Palm Beach State College welcomed more than 300 guests for a celebratory night of dinner and dancing at its second Emerald Torch Awards Gala held Saturday, Nov. 16 at the Lake Worth campus. The sold-out event was hosted by mistress of ceremonies and WPTV news anchor Hollani Davis to recognize the school’s legacy, raise funds for student scholarships, and honor alumni and other leaders who strengthen the community.
Attendees included PBSC President Ava Parker, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and CEO of the Foundation for PBSC David Rutherford, Congresswoman Lois Frankel, State Rep. Anne Gerwig, many municipal and county officials, members of the PBSC district board of trustees, foundation board members, donors and friends of the college.
Those in attendance got an up-close look at the new Panther Plaza at the Lake Worth campus, which featured an iconic panther sculpture and a three-dimensional animated Welcome Cube, displaying four screens of PBSC pride.
Parker said the new technology prominently displayed on the campus points to the college’s future of leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to grow Palm Beach County’s workforce. Based on a recent economic impact study, PBSC contributes 1.4 billion and supports 18,187 jobs in the county.
Five outstanding alumni and community leaders were recognized.
The signature award of the night, the Lifetime Achievement Award, was given to philanthropists Danielle Moore, the current mayor of the Town of Palm Beach, and her mother Lesly Smith, the former mayor, who together carry on the legacy of the Mary Alice Fortin Foundation, a family foundation started in the 1950s by Moore’s grandfather, oilman Philip N. Fortin. Moore is the foundation’s president, and Smith is its vice president. It has supported PBSC with scholarships for decades.
The college also presented Emerald Torch Awards to: alumnus Harold Caudio, an accomplished mixed-media artist and designer; alumna Julie Kime, a philanthropist and board member for the Foundation for PBSC and the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club; and alumnus Bill Yeargin, CEO of Correct Craft and author of six books.
For more info., visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/torchawards.
