Pensacola State College looking forward in Santa Rosa

Pensacola State College is looking to make its mark on the Milton community.

The now state college is offering more than just associate degrees to the Milton community, but are looking to expand sometime in the near future.

But the push for the college to offer four-year programs was made by more than just the college.

PSC President Dr. Ed Meadows, who led the move after being named the Pensacola Junior College President went to the community to ask the question “What does the West Florida region want?”

“We asked the question, ‘How strongly do we have a need for these programs?’” Meadows said.

Programs such as nursing and graphic design, which students can now obtain a bachelors degree for at the college will now be offered with a four-year baccalaureate degree.

Meadows went to the community close to a year and a half ago and did a survey to ask what not only the Pensacola region wanted, but also Santa Rosa County.

“We went to the students, the employees and we got input from businesses and the community,” Meadows said.

The response from those sources turned out to be just what the college president needed to help push the state board of education to help PJC offer four-year programs. 

The big proclamation on the name change and degree offerings was made at basketball Coach Paul Swanson’s resignation announcement in March.

Currently, the school offers bachelors degrees several areas including nursing, public health administration and general administration.

Not all of the colleges programs will offer bachelors degrees, but Meadows said it is a start.

The president said the Warrington campus currently has enough buildings and classrooms to accommodate the needs of four year programs.

Currently the college has no immediate plans to add more buildings or classrooms to any of their campuses.

“The Pensacola campus is under a 20-year facility master plan,” Meadows said. “We are currently looking at conducting a master plan for the Warrington campus, but right now we need the money.”

Although it looks as though the Milton campus is getting some improvements along Highway 90, Meadows said the Florida Department of Transportation is straightening out the entrance to the campus, and said that Milton is currently not under any master facility plans.

Meadows said even though Milton isn’t seeing a facelift anytime soon, the campus has enough space to accommodate the area and it’s visitors.

The campus hosts the Santa Rosa County Lumberjack Festival every year, along with several other big events in Milton.

Because of the State college status and the four-year offerings, Meadows said Santa Rosa County could see a boost come from the change.

“This is definitely going to increase access to higher education for Santa Rosa County residents,” Meadows said.  “This will help increase earning power for the citizens of this county, which can help increase the tax base.”

That increase, Meadows said would help the county take in more revenue while offering more services to its residents.

“This will definitely be beneficial to the Milton community,” he said.