State College
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
MAY / JU N E 2 0 2 2
VO LUME 6, NO. 02
THE BEST IS OUR STANDARD ‘PAVING THE WAY TOWARD BRIGHT AND REWARDING FUTURES’ As an institution of higher education, I firmly believe it is our responsibility to prepare students for the brightest futures possible by giving them access to the finest equipment, resources, faculty, and career opportunities available. Whether our students are in the classroom, on the athletic court or field, on stage, or working in their chosen career, the best should always be our standard, giving them confidence that Northwest Florida State College has prepared them for whatever they may face in the future. This Spring 2022 semester has been a shining example of how hard work and dedication to our mission has paved the way toward bright and rewarding futures for our students. I am pleased to share that with the leadership and guidance from our athletic department, the Raiders claimed the championship title at the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championships last month. I speak for the entire NWFSC community when I say we are beyond proud of their accomplishments and all of their work this season. Not only did the team win on the court, but they achieved a 3.30 cumulative grade point average in their academic pursuits. We are confident the Raiders will continue
to shine as we welcome our new men’s head basketball coach, Steve DeMeo. As many of you know, Coach DeMeo served as the head coach of our men’s basketball team from 2013 to 2019. During his time at the College, he attained more conference, regional, and state championship titles than any other coach in the College’s history, leading the Raiders to five Panhandle Conference Championships, four FCSAA State Championships, and the 2015 NJCAA National Championship. We are excited to welcome Coach DeMeo back to campus and cannot wait to see what is in store for our men’s basketball team next season. As we celebrate the success of our current students, I want to acknowledge our alumni who have continued to thrive after graduating from NWFSC. Last month, the College was thrilled to host a Q&A session with American actor, Niceville native, and NWFSC alum, Alan Ritchson. Alan has given many outstanding performances throughout his career and has recently gained prominence for portraying Jack Reacher on the popular Amazon Prime television series “Reacher.” Aside from being a talented actor, Alan is also a writer, producer, and director. As Alan gave our acting students advice on how to succeed in the industry, he shared how the
College provided him with the training he needed to get his foot in the industry and stressed the importance of “remembering where you came from and the community that supported you along the way.” It is because of the support we receive from our community and donors that we can continue to assist our students achieve their career goals and dreams. Last month, the NWFSC Foundation hosted its annual Scholars and Donors Luncheon where we recognized some of our donors and learned first-hand how their generosity has impacted our students. We are eager to see what our students accomplish with the continued benefaction from our donors. I hope you enjoy this issue of the President’s Perspective as you read about some of our accomplishments throughout the past couple of months. Thank you for your continued support and for being a part of the Raider Family.
Dr. Devin Stephenson #TheBestIsOurStandard