/ stpetersburgcollege
A group of St. Petersburg College video production students have teamed up with local PBS affiliate WEDU to produce and air a 30-minute television documentary about the man credited with pioneering the commercial aviation industry.
The program, "Tony Jannus: American Aviator," will air Thursday, July 15 at 8:30 p.m. on WEDU. It shows how the trillion dollar commercial aviation industry started from the purchase of one ticket for a flight on the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line airplane piloted by Tony Jannus.
"I hope that the audience gets a sense of what a daring and intelligent person it took to be a pilot in those early days, and how St. Petersburg is really the birthplace of scheduled passenger airline service," said Executive Producer Michael Johnson. "It's a huge benefit to the local community. Knowing our own history and where we fit in the world-it's a sense of pride and of belonging."
The documentary explores five themes: Aviation firsts, Jannus the pilot, St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line, Tony Jannus' legacy & Today and tomorrow.
"We are, as an organization, committed to providing local content to the communities that we serve and reach 16 counties in Central Florida through our public television station," said Jack Conely, Vice President of Content for WEDU, West Central Florida's primary PBS television station. "This sort of content is relevant locally, and we feel like we're providing an opportunity to the students here in the media arts program to provide them with a real world type experience and give them something that they can have for their resume going forward."
Besides the July 15 airing of the documentary, an encore showing is planned for July 18 at 2:30 p.m. The program also will be available online at www.wedu.org.
About St. Petersburg College:
In 1927, St. Petersburg College (then known as St. Petersburg Junior College) became Florida's first private, non-profit, two-year school of higher learning located in downtown St. Petersburg. Full accreditation followed in 1931 and in 1948 SPC became a public college.
In June 2001, SPJC officially became St. Petersburg College when Florida's governor signed legislation making it the first community college in Florida to offer four-year degrees. On Dec. 11, 2001, the college received the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' accreditation to offer courses leading to bachelor's degrees.
In 2002, St. Petersburg College began offering courses leading to bachelor's degrees in Education, Nursing and Technology Management. The college's commitment to its two-year curriculum, which has earned it wide recognition and annually wins it high national rankings, remains as strong as ever.
Today, SPC has eight learning sites throughout Pinellas County and recently became the first college in Florida to offer a four-year degree in Dental Hygiene. This program's offerings augment its two-year program, which has been in operation since 1963. SPC added four-year degrees in Veterinary Technology, Public Safety Administration and Orthotics and Prosthetics in 2005.
College Accreditation
St. Petersburg College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associates degrees and to offer courses leading to bachelor's degrees in the following areas: Banking, Nursing, Business Administration, Orthotics & Prosthetics, Elementary/Secondary Education, Paralegal Studies. Educational Studies. Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification. Dental Hygiene. Public Safety Administration. Health Services Administration. Sustainability Management. International Business. Technology Management. Management & Organizational Leadership. Veterinary Technology.

SPC also offers access to junior and senior level courses for bachelors and graduate degrees at the University Partnership Center. The UPC partners with the University of South Florida, University of South Florida at St. Petersburg, Eckerd College, University of Florida, Florida State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Central Florida, Florida International University, Florida A&M University, Saint Leo University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Institute of Technology, Barry University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Indiana University, and St. Petersburg College.