We Are Gold!
What are the true measures of educational success? At Palm Beach State College, we believe the performance of our graduates is a leading indicator. Palm…
Fall 2017 - In This Issue
Contact Archive
World Class: Statesman, Executive, Scholar
Robert M. “Skipp” Orr U.S. Ambassador, Retired A.A., 1974 It was like a scene out of the Oscar-winning epic “Lawrence of Arabia.” But, instead of…
Big Ivy, Big Dreams
The air is crisp and amid the sounds of traffic and people all around, Karl Sully Guerrier notices the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot as…
A Passion for Science
Wivyan Franklin Research and Development Supervisor CCC, 2013 Wivyan Franklin’s passion for science is personal. “My brother was 16 years old when he was diagnosed…
Aiming Technology at Officer-Involved Shootings
Max Kramer Law Enforcement Entrepreneur PSAV, 2015 Ambitious undergraduate business majors typically go for a master’s in business administration as their next move, but not…
The Verdict is in: One of America’s Top Trial Attorneys
Theodore Babbitt Attended 1960-1961 Awards and certificates for his achievements during his 52-year career line the walls and shelves at attorney Theodore Babbitt’s West Palm…
Calling the Shots
Sandra Raymond Medical / Surgical Oncology Unit Director A.S. Nursing, 2005 When Sandra Raymond takes care of her patients, she thinks about her own family….
Driven to Policing
Mary Santos-Olsen Assistant Chief of Police A.S., 1984 In the early 1980s, Mary Santos-Olsen was a pre-law student at Palm Beach Junior College, working as…
At Home on the World Stage
John Michalak Jazz Musician Attended 1989-1992, 1995-1997 Professional saxophone and flute player John Michalak has a lot of stamps on his passport. Michalak has traveled…
Shaping Public Policy Leaders
Barry Bozeman Professor, Researcher, Author A.A., 1966 When Dr. Barry Bozeman first enrolled at Palm Beach Junior College in 1964, he admits he hadn’t yet…
PBSC Goes Bold for Gold
Palm Beach State College achieved gold level in the Florida College System’s performance-based incentive program this year, garnering an additional $1.2 million. PBSC is among…
PBSC Opens Fifth Campus
Palm Beach State College celebrated the opening this year of its new Loxahatchee Groves campus where enrollment already has more than doubled. Classes began Feb….
Top of Their Game
Throughout their history, Palm Beach State College’s athletic programs have produced some of the finest athletes in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I….
Investing in a New Vision
Ava L. Parker, J.D., was officially installed as Palm Beach State College’s fifth president during her investiture ceremony that drew more than 500 people. Themed…
Couple Finds Fulfillment Through Giving
Jan Winkler and Hermine Drezner don’t really like to talk about their philanthropy. When they do, however, the joy that it brings them is evident….
For The Love of Law
Peggy Rowe-Linn A.A., 1975 Peggy Rowe-Linn whizzed through her undergraduate college programs more than 40 years ago with two strategies in mind: avoid unnecessary extra…
Leading Paralegal Sets the Bar High
Vera Long Paralegal Manager A.S., 1990 When Vera Long began working at the Gunster law firm’s Private Wealth Services practice in 1980, she had a…
A Well-Constructed Life
Dale R. Hedrick Business Owner A.A., 1976 Dale R. Hedrick is the founder and president of Hedrick Brothers Construction headquartered in West Palm Beach. A…
A Fall Into Medicine
Dr. Tyson Tabora Podiatrist A.A., 1999 Dr. Tyson Tabora always wanted to work in the medical field. When he fell and fractured his wrist in…
Helping Journeys Begin
Jowie Mohammed Assistant Leisure Services Director A.A., 2008 | CCC, 2010 | A.S., B.A.S., 2012 A snow globe sits on Jowie Mohammed’s desk in the…
Cool Under Fire
Jaime Walker Fire Department Captain A.A., ATD, PSAV, 2002 / PSAV, 2006 When 9/11 happened, Jaime Walker was enrolled at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, Calif.,…
Educators’ Impact: Priceless
Peter Licata School District Administrator Attended 1986-1991, 1994-1995 Dr. Peter Licata grew up being told by his father not to follow in his footsteps. However,…
Building Heaven on Earth
Lina Jankus Insurance Entrepreneur A.A., 2002 Lina Jankus grew up on a farm in Colombia among cows, chickens, horses and a strong grandmother who taught…
Change Maker
Dr. Eliezer Kinberg Physician PSAV, 2007 / A.A., 2009 / B.A.S., 2011 Lt. Eliezer Kinberg, a medical doctor and U.S. Air Force reservist, turned down…
A Scholar for Justice
Belén Lowery-Kinberg Criminal Justice Professor A.A., 2009 Dr. Belén Lowery-Kinberg had been homeschooled and had never stepped foot into a classroom until she attended Palm…
Top Brass Player Passes on Love of Music
David Bethea Music Professor A.A., 1999 It all started in the spring of 1999, when Palm Beach Community College student David Bethea won in the…
On Board: Alumni Giving Back
Meet nine Palm Beach State College alumni who are also members or former members of the Palm Beach State College Foundation’s Board of Directors. These…
Change of Heart
Mandi Sangiuolo Medical Imaging Director A.S., 2005 Mandi Sangiuolo was a respiratory therapist for five years when she decided it was time for a change….
Why Community College Works
Jeffrey S. Bolton Airport Executive Attended PBCC, 2006-09 Jeff Bolton took an indirect route to his position as assistant properties manager for Palm Beach International…
A Promise Fulfilled
Max Elhamad Substance Abuse Licensing Specialist A.A., 2013 | A.S., CCC, 2017 Max Elhamad believes he is right where he needs to be. However, this…
Passion for Patients
Tate Storey Certified Anesthesiologist Assistan A.A., 2011 Tate Storey enjoyed the research aspect of biotechnology, working on proteases for mass-spectrometry-based proteomics. However, during his internship…
Yes, She Can!
Tara Chattergoon Water Treatment Plant Operator Trainee CCE Certificate, 2016 It took some convincing, but Tara Chattergoon now knows she can do anything. The native…
Former Paralegal Finds Her Voice
Rose Mannino Voice Instructor/Opera Singer/Concert Soloist A.A., 2000 / A.S., 2005 For Rose Mannino, Palm Beach State College provided multiple career options and developed her…
Stem Cells Launch Researcher’s Career
Jacqueline Strivelli Lab Manager A.A., 2009 / CCC, 2016 Raised in Palm Beach Gardens, Jacqueline Strivelli has found a stimulating career just a stone’s throw…
College + Coast Guard = Maritime Success
Robert S. Glassman Sales Engineer A.A., 1997 Robert S. Glassman earned his Associate in Arts degree with an emphasis in business administration in 1997 from…
Overseeing Quality
Albert Capestany CNC Lathe Supervisor PSAV, 2015 “Safety, quality, then production.” That’s the motto Albert Capestany and his team live by. As a supervisor for…
Tech Career 2.0
Claudia Zamora Security Analyst A.S., 2000 / B.A.S., 2016 Colombia native Claudia Zamora came to the U.S. after graduating from high school. Noting a growing…
Sporty Girl
Kristy Grant Fashion Entrepreneur A.A., 2008 When Kristy Grant entered Palm Beach State College, she was undecided on her degree path. She took an elective…
Giving Back
Curtis Ober Medical Assistant PSAV, 2013 | A.A., 2015 About eight years ago, Curtis Ober was in a California hospital bed in a medically-induced coma…
An Eye for Design and Business
Elizabeth Reich Interior Designer A.S., 1999 Elizabeth Reich earned an accounting degree from Pennsylvania State University, but she ended up not working in the field….
Insurance Agent Makes an Impact
Juan J. Williams Insurance Agency Owner A.A., 1982 Juan Williams credits Palm Beach Junior College with helping him establish a firm foundation for his studies…
Veteran Takes Different Path to Teaching
Candy Marchsteiner Language Arts Teacher EPI Certificate, 2013 When Candy Marchsteiner was a student at Palm Beach State College, a particular learning exercise stood out…
Taking the Lead
Shannon Cavallo Lead Radiologic Technologist A.S., 2002 Two days after receiving her Associate in Science degree in Radiography in December 2002, Shannon Cavallo started her…
Mad Skills Bring Fame
Emily Serpico Makeup Artist/Hair Technician PSAV, 2014 Palm Beach State College cosmetology graduate Emily Serpico has twice made it to the final stages of…
Real-World Science
Donald Mau Research Assistant II CCC, 2014 Using 3-D printing technology to produce human tissue sounds like science fiction, but this is the type of…
An Environmental Calling
Katie O’Gara Environmental Specialist A.S., 2012 When Katie O’Gara was looking at degree options on PBSC’s website during her senior year at Wellington Community High…
Making Order Out of Chaos
Genaro Martinez de Villa Federal Emergency Response Official CCC, 2014 / A.S., 2016 Providing a challenging and important service, Genaro “Gerry” Martinez de Villa is…
Persistence Pays Off for Design Engineer
Debbie A. Plavinskas Design Manager A.A., 2009 Raised by a single mother who never had the opportunity to attend school, Debbie Plavinskas was motivated to…
Two Win Prestigious Scholarship
Palm Beach State College Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College graduates were among 55 selected nationwide in March for the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer…
A Thrift Shop With a Purpose
A student-run thrift store called Panther’s Closet opened in March on the Lake Worth campus. The store, which caters to PBSC students, faculty and staff,…
Make Some Noise!
Palm Beach State College introduced a new drumline in January to raise school spirit. “These groups are at the forefront of most colleges and universities,…
New Veterans Center in the Works
Military veterans pursuing their education at Palm Beach State College will soon have a new place to connect. The College is converting a former Criminal…
Panel Tackles Opioid Crisis
Florida Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala held a roundtable discussion at Palm Beach State College in August with lawmakers, local leaders and public safety officials…
STEAM 2017: Pitbull, a visionary in education
The Palm Beach State College Foundation welcomed Grammy Award winner Armando Christian Pérez, professionally known as Pitbull, as the keynote speaker for its fifth annual…