SCHOLAR
SPOTLIGHT : CELYSE DAHDAL
Hometown : Tampa , Florida Samuel & Muirene Wilke Memorial Scholarship and Edward K . Roberts Scholarship
What influenced your decision to attend PHSC ? My original plan was to attend Hillsborough Community College ( HCC ), as I was zoned in Hillsborough County for most of my life and my parents went to HCC for their Associates in Arts . Somehow my plan didn ’ t work out , but everything happens for a reason . Attending PHSC has opened a lot of doors for me and allowed me to experience many things I never imagined myself being a part of .
What are you studying ? Currently , I am working on my AA and plan to major in business . Although this is my major , I don ’ t see myself only working in this field . I want to continue being involved in the community and serving in leadership roles . Working with others brings out the best in me .
What is your fondest PHSC memory ? There have been so many great memories it ’ s hard to pick just one . One of my best memories has to be the annual Thanksgiving dinner at Porter Campus . I came to PHSC in 2020 , so I started off all online because no classes were being held in person due to the pandemic . When I attended in person the next academic year , I had multiple people tell me about the liveliness that filled the campus , all the activities , study groups that took place , and so much more . The Student Life Coordinator at the time , Laura Raposa , first brought up the Thanksgiving dinner at an SGA meeting and asked if we were interested in starting it back up and with enough support , we went through with it . The day the Thanksgiving dinner took place , the conference center I usually saw empty filled up slowly with students , administration , faculty and staff . So many of the people I spoke to mentioned this event being something that they missed . Some of them didn ’ t have a Thanksgiving dinner planned at all . Some of them were there for a break . Some of them were too shy to get involved and were only there because their teacher gave them extra credit , but once they were there , they slowly broke out of their shells . Some of them even came to more events after . I remember seeing everyone mingling , eating food and smiling , and each took away a memory . Without the people , this world is just a space . The people and the energy a community brings are what makes a difference in people ’ s lives .
Is there someone at PHSC that you admire and why ? When I think of PHSC , I think about the people , never just the school itself . Throughout the two years I ’ ve been a student here , there have been countless individuals that have made their mark on me . John Fey , Laura Raposa , Dealaney Allen and Markisha Clark are some of the few . I knew I could always count on them . I grew a sense of belief in myself over time because of them . Before PHSC , I hadn ’ t experienced an open , inviting environment where you feel you and your word matter . If I had to pick just one person I find admirable , it would be Dr . Kevin O ’ Farrell , the former Provost of Porter Campus . The first time I met Dr . O ’ Farrell , Laura Raposa introduced me to him , and it was as if he wasn ’ t a stranger . I remember him being this fire of energy in the room . No matter who it was , he was someone who always took the time to listen and be there in the moment . He made those around him feel like they mattered . Being around him and seeing how he assessed situations made me want to do better . One of my favorite things he always said is , “ The best is yet to come . If you think the best is back there , then you ’ re down the wrong path .” To me , that is a sign of hope . No matter what state of mind you ’ re in right now , good , bad , amazing , there is always better coming . I remember talking to him once about a speaking opportunity for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Instructional Performing Arts Center . We crossed paths a few days after , and he told me he had been thinking about what we spoke about . He said , “ It ’ s never about the title ; it ’ s about the character of the person behind the title .” Often , we see a title and think it ’ s everything . We forget about the person and realize it ’ s the person who makes the title . The title didn ’ t make you . Every day , no matter what we ’ re doing , we have the opportunity to sharpen our character and skills . Dr . O ’ Farrell , to me , is the definition of making this one life count .
What did receiving this PHSC Foundation scholarship mean to you ? Education can open so many doors , and statistically , it improves a person ’ s life . Although , it often comes with a cost . As students , if you don ’ t have money set aside , options to pay for college may be limited , and scholarships provide the opportunity for support . I am not someone who can pay for school out of pocket , and I am not eligible
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