College History

For more than 90 years, Florida’s first public community college has served as a pathway to success for students in Palm Beach County. Palm Beach State College has shaped generations of leaders, equipping graduates with the skills to succeed in their careers and give back to their communities. Our alumni make an impact across business, finance, technology, public service, health care, law, criminal justice, and more.

Founded on Nov. 14, 1933, Palm Beach Junior College became Florida’s first public community college. The College welcomed 41 students in its opening class. Classes were held in a Mediterranean Revival building in West Palm Beach, now known as the Count and Countess DeHoernle Historic Building.

The College's first dean, Howell L. Watkins, co-founded the College with Joe Youngblood, superintendent of schools for Palm Beach County. They founded the College after civic organizations and local citizens lobbied the County Board of Public Instruction to open a two-year public college for the area's high school graduates who could not find employment during the Great Depression and couldn't afford to leave home to attend a university.

John I. Leonard became the first president in 1936. Leonard was affectionately known as "Mr. Junior College" because of his dedication to the students, the College and the two-year college system.

The very same year, Charlotte Cross, Frank Kamiyo, and Virginia Cunningham proudly became the College's first graduates.

In 1948, growing enrollment led the College to relocate to Morrison Field, a former Army-Air Force base that later became Palm Beach International Airport. By 1956, the College established its first permanent home on 114 acres in Lake Worth, beside Lake Osborne — a campus that remains the College’s largest and most active today. Under the leadership of Harold C. Manor, Ph.D., who became president in 1958, the College experienced remarkable growth in enrollment, programs, and services, expanding to include a wide range of technical and vocational offerings.

In 1965, the state legislature mandated the merger of Black and white two-year colleges, uniting Palm Beach Junior College and Roosevelt Junior College into one institution. The College continued to grow, opening a second campus in Belle Glade in 1978 to serve the western communities of Palm Beach County, followed by campuses in Palm Beach Gardens (1980) and Boca Raton (1983). Under the leadership of Edward M. Eissey, Ph.D., who served as the College's third president from 1978 to 1996, the College underwent tremendous growth. In 1988, it was renamed Palm Beach Community College to better reflect the expanding scope of its programs and services.

Dr. Dennis P. Gallon became Palm Beach State College’s fourth president in 1997, ushering in a new era of growth. During his tenure, the College expanded workforce training, modernized technology, advanced distance learning, and built strong community partnerships. In 2008, the State Board of Education approved the College’s first bachelor’s degree—a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management—prompting the transition to Palm Beach State College to reflect its broadened academic mission.

Ava L. Parker, J.D., became Palm Beach State College’s first woman president, guiding the institution into a new era of innovation and growth. Under her leadership, PBSC has become a leader in STEM education, with emphasis on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and engineering technology, while bringing advanced technologies into the classroom. She also oversaw the opening of the College’s fifth campus in Loxahatchee Groves in 2017 and the launch of its first fully online degree — an Associate in Arts in Business — in 2018.

Palm Beach State College’s history is further chronicled in our College Archives, providing a comprehensive look at its development.