DIGNITARIES HONORED BY RAO MUSUNURU , M . D ., AT WINTER COMMENCEMENT Pasco-Hernando State College ’ s winter commencement , held on December 14 , included presentations of two $ 10,000 donations to scholarships provided by Rao Musunuru , M . D ., chair , PHSC District Board of Trustees and renowned local cardiologist . The two scholarship donations were given to the PHSC Foundation in honor of Florida Senator Wilton Simpson and Pat Mulieri , Ed . D .
Florida Senator Wilton Simpson , speaker for the morning ceremony , was recognized for his efforts in supporting PHSC students . Dr . Musunuru contributed $ 10,000 to the Gloria and Wayne Simpson Endowed Scholarship fund that Sen . Simpson established in 2014 in honor of his parents . Sen . Simpson also was inducted into PHSC ’ s Legislative Hall of Fame , designed to recognize the distinguished members of the district ’ s legislative delegation supportive of PHSC and its open door policy .
Simpson is a 1996 PHSC alumnus and former PHSC trustee . He was elected to the senate in 2012 . In 2016 , he was appointed to serve as the Senate Majority Leader of the Republican Caucus .
From left : PHSC President Timothy L . Beard , Ph . D ., Patricia Mulieri , Ed . D , PHSC Professor Emerita , and Rao Musunuru , M . D ., PHSC Chair , District Board of Trustees .
Patricia Mulieri , Ed . D ., PHSC Professor Emerita and the afternoon commencement ceremony speaker , also was recognized for her dedication to PHSC and the residents of our district by Musunuru with a $ 10,000 contribution to the newly established Patricia Hans Mulieri and James Mulieri Endowed Scholarship fund . Mulieri , and her husband , James , contributed an additional $ 15,000 for a $ 25,000 total scholarship fund reserved for PHSC students , 30 years of age or older with an interest in pursuing a degree in education .
Mulieri earned Professor Emerita status after retiring from her 26-year career at the College . Elected to the Pasco County Commission in 1994 , she successfully juggled her responsibilities as a professor and her duties as commissioner until she retired from PHSC in 2005 . She served as a commissioner for 20 years .
From left : PHSC President Timothy L . Beard , Ph . D ., Senator Wilton Simpson , and Rao Musunuru , M . D ., PHSC Chair , District Board of Trustees .
22 PHSC Perspective