Food insecurity grant
Centene/WellCare Health Plans made a $5,000 grant to support the Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) Foundation Support Our Students (SOS) Emergency Fund.
The funds will help to provide relief for PHSC students who are experiencing hunger or food insecurity.
The partnership also will assist PHSC in serving students at the campus food pantries.
For information on how to support campus hunger initiatives, contact the PHSC Foundation at or 727-816-3410.
Student achievements
- Jose Bautista, of Lutz: Dean’s List at Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri
- Jaelyn Evans, of Odessa: President’s List at Mississippi College, Clinton, Mississippi
- Angelica C. Gonzalez, of Lutz: Dean’s List at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
- Iuliana Shyova, of Land O’ Lakes: Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois
Free English workshops
Saint Leo University is offering a free, five-week, drop-in English writing workshop beginning on Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom. Additional dates are Feb. 8, Feb. 15, Feb. 22 and March 1.
The sessions are designed to help anyone who is looking to start college, pass the English placement exam, or advance their writing skills. The workshop is open to community members, current students and prospective students – anyone who wants to improve their communication skills.
Participants may attend one or all of the free sessions.
“We hope to offer those attending new confidence and insight before taking the English placement exam,” said Alaina Plowdrey, Key West Education Center director. “We also want to offer current students a quick, yet thorough crash-course or refresher, and everyone will benefit from some one-on-one time with Saint Leo University writing experts.”
When looking for potential employees, managers say they value effective communication and actively look for this skill. Saint Leo University is offering this free workshop to aid those who may be considering obtaining a degree or who just want to brush up on their writing in order to grow in their careers.
Registration is available at SaintLeo.edu/worldwide-virtual-events.
For more information, email , or call 305-293-2847.
Virtual summit
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will host a virtual “Linking in Faith and Education (LIFE), Spirit, and Wellness Support and Resource Summit: Equity and Advancement of Minority Males in America” on Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The summit will bring together individuals, behavioral health communities, career resources and congregations to discuss social justice and equality issues as they relate to Black and brown underrepresented populations.
There will be a panel discussion on equity and advancement of minority males in America, followed by breakout sessions on leadership/mentoring; politics, policing and civic responsibility; life skills; and, mental health and spirituality.
The event will be presented by PHSC LIFE and Success Academy, and cohosted by Eastern Florida State College and the Florida African American Student Association.
The first 200 registrants will receive a free lunch from Grubhub, sponsored by Humana Bold Goal.
To register, visit PHSC.edu/about/events.
Early release days
During the second semester, Pasco County Schools will implement a two-hour early release day every month, each day falling on a Wednesday. There will be no early release day in May.
The early release days, which were implemented for the first time last school year, provide teachers with an opportunity to complete professional development and experience training that will help increase effective instruction and ultimately will benefit students.
Students who are registered in the district’s PLACE program will be able to stay the extra two hours with no additional charges. School buses will operate two hours earlier during early release days. The routes and bus stops will not change.
Upcoming early release days are Feb. 3, March 3 and April 7.
The bell times, including the early release times for each school, can be found at Pasco.k12.fl.us/site/pcs_bell_schedule, or on the Pasco County Schools’ Facebook page.
Free webinar
Saint Leo University’s Tapia College of Business will present “Re-Imagine Your Future Under Subchapter V: A Chapter 11 Survival Tool for Small Businesses” on Feb. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The free webinar will explore Subchapter V as an option for small businesses severely affected by the current pandemic.
Dave Jennis, a bankruptcy attorney, will discuss key considerations for bankruptcy and lead participants through the process, from filing to when companies emerge from bankruptcy.
Small business owners and the general public can attend the webinar.
The registration link can be found at SaintLeo.edu/business-events under the Webinars-Surviving the Pandemic category.
St. Anthony open house
St. Anthony Catholic School, 12155 Joe Herrmann Drive in San Antonio, is scheduled to open a new VPK program in August. Enrollment for new families will begin on Feb. 23.
The school will host an open house on Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon. Small tours will be given due to the current COVID-19 health and safety circumstances.
St. Anthony is a private K-8 school founded in 1884 and dedicated to providing students with quality and Christ-centered education that addresses a child’s needs spiritually, academically, socially, emotionally and physically.
For information and to learn more about the school’s VPK program, K-8 openings, or to schedule a tour, call 352-588-3041, or visit StAnthonySchoolFl.org.
Saint Leo opens in Tampa
Saint Leo University is relocating its Tampa Education Center to the building formerly known as the Berriman-Morgan Cigar Factory, 1403 N. Howard Ave., in Tampa, according to a news release. The fully renovated building is located off Interstate 275.
Saint Leo’s Tampa location will offer 32,000 square feet of space across four floors.
The basement and first floor will be home to the Tampa Education Center; the second floor will house Center for Online Learning Student Advising, Student Financial Services, and executive offices; and the third floor will host the Center for Online Learning enrollment team.
The center, which currently serves more than 300 students, will offer eight classrooms, one of which is a computer lab, student and employee lounges, and a Military Resource Center.
The relocation will allow Saint Leo to offer students a wider variety of academic programs, state-of-the-art technology, and more opportunities.
“We know this new location in Tampa will serve our students well and provide more engagement with the community,” Jeffrey D. Senese, university president, said in the release.
“We want to be a partner to the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County, and we want Saint Leo students to have the opportunities for internships and careers, and build a great workforce for the area,” Senese added.
For information about the Tampa Education Center, email or call 813-226-2777.
For admissions information, call 877-622-2009.
