FEATURE STORY
“ A Partnership in Progress”:
Celebrating
Years of
50 Community at PHSC
Founding visionaries of the Foundation: Harry Albertson( Left), James Kimbrough( Left Center), Milton Jones( Right Center), Wayne Cobb( Right)
1967 1972 1975 1977
1967- A Vision Takes Root The Florida Legislature founds Pasco- Hernando Community College, the 28th and final community college in the state system. |
1972- The“ College Without Walls” Opens The first classes are held for 712 students in borrowed spaces like churches and storefronts. |
1975- The Foundation is Born On June 19, the PHSC Foundation is officially established during a dinner at Guido’ s Restaurant, with James Kimbrough as its first Chairman. |
1977- A Gift of Land Rancher Alric C. T. Pottberg donates 140 acres, establishing the land for the future West Campus in New Port Richey. |
From a Visionary Idea to a Cornerstone of Student Success
The story of Pasco-Hernando State College began with a simple belief: that a community’ s future is built on its people’ s success. This vision became a reality in 1967 when the Florida Legislature founded Pasco-Hernando Community College, the final link in the state’ s community college system. When the first classes for 712 students began in the fall of 1972, founding President Milton O. Jones, Ph. D., dubbed it the“ college without walls,” as classes were held in borrowed churches and storefronts. This bootstrap approach proved the community’ s hunger for education was powerful.
Understanding that state funding alone was not enough, college leaders established the PHSC Foundation on June 19, 1975, during a dinner at Guido’ s Restaurant in Port Richey. Spearheaded by Jones, Foundation Chairman James Kimbrough and Board of Trustees Chairman Wayne Cobb, its mission was to seek private
support for scholarships and programs. The Foundation was designed to be the engine that would fuel the College’ s journey from functional to exceptional, raising nearly $ 36,000 in its first two years.
The Foundation’ s impact was immediate. In 1977, rancher Alric C. T. Pottberg donated 140 acres for the West Campus, a powerful testament to community philanthropy. The Foundation also became a strategic partner in workforce development, raising $ 250,000 with the West Pasco Dental Association to launch a dental hygiene program that now serves over 500 patients annually in its community clinic. This momentum was propelled by key partners, from local banks in the early years to cornerstones like Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Suncoast Credit Union and the Hernando Healthcare Foundation, who have invested millions in capital projects, student wellness and vital health care programs.
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