By Priya Larson and Jayney Sechler

On August 31, 2017, the word of the day was “WOW”! This day marked the grand opening of the Women on the Way (WOW) center at the St. Petersburg College Tarpon Springs campus. Coordinators from every campus came to celebrate this big day at Tarpon, and several people, both men and women, applied to be a part of the WOW family that day.

Shirley Crumbley, WOW program coordinator, attended the event. She stated that WOW is “outstanding and awesome because they are giving back to women in our program.” At the event, attendees could browse stylish clothes that might be used for an interview, going out on a girl’s night, or just for fun! Lindsey Bauer, who attended the grand opening, said, “I love the concept of the WOW organization because it is just a positive reminder that everyone can succeed.”

WOW is an organization designed to help anyone, but primarily female students, succeed in college. This organization was founded in 1981 by Maria Nieves Edmonds, along with Dr. Vilma Zalupski, at the St. Petersburg College Clearwater campus. The organization has continued to help women succeed in college by assisting with scholarship applications, time management, textbook needs, career advising, and more!

The mission of the club is to help any SPC student, women or men, succeed in college.  When entering the WOW center at the Tarpon Campus Alpha building, Room 401, members are greeted by a program coordinator. Coordinator, Mrs. Rosa, showed students what the club has to offer its members. In this space, Mrs. Rosa provides snacks and beverages, school supplies, and educational support. This educational support includes class advice, scholarship opportunities, and related services. Coordinators help members set and reach college or career related goals.

Members find WOW club to be very beneficial to their futures. Scholarship recipient, Brittany Griggs, says she loves how the organization “gives back to women who can relate”.  Requirements to join the club are minimal—one needs to be attending a St. Petersburg College campus and complete the “MyLearningPlan” (which is a plan of one’s future class schedule and can be done on the SPC website in “My SPC”). It is strongly encouraged that every SPC student stop in at their nearest WOW center and apply today.

The Women on the Way organization is available on every St. Petersburg Campus, and if one is a part of WOW on one campus, he or she is a part of WOW on every campus. On the Clearwater Campus, WOW is in the Social Science Building, Room 107, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4pm. At the Midtown campus, WOW is in Room MT 102, available Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 5pm and on Friday from 8:30 am to 2pm. On SPC’s Tarpon Springs campus, WOW is in the Alpha building, Room 401 available Monday from 9am to 6pm, Tuesday to Thursday from 8:30am to 5pm, and on Fridays from 8:30am to 12:00pm.  

For further information, check: https://go.spcollege.edu/wow/.