‘DREAM BIG’: President, Dean address the future of FSU PC at Annual Dinner

The FSU PC Annual Dinner celebrating the individuals and organizations that give to the university for local programs took place on Oct. 24, at Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort in Panama City Beach. During the cocktail hour, guests enjoyed having photos taken with the Garnet & Gold Guys from Tallahassee before the formal event began.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were State Rep. Philip "Griff" Griffiths Jr., State CFO Jimmy Patronis, Gulf Coast State College President Glen McDonald, and Bay District Schools Superintendent Mark McQueen.

Student speakers included Rohan Nana, Justine Sowell, and Annie Braxton, who described the way scholarships had impacted their lives. The keynote address by FSU President Richard McCullough addressed the unique spirit of the Panhandle and FSU PC’s place in Florida’s future, while closing remarks from Dean Randy Hanna challenged all in attendance to dream a better, bigger future for everyone.

PRESIDENT’S REMARKS
“We’ve spent a lot of time in this area over the past year, and we’re excited about the opportunities in this region and the role FSU Panama City will play as we look to the future,” McCullough said. “We draw our inspiration from the students here. They have an entrepreneurial spirit that you just don’t see at other universities, and they truly value the importance of a college education.”

He described students as having a “courageous, determined, and innovative spirit we encourage in all our students.”

This fall, FSU welcomed its most academically talented freshman class ever after receiving about 75,000 applications for around 6,000 spots. And the retention rate — which measures the number of first-year students who return for their second year — reached 96% for the first-time in FSU history. This ranks the university sixth among public universities, along with Berkeley and UNC-Chapel Hill. 

In addition, FSU achieved a record 4-year graduation rate — 75% of FSU students earn their degree in 4 years or less, which places the university among the Top 10 universities in the country. 
 

“FSU could not have achieved this level of success without the passion, support, and enthusiasm of our loyal alumni — including many of you in this room,” McCullough said. 

He went on to describe meeting promising students at the Collegiate School during his visit, and he noted the opportunity to meet with Bay District Schools and Gulf Coast State College leaders, Superintendent Mark McQueen and GCSC President Glen McDonald. McCullough discussed the Early Childhood Autism Program, where students from across the country are working toward graduate degrees in Applied Behavioral Analysis while making a difference in the lives of children.

“This program is making a big impact, and we are exploring ways to integrate it into our FSU Health initiative,” he added. “I talked a lot about FSU Health at this dinner last year, and I’m happy about the progress we are making. This bold initiative will have a presence here through our partnership with Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and the St. Joe Company.”

Just south of the Margaritaville development on State 79 in West Bay, a new medical center is under construction. This medical campus will provide opportunities for FSU researchers focused on aging and digital health, as well as residency programs and clinical rotations for medical students.

Another burgeoning FSU-led initiative in Northwest Florida is the InSPIRE Project — the Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research and Education. This proposed institute will be located at FSU-Panama City, with operations within or near the Northwest Florida Beaches Airport and the adjacent Venture Crossings technology park. FSU is seeking funding from Triumph Gulf Coast to help support the InSPIRE project, which focuses on advanced manufacturing and aerospace research in Bay County. 

“I see InSPIRE significantly increasing the number of students at FSU PC, especially in engineering,” McCullough said. “And by the way, FSU PC engineering students are amazing. I was so impressed that a group of FSU PC engineering students won the top prize — $10,000 — in the inNOLEvation challenge a couple of years ago for their business venture. Their business, Chaos Audio, is based here in Panama City and is now mass producing a wireless, all-in-one, multi-tool guitar pedal that they developed.”

McCullough said he had turned to the guitar during the COVID-19 lockdowns and looked forward to some day getting his hands on one of their pedals.

He was surprised by members of Chaos Audio, who were in the audience, presenting him with their latest model. 

“This entire region is undergoing an incredible transformation, and I want you to know that I’m passionate about the role FSU plays. I’m committed to continuing our contributions to the success and well-being of Northwest Florida,” McCullough said. “Together, we are lifting Florida State University and Northwest Florida even higher.”

DEAN’S CHALLENGE
Dean Randy Hanna closed the evening’s events with a challenge to everyone in the room — alumni, faculty and staff, donors and supporters alike.

“When I became Dean of FSU Panama City in 2016, I asked our faculty to be mindful not to place self-imposed limits in front of themselves or our campus,” Hanna said. “I’m proud to say that our faculty and staff embraced that goal, and the results are clear: the expanded ECAP clinic, the first doctoral program in Nurse Anesthesia Practice, the CSI program, The Collegiate School, OLLI at FSU PC/30A, the Estuary Program and ASCENT. We have new graduate programs in systems engineering, law enforcement intelligence and organizational management and communication. Not to mention, personalized advising, new student housing, and an increase in graduate enrollment.”

Hanna noted that the FSU PC Promise Scholarship has ensured adequate financial resources for those students who need it. “We believe all high achieving students in Northwest Florida should have the opportunity to earn a degree from a preeminent state institution regardless of financial limitations. We need them to know there is a place for them at FSU PC,” he said.

The Promise Scholarship includes the provisions that FSU PC promises to be their partner; to prepare them with critical thinking skills, the importance of being involved in their community, and a lifelong love of learning; and finally, to remove financial barriers—and that FSU PC will always be their home.

“This year, I asked our faculty and staff to go a step further. I don’t know who said this first, but Canadian writer Robin Sharma has been quoted as saying: ‘If people are not laughing at your dreams, then your dreams are not big enough.’ I want our faculty, staff and students to dream big, and I urge you as alumni and friends to join us in dreaming big.”

Hanna asked for additional support for students, endowed professorships to retain and attract top quality faculty, and an Excellence fund to develop innovative programs that meet the needs of the area.

“Dream that every student or visitor who walks through our doors knows they are important to us,” he said. “Dream that our programs expand, and we build related programs. Dream about how we can focus on research, while still growing our ability to teach and mentor more students. Dream that we all help carry out the FSU PC Promise every day and students graduate from here knowing that all aspects of that promise have been met.”

And he continued with a challenge: “I challenge all of us to dream big for our students, for FSU Panama City and for our community and region. When we share our dreams with others, let’s make them laugh at our audacity. And let’s have the last laugh, as we make those dreams come true. Let’s dream big—together.”