With games, activities and panel discussions, a special group of Pinellas County students began their path toward an advanced degree during a kick-off event at St. Petersburg College (SPC).
The students are participants in the Pinellas Access to Higher Education, or PATHe, program. The initiative is a partnership between SPC and University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP) and is designed to help Pinellas County students and parents find pathways to higher education in the region.
There are currently 48 students enrolled in PATHe. As participants, they will start their studies at SPC and transition to USFSP to complete their degree. More than 25 members of the first cohort were at the orientation event on August 13 at SPC’s St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus to learn more about the program, make friends and start the academic year on the right foot.
“You all are trailblazers,” said Ann Sherman-White, a PATHe counselor. “You’re setting a course that we hope others will follow.”
Sherman is one of four PATHe counselors, two based at SPC and two at USFSP. The counselors not only help raise awareness about the different options for advanced education in Pinellas County, they also serve as guides for students throughout the program.
Savannah Pitts, 18, a graduate of Northeast High School, said she was grateful for the help she received from her PATHe counselor because she had been feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of going to college.
“Some things were a little confusing,” said Bradley, who plans to study Graphic Design at SPC’s Clearwater campus. “I’ve never done this before, and the counselors have already been super helpful.”
Quinn Malcolm, 18, who graduated from Seminole High School, agreed. He met PATHe counselor Derrick Bullard at a college event at his school and said Bullard and the other counselors immediately made him feel at ease.
“They were really encouraging,” said Malcolm, who hopes to earn a degree in Marine Biology. “They told us exactly what was going on. I really liked that – you didn’t have to do everything on your own.”
During the kick-off event, the students played ice-breaker games and heard from administrators and students from SPC. PATHe counselors also shared information about available scholarships and offered tips for academic success.
PATHe counselor Dineca Walker urged the students to join a club and participate in activities.
“Students who get involved do better,” she said. “You need to get connected to other students, to people who are going through the same thing with you. They will be your support system.”
PATHe was formed in 2018 with support from the Florida Legislature to expand educational access and assist Pinellas County students who want to earn a college degree. More than 60 percent of jobs in Florida will require a degree or credential by 2025. Currently, more than two million Floridians have some college credits but no degree. In Pinellas County, there are 109,000.
Eva Christensen, director of admissions and records at SPC, said the goal of the orientation session was to give the participants a better understanding of PATHe and to connect them with the resources that will help them succeed as an undergraduate.
“My hope is that not only will the students bond but that they come away with an understanding that this is a partnership that is committed to their success and to helping them get where they intend to go,” she said.
The orientation session represents a lot of hard work by team members at both SPC and USFSP to get the PATHe program launched, said Carolina Nutt, director of COMPASS student experience at USF St. Petersburg. Now, as awareness of the program starts to spread, she believes the program will continue to grow.
“These students will be able to share with others what we have to offer,” said Nutt. “That creates the opportunity for other people to understand what our mission is within Pinellas County.”