney, Carlos Maldonado, Andy Polk, and Peter Elliott. The Putt Challenge finalist was Terri Thayer.

“Anytime we can see an event exceed a previous year is a great accomplishment,” said Jamie Bateman, vice president for institutional advancement and external affairs at SFSC. “This, of course, couldn’t be possible without our sponsors and golfers who come out each year to support our athletes, and who bring their friends. SFSC is blessed with the amazing support we receive from our community.”

Proceeds from the golf shootout benefit SFSC Panther Athletic with teams in women’s volleyball, women’s cross country, men’s baseball, and women’s softball. SFSC’s student-athletes assisted throughout the Golf Shootout.

For more information on the event or how to become a sponsor for next year’s Golf Shootout, contact the SFSC Foundation at 863-453-3313.

AVON PARK, Fla. — Jan. 24, 2025 — During the January meeting of South Florida State College’s (SFSC) District Board of Trustees, 22 students studying for careers in the health sciences at SFSC received approximately $28,100 in scholarships.

The Florida College System Foundation (FCSF) and Florida Blue awarded Nursing and Allied Health scholarships to SFSC students in Nursing, Dental Education, and Radiography programs. The students may use the scholarships for tuition, textbooks, lab fees, and childcare.

Students receiving the scholarships are studying within three health science disciplines:

• Nursing: Dusti Conners, Savannah Ewing, Jamilet Gondinez, Nubia Hernandez, Ana Ibanez, Flor Leon, Jenise Lopez, Karen Monterrosa, Keyshauna Parhams, TaiYonna Phillips, Magnolia Santiago, Monike Thomas, Griselda Vasquez, Juanita Vilafana-Rocha, and Aiani Walker.
• Dental Education: Abronikka Brown, Kerstin Jones, and Nora Ortiz
• Radiography: Destiny Badillo, Juan Molina-Molina, Alyssa Perez, and Gemi Saunders

The scholarships are the result of a partnership between the FSCF and Florida Blue. The Florida Blue Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship was created to sustain a source of funding for student scholarships at Florida colleges to meet the growing need for skilled nurses and allied health professionals who serve the state’s diverse population. The SFSC Foundation, Inc. provided a 50% match of the original award from the FCSF and Florida Blue, as the funds must be matched dollar for dollar by private donors at the local level.

“The students who received the Florida Blue scholarships will soon begin careers in nursing, dental care, and radiography – all fields that are critical in keeping our community safe and healthy,” said Jamie Bateman, SFSC vice president for institutional advancement and external affairs. “Students participating in intensive healthcare programs are often unable to work outside of their studies. Because of its commitment to education and statewide healthcare needs, Florida Blue has provided scholarships to aid these students in completing their programs and alleviating financial stress. We extend our sincerest appreciation for Florida Blue’s continued support to SFSC’s students.”

The FCSF, based in Tallahassee, is a nonprofit organization that solicits gifts and donations from corporations and individuals for distribution to Florida’s 28 community and state colleges. SFSC has received scholarships for health sciences students since 2006. Florida Blue, previously known as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, provides individual and group health insurance to millions of Floridians.

Number:	15
Name:	Grayson Wojcicchon
Position:	Outfield
Height:	5’3″
Hometown:	Boca Raton, Florida
Class:	Sophomore

AVON PARK, Fla. – Jan. 10, 2025 – Two exhibitions open in January at the South Florida State College (SFSC) Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) in Avon Park. On view at MOFAC are Katya Neptune’s “Echoes Unveiled” and Mary Seigfreid’s “Whiskers and Tales.” Both exhibitions run now through Monday, March 31. MOFAC exhibits can be viewed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. and by appointment. Admission is free.

A free art exhibition opening reception will be held on Thursday, Jan. 16, 12:30-1:30 p.m. at MOFAC, in which artists Neptune and Seigfreid will give brief talks. Refreshments will be served.  

Katya Neptune, “Echoes Unveiled”
Neptune’s “Echoes Unveiled” exhibition runs Jan. 5 through March 31 and can be seen in MOFAC’s main gallery. This exhibition highlights Neptune’s two-decade journey as an interdisciplinary artist and independent curator dedicated to empowering emerging artists. Neptune is the founder of ArtHeart, a South Florida-based organization that, through group exhibitions and collaborative projects, has raised funds and awareness to support orphaned children in Rwanda and Cap-Haïtien, Haiti. The works featured in “Echoes Unveiled” honor the lives of these children and their resilience.

A central theme in Neptune’s advocacy for emerging artists and her personal art practice is her exploration of mental health. Her work is deeply process-oriented, reflective, and introspective. She navigates the complexities of mental health through diverse mediums, including mixed-media sculpture, abstract mapping, photography, painting, digital art, and installation. Each medium is chosen with care — often guided by intuition — to mirror her psychological and emotional states. Through intimate visual narratives, Neptune shares her journey of struggle and healing, fostering conversations about mental health and challenging the stigma surrounding mental illness. The marks and abstract mappings framing the works in
“Echoes Unveiled” bring her internal reflections to life.

Neptune is a Filipina artist of the diaspora (b. 1976, Angeles City, Philippines) now based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Mary Seigfreid, “Whiskers and Tales”

Seigfreid’s exhibition, “Whiskers and Tales” runs from Jan. 9 through March 31 and can be seen in the gallery at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts. Through her art, she invites viewers to see the extraordinary within the ordinary. Her playful use of materials often sparks nostalgia, while her attention to detail and humor encourages a closer look at the stories her works tell. The artwork in “Whiskers and Tales” resonate with themes of resourcefulness, relaxation, and the celebration of life’s small moments.

Seigfreid relocated from Cincinnati to Sebring in 1978, forging a deep connection with the local art community that has spanned decades. During that time, she  also developed a distinctive artistic voice celebrated for its whimsical and witty use of repurposed and vintage materials. Seigfreid’s artistic practice is rooted in finding joy and wonder in the natural world, the rhythms and materials of everyday life, and the imaginative possibilities that arise during the process of creation.

MOFAC is located at 600 West College Drive on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Jan. 8, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) honored 37 graduating students from three Public Safety programs in a ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 7 on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

The 12 cadets from SFSC’s Fire Science Academy are: Pierre Beaucicot, Zachary Durastani, Davian Gamez-Cendejas, David Hagelstein III, Makayla Jones, Jhezer Maranan, Ismael Majia, ESean Miller, Christian Newport, Sheldon Rossin, Caden Storts, and Johnathan Young. Special recognition went to Christina Newport for attaining the highest GPA in the class.

The 12 cadets from the Paramedic program are: Terrance Adams, Jillian Barber, David Heflin, Juan Marcial-Arciniega, Dominic Matute, Ian McGuirk, Scott Moller, Sabrina Page, Kristin Robie, Aaron Wertz, Ceceil Williams, and Michael Yount. Special recognition went to Kristin Robie for attaining the highest GPA in lecture and to Ian McGuirk for the highest GPA in lab.

The 13 cadets from the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program are: Sylvia Arevalo-Perez, Cheney Brady, Trevor Cooke, Jacob Delong, Michael Dunn, Cayley Franks, Kristian Gonzalez, Elizabeth Hayn, Khair Lightfoot-Muhammad, Francisco Olivero Jr., Rebecca Oser, Armando Otero-Rivera, and Nicholas Wetherington. Special recognition went to Armando Otero-Rivera for attaining the highest GPA in lecture and to Cayley Franks for highest GPA in lab.

Steve Ashworth, director of the EMS and Fire Science programs, presented the graduate address during the ceremony.

Graduates of the Firefighter Career Certificate program have completed 492 contact hours of training. A cohort of cadets enroll in the Firefighter I course, often with the expectation of continuing through to Firefighter II training. Firefighter II training is required for those who wish to be employed as professional firefighters in Florida.

The paramedic graduates completed an 11-month College Credit Certificate course offered through SFSC’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program. Paramedics work as part of an emergency response team called out to traffic accidents, fires, and other life-threatening situations.

The EMT graduates completed the 16 weeks of training, or 300 contact hours, in the program. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply to take the Florida EMT State Board Exam. EMTs function as part of an emergency rescue and transportation team by responding to emergency calls through a dispatch system, operating emergency vehicles safely, assessing scenes of accidents or illnesses, setting priorities for treating patients based on their degree of illness or injury, providing pre-hospital emergency care to treat trauma, shock, wounds, and other medical issues.

For more information about any of SFSC’s Public Safety programs, call 863-784-7278 or visit southflorida.edu.

The South Florida State College (SFSC) Foundation will host its eighth annual Million Dollar Hole-in-One Golf Shootout sponsored by Bill Jarrett Ford at Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club in Sebring with qualifying days taking place on Thursday, Jan. 16, and Friday, Jan. 17 from 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 18 from 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. The Golf Shootout for the top 12 finalists will take place at the 18th hole on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m.

This year, the SFSC Foundation is excited to announce the addition of a $10K Putt Challenge to the event. The qualifying days are the same as the Shootout on Thursday and Friday, but Saturday qualifiers can putt from 7:30-9:30 a.m. with a Final Qualifier at 10 a.m. to narrow down the competition to one finalist proceeding to putt for $10,000 on the 18th hole at 4:45 p.m.

Proceeds from the Golf Shootout and Putt Challenge benefit SFSC Athletics. SFSC fields four athletic teams: women’s volleyball, women’s cross country, men’s baseball, and women’s softball.

“We are looking forward to the 2025 Million Dollar Hole-in-One Golf Shootout with great anticipation,” said Rick Hitt, SFSC athletic director and head baseball coach. “This year, our $10,000 putt-off brings another dimension to the competition and should be a great addition to our event. Again, we are thankful to the SFSC Foundation, its staff, board members, and all the gracious contributors who continue to make this event outstanding. Our Event Sponsor Bill Jarrett Ford continues to bless us with incredible generosity, and our event sponsors continue to support our Shootout every year. We also look forward to the enjoyment each year and the continued building of relationships that this event creates. Those who participate are true supporters of our College and we can’t thank them enough.”

Amateur adult golfers are eligible to participate in the Shootout and Putt Challenge to compete for $1 million and $10,000 respectively, provided through Hole in One International. If no one sinks a hole-in-one in the Million Dollar Shootout, the closest shots to the hole will win prizes. First place will receive $750, second place will receive $500, third will receive $250, and fourth will receive a pro shop gift card from Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club. Golfers can purchase a bag of 10 balls for $10 for the Shootout and a bag of three balls for $10 for the Putt Challenge. Participants may purchase an unlimited number of bags. Register for the Golf Shootout and Putt Challenge during qualifying days at the Sun ‘n Lake Driving Range in Sebring.

“This has turned out to be one of the most anticipated events of the year and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Jamie Bateman, vice president of institutional advancement and external affairs at SFSC. “People from all over the country come to participate and support our student-athletes here at SFSC. The friendship, partnerships, and support that we receive are so heartwarming. We look forward to seeing everyone tee up and hopefully walk away with $1 million.”

For more information about the Million Dollar Hole-in-One Golf Shootout and $10K Putt Challenge, contact the SFSC Foundation at 863-453-3133 or foundation@southflorida.edu.