Author, Outstanding Alumna and Professor Emerita Helen Gilbart

2/17/2017

For her exemplary service, dedication, and contributions to the SPC community, Helen Gilbart was honored as the 2014 Outstanding Alumnus and Professor Emerita in 2014.

A 1964 graduate of what was then St. Petersburg Junior College, Helen returned to the Clearwater Campus with a master’s degree in 1969 to teach composition, creative writing, western humanities and east-west synthesis.

She helmed the publication of the college’s literary magazine, The Obelisk, and is the author of three college textbooks. Her poem, Come, Voyagers, is inside the cover of every St. Petersburg College graduation program. Following her teaching career, she served the college as Program Director for Humanities, Fine Arts and Communications. 

Helen was state president of the Florida Developmental Education Association, a Project Success mentor for 20 years and served on two SPJC Self-Study Assessment committees. She also served as coordinator of the Learning Support Center for 10 years.

She has a bachelor’s degree in English, speech and journalism, and a master’s degree in education from the University of Florida. She retired form SPC in 1997 as Program Director for Humanities, Fine Arts and Communications. That same year, Helen and her late husband Don Gilbart established an endowment to provide scholarships to SPC students.

A woman of great energy and vision, Helen was a founding member of the Women on the Way program and the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art. Her spirit of adventure has also led Helen to many destinations around the globe. Recognizing the far-reaching educational value of international travel, Helen has been sponsoring Study Abroad Scholarships at SPC since 2013.

She remains actively involved with the St. Petersburg College Foundation and the Leepa-Rattner Museum.