Student Profiles

Stephany Bittar made history twice in her first year of college. She came to FSU Panama City as a member of the inaugural freshman class and now has become the first underclassman president of the campus’ Student Government Council.

Adam Wendt and his family moved to Panama City because he wanted to learn from the best. Already a professional diver and scuba instructor, Wendt enrolled in FSU Panama City’s Underwater Crime Scene Investigation certificate program. Just a few months later, he and fellow divers from FSU Panama City were called on as the best to recover the body of a missing swimmer in Austin, Texas.

Brandon Harmon has become a local celebrity at FSU Panama City. Dressed in his signature Florida State jersey, Harmon has been featured on a billboard, a TV commercial and a number of campus publications. He is also a regular attendee at student meetings and campus events. Now, his legacy of Seminole pride will continue on campus through the Brandon Harmon Seminole Spirit Award, announced May 2 at Student Government Council’s Graduation Awards Banquet. Each year, the recipient will receive a plaque and a $100 scholarship through his namesake award.

Erin Wommack knows how to set herself apart from a crowd through networking and negotiation. Using techniques she learned at FSU Panama City, she is responsible for bringing tenants to the Longview Mall in Longview, Texas, as a leasing manager for Simon Property Group. Wommack earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Communication in spring 2013.

As a recent American citizen, Irvin Morales bleeds red, white and blue. As a Publix employee, he also bleeds green. Morales’ path to the “American dream” began 15 years ago, when his mother immigrated to the United States empty-handed from El Salvador. In hopes of becoming a store manager, he now is in his final semester before earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration at FSU Panama City.

When Sam E. Nole came to FSU Panama City thanks to a scholarship from the AT&T Foundation, her whole world was computer science. When she wasn’t working on a new program or learning new tricks of the trade, she would unplug and recharge her battery in a home that seemed like nothing but a box.

Since Rob Griffith saw his first computer in elementary school, he has had an affinity for technology. Now, at 40, he is completing his degree in computer engineering at Florida State University Panama City. With graduation nearing, Griffith is serving as project manager on the Wireless Portable Influence Measuring System (Wireless PIMS) for defense manufacturer Exelis Mine Defense Systems.

As a mother, Stephanie Smith knows children are fascinated with bubbles and buttons. As an engineering student, she is learning how to turn those bubbles and buttons into an interactive museum exhibit.