PBSC President Ava L Parker, J.D., Dr. Dennis Gallon, Trustee Wendy Link and Dean Kimberly Lancaster prepare to cut the cake at the Loxahatchee Groves campus five-year anniversary celebration.
Photo by Palm Beach State College
A celebration on May 10 marked the fifth anniversary of Palm Beach State College’s Dennis P. Gallon Loxahatchee Groves campus.
After their regular meeting, the college’s board members joined the community for an outdoor reception with music, refreshments and a speech by Dean of Academic Affairs Kimberly Lancaster, among others. She emphasized the importance of celebrating a successful five years of educational excellence and continued growth after the struggles of the pandemic the past two years.
Lancaster described the role of the college in providing education and career pathways in arts, health and computer science which will help local businesses.
“The Loxahatchee Groves campus is very important to Wellington as it not only reflects the workforce of the area, but more specifically the unique needs of the Wellington business community,” said Scott Sweigart, the president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. “As a medical hub, the talent coming out of this campus will no doubt be our future leaders and workforce in Wellington.”
Named in honor of a former Palm Beach College president, the Dennis P. Gallon Loxahatchee Groves campus opened Feb. 27, 2017, and serves more than 5,000 students per year. Gallon, who attended the celebration, shared his pride in the institution and everything it is doing to help the educational needs of the community.
Wellington Village Mayor Anne Gerwig and Loxahatchee Groves Mayor Robert Shorr expressed excitement about the expansion plans for the campus.
The current building, named after philanthropist Frank DiMino, houses classrooms, computer labs and a 250-seat lecture hall. The recent addition of a virtual anatomage lab that uses 3D technology has been added to health sciences education.
A library, made possible through the generosity of Julie and John Kime, is in the works for the third floor of the existing building.
The Loxahatchee Groves campus is the newest location of Palm Beach State College. Covering 75 acres, the campus reflects the changing educational and technological requirements of specific programs and provides onsite and remote learning.
The college partners with community organizations such as Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School to offer educational initiatives like professional development for elementary school teachers on STEAM Day (science, technology, engineering, art and math). During the fifth anniversary celebration, the college and partners reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate for the benefit of the community.
