Pensacola State graduation set for May 11 at Bay Center

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons will be the keynote speaker at the Pensacola State College Spring graduation ceremony at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 11, in the Pensacola Bay Center. Simmons earned his associate degree in criminal justice from Pensacola Junior College and was inducted into the Pensacola State College Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in 2019.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons, who has nearly 40 years of law enforcement experience, received his master’s degree in public administration from Troy and later graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

In 1984, he began his law enforcement career as a corrections officer. In 1986, he went to work for the Pensacola Police Department, where he served for 29 years ─ moving up the ranks. In August 205, Simmons retired as Pensacola Police Chief.

In 2020, he was elected to his current post. Over his long career, Simmons has received numerous law enforcement accolades, including a Bronze Cross and the Gold Medal of Valor ─ the police department’s highest award for heroism.

The ceremony’s Grand Marshal will be Lisa Sims, PSC humanities and social sciences professor. Michael Payne, assistant professor of business and administration, and Kenneth Phillips, the Performing Arts department head, will serve as Faculty Marshals.

Jennifer Hill Faron, dean of the Milton campus; Samantha Hill, director of Admissions; Natalie Hilby, coordinator of Dual Enrollment; and Karen McCabe, principal of Pensacola State College Charter Academy, will be Student Marshals.

For family and friends who cannot attend the graduation, the event will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/PensacolaStateCollege.

Health Sciences Pinnings

Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and Associate of Science degree in Nursing graduates will be pinned at a 3 p.m. ceremony on Thursday, May 4, at First Pentecostal Church, 6485 Pensacola Blvd.

Dr. Steve Jordan, an orthopedic surgeon at the Andrews Institute, will be the guest speaker.

A graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina, Jordan did his residency at the University of Florida Health Programs in Jacksonville. He specializes in sports medicine and team care, including shoulder and throwing injuries, Tommy John, and ACL reconstruction.

He is board certified with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and serves as the team physician for Booker T. Washington High School and Chipola College.

For family and friends who cannot attend the nursing pinning, the event will be livestreamed at http://www.facebook.com/FirstPentecostalChurch.

On Tuesday, May 9, three other health sciences pinnings will be held in McMillian Auditorium, Building 3700, on the Warrington campus at 5555 West U.S. 98.

• Associate in Science in Physical Therapist Assistant Program graduates will be pinned during a 9:30 a.m. ceremony.
• Associate in Science in Veterinary Technology Program graduates will be pinned at 11 a.m.
• Associate in Science in Dental Hygiene Program graduates will be pinned at a 2 p.m. ceremony.

Adult Education commencement

Adult Education will hold its spring graduation at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, in Ashmore Auditorium, Building 8, on the Pensacola campus at 1000 College Blvd.

Pensacola State graduate Tawada English will be the guest speaker.

A 2013 Pensacola State Adult Education graduate, English earned her associate in arts degree in 2016 and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Health Care Management in 2018 from Pensacola State College. She also earned an Advanced Technical Certificate in Human Resource Management in 2019 from the College.

English received a master’s degree in Health Care Administration from Liberty University, where she is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in public administration.

She is employed in Baptist Hospital’s cardiology department.

More than 40 students will receive GEDs at the ceremony.

For more information on the pinnings and graduation ceremonies, call Sheila Nichols, the College’s executive director of marketing, at 850-484-1428.

If you can’t attend

For family and friends who cannot attend, the events will be livestreamed at: Nursing Pinning ─ http://www.facebook.com/FirstPentecostalChurch and PSC Graduation ─ https://www.facebook.com/PensacolaStateCollege.