A former Pensacola State College student is one of the best makeup artists in the world.

Jessica Smothers, known professionally as “Jess Lee Smo,” won first place in the Avant Garde Makeup Artist of the Year category at The Skin Games held March 14-18 in Atlanta. The Skin Games is one of the largest international skincare and makeup competition and award shows. Competitors include novice makeup artists, mom-and-pop shop entrepreneurs and professionals.

Friendly, compassionate, courageous are only a few of the characteristics that friends use to described Nan Greenhut James. A retired Pensacola State College employee, James passed away on March 29 following a lengthy illness. She was a senior executive assistant at the College from October 1993 to August 2015, and worked in the Vice President of Academic Affairs office and at WSRE-TV station.

Pensacola State College has been named a 2024-2025 Gold Military Friendly® School by Viqtory Media.

This is the 15th year the College has received the Military Friendly® School title and the third consecutive year earning the gold designation in the “Large Public” school category. Over 1,800 colleges, universities and trade schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey, with 537 earning special awards for going above the standard.

The 2024 Leadership Pensacola class recently received a crash course on education – from preschool to postsecondary. Hosted by Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida, the 50 representatives of Northwest Florida businesses spent Education Day 2024 (March 7) learning about early learning, workforce education and higher education.

Longtime Pensacola State College supporter and donor Jim Reeves was recently recognized for PRIDE Enterprises. Reeves is the board chairman of PRIDE – an acronym for Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises. The 501c not-for-profit corporation was created by the Florida Legislature in 1981.