Two new endowment scholarships at Pensacola State College have been created by longtime supporters of the College.
Ret. Army Brig. Gen. John Adams and his wife, Dr. Laura Magan, along with friends Gerry and Mitzi Goldstein, have funded an endowment to provide scholarships for students in any field of study, including certificate programs.
Also, Dave and Mary Hoxeng, owners of CatCountry 98.7 and NewsRadio 1620 AM, two popular area radio stations known for community outreach and service, have established an endowment to provide scholarships for journalism students.
Both endowments were established through the PSC Alumni Association. Adams, Gerry Goldstein and Mary Hoxeng are Alumni Association Lifetime Charter Members.
“This is great news for Pensacola State College,” Hailey Lotz, PSC Executive Director of Development of Alumni Association and Athletics. “All of these donors believe in education and they know Pensacola State College can make a difference in people’s lives.”
The donations for both endowments were augmented with matching funds from the PSC Alumni Association, which matches up to $12,500 to establish new scholarships.
Both new endowments received $12,500 in matching funds. Lotz said the PSC Alumni Association now has 16 established scholarships.
All six of the donors for the two new endowments have been longtime supporters and friends to the College.
Gerry Goldstein is a graduate of then-Pensacola Junior College and is a former member of the PSC Foundation Board of Governors and is a current member of the PSC Alumni Association board. He also launched the popular annual PSC Quail Hunt, a major fundraiser for the PSC Alumni Association’s matching funds program. That event takes place this month. Goldstein also hosts the annual PSC Quail & Pheasant Shoot in November. Lotz said each event typically generates enough funds to match another new PSC Alumni Association scholarship.
“PSC gives students the opportunity to find their path,” Goldstein said. “For me, the College gave me the opportunity to fix a bad decision of not taking my education seriously when I should have. It gives students the opportunity to advance in their education while still looking for direction.”
Goldstein is Broker/Principal of Salomon-Goldstein Properties and is a Visiting Instructor at the University of West Florida College of Business. His wife Mitzi is an agent of Salomon-Goldstein Properties and a member of the Pensacola Real Estate Association. They have two sons.
Goldstein’s friend, Brig. Gen. Adams, echoed his praise of PSC.
“PSC has so much impact and reach in our community,” he said. “I see it all the time. You can’t meet five people in the Pensacola community without at least one having graduated from the College or who have a family member who attended PSC. It has that much reach. Look at the nursing program. You go into any of our hospitals and you’re going to see nurses who graduated from PSC. This is an opportunity for us as friends and members of the community to do something to help students reach their goals.”
Adams’ wife, Dr. Laura Magan, is an internal medicine physician in Pensacola. The couple has two daughters.
The Hoxengs are well known in Pensacola for their commitment to community and have used their radio platforms to promote positive change in Pensacola. Since 2002, the Hoxengs have contributed to the President’s Circle, the Fund for Excellence, various scholarships and other PSC programs and events.
“I’m a big believer in what PSC does,” Mary Hoxeng said. “And I know how important community colleges are. For some people, community colleges are their only opportunity because they’re affordable.”
Hoxeng said the endowment that she and her husband established would help train a new generation of journalists.
“It’s a noble profession,” she said. “It’s not as glitzy as it used to be, but it’s so important. We need to be able to receive news and information that is unbiased, accurate and trustworthy. PSC is a great place for journalism students to learn and train.”
PHOTO: Mary and Dave Hoxeng.