State College
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
MA R C H 2 0 2 1
ONE Student, ONE Opportunit y, ONE Possibilit y
VO LUME 5, NO. 02
NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE OPENS THE WALTON WORKS TRAINING CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
at a time
Northwest Florida State College is transforming the economy of our region by providing the future workforce -
ONE STUDENT ONE OPPORTUNITY ONE POSSIBILITY at a time. One-half of the nation’s undergraduates are served by the community college system, proving that state colleges provide a lifechanging impact on our community. In 2019-2020, Northwest Florida State College served 9,238 students and conferred close to 1,600 credentials during our virtual commencement ceremony. Did you know that for every person with a college credential, there are two who have none and that gap is increasing every day? The one thing we must do is encourage students to move from a high school diploma to a college credential to bolster individual earning power and positively impact the local economy. What we do know is that graduates with associate’s degrees and certifications are contributing to the economy sooner than those with a bachelor’s degree. In many cases, our associate degree completers have higher salaries than workforce bachelor’s degree completers in their first jobs. We are making that impact ONE degree at a time. There are numerous stories of resilience and persistence from our community. Our students are already experiencing transformational change in their lives in the classrooms of our (continued on next page)
Pictured (left to right): NWFSC Trustee Rudy Wright; NFWSC Trustee Charlotte Flynt; NWFSC Trustee Chair Lori Kelley; NWFSC President Dr. Devin Stephenson; District 2 Walton County Commissioner Danny Glidewell; District 3 Walton County Commissioner Michael Barker; NWFSC Trustee Vice-Chair Shane Abbott; District 1 Walton County Commissioner William “Boots” McCormick; NWFSC Trustee Graham Fountain; NWFSC Trustee Reynolds Henderson.
Northwest Florida State College’s Walton Works Training Center of Excellence is officially open at the Chautauqua Center in DeFuniak Springs. The overall purpose of Walton Works is to create a catalyst for economic development by cultivating a homegrown workforce that is professionally trained in order to make an immediate impact. The Walton County Board of County Commissioners’ generous commitment of $1.5 million RESTORE Act dollars advanced this project into a reality. Additionally, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office’s unwavering commitment to creating the region’s preeminent public safety training center led to generous donations of
•Medical Lab Technician •Physical Therapist Assistant •Professional Pilot Tech •Aviation Airframe Mechanic
equipment and a joint Fire Training Facility that will open in late spring. The $5.7 million Walton Works Training Center of Excellence is comprised of two new buildings, labs and classroom space. The 7,000 square-foot central Walton Works building houses 17 bays that were constructed on NWFSC’s Niceville campus by our welding instructors and students and provides space for the welding and industrial programs. An adjacent 900 square-foot indoor drone arena will be used for Unmanned Vehicle (UMV) certification and testing. Interior renovations modernized existing administration buildings and created a multi-purpose skills lab for the Construction Trades Program.
NEW PROGRAMS COMING FALL 2021
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professors who act as agents of change making a difference. When the real-life moment came, Elliot Wyant didn’t hesitate to implement what he had just learned in class at Northwest Florida State College. The NWFSC plumbing apprentice was working for a local plumbing company when a customer asked to change out his plastic piping for copper. After inspection, Wyant’s work proved to be error-free and he said he looks forward to accepting more complex work assignments in the future. Wyant plans to complete both the plumbing apprenticeship and a followup program of home-building so he can obtain as many licenses as he can. Former Air Force Combat Controller Dillon DeMers (featured on page 4) found a home in NWFSC’s teacher education program. “No other school provides the same preparation, certifications and endorsements, all of which directly influenced my decision-making process. After graduation, I plan to pursue a graduate degree in psychology to better the lives of all the children in Northwest Florida.” Against the odds, Nicole Vandenbemden, mother to five children, is currently pursuing her Associate in Nursing degree on scholarship. Working aroundthe-clock, she has the drive to succeed in order to improve her family’s quality of life. Dr. Victoria Stewart recently won the Excellence in Teaching Award from the National Society of Leadership and Success for her role in impacting lives at NWFSC. “While most students start my class because it is a requirement for graduation, many students find a new appreciation for the subject matter by the end of the semester,” says Stewart. “Once students see how history and government still touch our daily lives, they understand its importance and the need to learn the course content.” Education is the ONE key factor in transforming the economy of Northwest Florida by providing the future workforce and closing the educational attainment gap -
ATHLETICS RAIDER BASKETBALL POINT GUARD
NOELANI
CORNFIELD Family is everything to Raider Women’s basketball point guard Noelani Cornfield. The freshman said it was her family that got her started in the sport, and her family who pushed her to take the leap from her hometown of Gowanda, New York to Niceville, Florida. “My mom put a basketball in my sister and my hands at the age of two,” Cornfield said, noting that her twin sister, Tashawni is a shooting guard for University of South Carolina Aiken, “I guess when I got the basketball I started dribbling and she started throwing it so that’s when I started playing point guard and I just went from there.” Cornfield, a proud member of the Seneca Nation, said the small-town community she grew up pushed her to make the most of every opportunity. “I live on a small reservation so everybody knows everybody, and everyone is close,” she said. “I think it’s great, a small community where everybody cares for one another; it’s something special.” Here at NWFSC, Cornfield is focused on her pulling her weight on the court, and making her team family proud. “My personal goals are to run the team and meet Coach Bart Walker’s expectations to get us where we need to go,” she said. “He has high expectations and that pushes us to get there. I think everybody holds one another to certain standards and we don’t let each other lack accountability.” Looking toward the future, Cornfield said she hopes to gain a computer science degree and move to the next level in her basketball career, but ultimately, she wants to return to Seneca Nation. “I just want to be happy no matter the (basketball) level and I want to be close to home,” she said. “I just like the environment and the feeling of being home.”
T he
ONE STUDENT ONE OPPORTUNITY ONE POSSIBILITY at a time. Dr. Devin Stephenson, President #TheBestisOurStandard
ARE CURRENTLY LEADING
THE PANHANDLE CONFERENCE
IN THE SPOTLIGHT COOKING UP CAREERS In February, the Culinary and Hospitality and Tourism programs launched the dinner series of Seagrass. The pop-up restaurant has quickly gained popularity in the community as all six dinner dates for the semester sold out within minutes of being available. “Students learn by doing,” Chef Layne Eggers said at the first event on February 4. “We need to put them in a live environment so that they can learn the fast-paced nature of this business, and having a restaurant is the best way to do that.”
(Pictured left): Culinary student Shawni Jones helps prepare an appetizer during the first Seagrass dinner of the 2021 season. (Right): Chef Layne Eggers serves up some student-made beer to Jonathan and Deidre Price.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
NWF STATE COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Lori Kelley, Chair Shane Abbott, Vice Chair Craig Barker Charlotte Flynt Graham Fountain
Reynolds Henderson Maj. Gen. Don Litke, USAF Ret. Maj. Gen. Thomas “Rudy” Wright, USAF Ret. Dr. Devin Stephenson, President
State College
100 College Boulevard, East Niceville, FL 32578
FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE J.D. Peacock, Chair Ken Wampler, Vice Chair Bo Arnold, Treasurer C. Jeffrey McInnis, Past Chair
Cristie Kedroski, Secretary Maj. Gen. Don Litke, USAF Ret., Trustee Liaison Dr. Devin Stephenson, President
FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Eric Aden Marek Bakun Wayne Campbell Destin Cobb Cindy Frakes Todd Grisoff Chad Hamilton Walter Hooks Tyler Jarvis
Dave Jefferson Bernard Johnson Heather Kilbey Gordon King Michelle McGee Freeman Jonathan Ochs Dennis Peters Steve Rhodes
Donnie Richardson Ashley Rogers Hu Ross Rhonda Skipper Cecil Williams Steve Wills Steve Wolfrom Alan Wood
STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES DILLON C. DEMERS TEACHER EDUCATION
“I had just found out that my career as a Combat Controller in the Air Force was over when I stopped in the Hurlburt Field education office to figure out what I would do next. After a catastrophic injury during a military free-fall jump, my body and the only thing I had ever seen myself doing, lay shattered before me. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I would attend school locally and transfer after a semester or two. However, that all changed when I found the teacher education program at NWFSC. No other school provides the same preparation, certifications, and endorsements, all of which directly influenced my decisionmaking process. After graduation, I plan to pursue a graduate degree in psychology to better the lives of all the children in Northwest Florida.”
VICTORIA THORSON GENERAL EDUCATION
SHEILA CORREA BSN NURSING
“I am a part of the arts program here at NWFSC and I am also the captain of the Northwest Florida State College’s Raider Rhythms Dance team. Right now I am working on completing my AA degree. I would love to get a degree in dance education with a specialization in children with disabilities. I am also interested in the engineering field; specifically mechanical engineering. I am appreciative of my NWFSC scholarship, which allows me to continue to do what I love and I am thankful for everything NWFSC has done for me!”
On February 18, NWFSC Nursing graduate, Sheila Correa was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps. “While going through nursing school at NWFSC, I knew that at some point I would like to join the Air Force and serve again,” she said. “After completing my BSN at NWFSC and gaining experience as an ER nurse, I knew I would be eligible to apply for commissioning with the Air Force. As a veteran, I missed serving and wanted to continue my calling as a nurse. Joining the Air Force as a nurse allows me to fulfill two careers I am passionate about; serving our country and being a nurse.”