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Sherry Hobbs Glorioso (center left) and other members of the Hobbs family gathered for the Raymond B. and Leila Hobbs Center for Excellence Open House and Program Showcase on June 16 at Pensacola State College. The newly named center houses support staff for the college’s workforce training and non-credit continuing education and professional development programs.
Accompanied by her family, Sheryl “Sherry” Hobbs Glorioso was the guest of honor at Pensacola State College on Tuesday, June 16, during an open house and program showcase at the newly named Raymond B. and Leila Hobbs Center for Excellence, the hub of workforce training programs on the Pensacola campus.
Glorioso has been a prominent supporter of the college since 2007, when she established the Samuel S. Glorioso Endowed Scholarship, in memory of her husband, for qualifying PSC students enrolled in pre-engineering programs. “Sam” Glorioso enjoyed a military career as a second lieutenant in the Air Force, followed by federal civil service as a general engineer and as a configuration manager and chief engineer at Eglin Air Force Base.
Military service and aviation have always been prominent in Sherry Glorioso’s life. Her father, Raymond Hobbs Jr., was an Army pilot killed in action during World War II, leaving behind his wife and young daughter. Her late uncle, John Hobbs, was a Marine pilot during the war, as well.
Later in 2007, she contributed the college’s second-ever $1 million gift in memory of her grandparents for the Hobbs Center for Teaching Excellence, supporting state-of-the-art upgrades for the college’s teacher education programs.
Raymond and Leila Hobbs met as educators in early-1900s Santa Rosa County. They married and remained longtime residents of Milton, where they were known for their leadership in education and the community. Leila Hobbs taught for more than 50 years. Raymond Hobbs was a teacher and principal of Berryhill Grammar and Milton High schools, and he served as superintendent of Santa Rosa County schools and as a Milton city council member. Hobbs Middle School in Milton bears his name today.
From the Hobbs Center for Teaching Excellence at then Pensacola Junior College to the newly named Hobbs Center for Excellence at PSC today, Glorioso’s family legacy continues to impact local education and the community, as the focus of her support has expanded from its original emphasis on teaching careers to include innovative career training programs such as Advanced Manufacturing and, fittingly, Aviation Mechanics, which are based at the center.
“We all love what we do, and we all believe that we are changing lives, because we see it every day,” said PSC Dean of Workforce Education Mike Listau, who operates from the Hobbs Center for Excellence. “With the changes that are coming, this support allows us to continue to do that. Our workforce programs are growing, and we’re adding new programs.”
Among the latest programs are Aviation Airframe Mechanics and Aviation Powerplant Mechanics, for which most, if not all, of the faculty are veterans who learned their trades during military service and now train people to get their airframe and powerplant certifications. A new building to house these programs is currently under construction at the Pensacola International Airport, where Listau says the college can expand into other avionics and aviation maintenance training to meet industry demand.
PSC President Ed Meadows, Ed.D., recognized Listau for his collaboration with the region’s employers to provide tailored training and targeted degree programs that create a skilled workforce. “Mike’s at the table working with new industry coming to Pensacola, and he stays abreast with the kinds of training being offered and the finances that are being offered for particular types of training,” he said.
“Our economic development folks in the community, when they work with the people interested in coming here with industry jobs — particularly advanced manufacturing and other skilled jobs like ship building, for example — they are including Pensacola State as part of the attributes our community offers to new companies coming into Northwest Florida,” said Meadows about PSC’s role as a talent and economic engine for employers bringing high-wage jobs to the region.
In addition to college-level workforce training, the Hobbs Center for Excellence also supports non-credit certificate programs and continuing education offerings, from career certificates to recreation and leisure courses and Kids College, in which more than 100 children are currently enrolled.
As the executive director of Corporate Training and Continuing Education at PSC, Brittany Gansmann oversees the non-credit certificate programs that provide fast and affordable professional certifications and upskilling without the time and tuition commitments of a traditional degree path.
“We have a whole class of HVAC students that has gotten employment since they’ve come to class. They haven’t even graduated yet, and so what touches your heart is that those classes are paid for and they’re designed for people who can’t necessarily afford the training and who desperately need the work,” she said. “We want to assist community members in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties to get the training they need so they can work at companies in our area.”
“The future is bright, and we look forward to seeing what comes over the horizon,” said Listau during the open house. “This building will truly be a center for excellence where we show up to work every day to continue to support these programs as well as our students. We’re training people to go to work, provide for their families, and stay in Pensacola, which is exactly what we want them to do.”
“Sherry Glorioso’s generosity and long-term commitment to PSC have made a difference in countless lives, both through her generous support of excellence in education and the expanded programs at the Raymond and Leila Hobbs Center for Excellence. The endowed scholarship she established in memory of her husband has provided educational support for many pre-engineering students, as well,” said Meadows. “When we think about the hundreds of students that she has helped and the hundreds more that she will help, we feel sincerely grateful.”