Mary’s Giving Fund helps high schoolers explore Palm Beach State College

About 500 local high school juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to learn more about Palm Beach State College this month thanks to the generosity of Mary’s Giving Fund.

The Fund, which was established in honor of philanthropist Mary Durstine McArtor Reynolds, gave more than $3,300 to provide bus transportation to Palm Beach State from 14 local high schools so that students can attend Explore PBSC, a recruitment event at each of PBSC’s five campuses throughout April.

“We began this project because we were impressed with all that PBSC has to offer,” said Janine Dubauskas, a good friend of Mary’s and a Mary’s Giving Fund advisory board member. “We wanted to share that with teens that might not be able to tour the campus on their own. We believe that once students see the campus in person, they will understand that education after high school is accessible, and they will start to envision themselves at PBSC.”

Dubauskas added that Mary, who was actively involved in the community, served in many positions involving children’s health and education.

“Mary would be proud of this project and the impact that it has on young adults in Palm Beach County,” Dubauskas said.

Another board member and friend of Mary’s was Dawn McMullin who added that they also decided to give to the College because of her son Matt McMullin, who was a former trade and industry program student. Palm Beach State College was where Matt learned the skills to become a welder. Dawn says he was proud and confident in his job as a welder before he was tragically killed in an accident on the interstate five years ago.

“My husband, Gary, and I established the Matt McMullin Welding Endowed Scholarship in his honor because PBSC was where he truly found himself and experienced the joy of having a career. Because of the professionalism and compassion of the College instructors, directors, and the people at the Foundation, I wanted to connect the college with Mary’s Giving Fund. This is truly where the positive impression of the College came from.”

During the event, students will have an opportunity to participate in a hands-on interactive campus tour with various departments across the College. The tour will be followed by admissions, FAFSA and dual enrollment presentations.

The next Explore PBSC events will be held April 20 at the Palm Beach Gardens campus; April 25 at the Loxahatchee Groves and Belle Glade campuses; and April 27 in Boca Raton.

“This event is more than a campus tour for our prospective students, it’s a chance for high school students to engage with our academic communities through a hands-on approach,” said College Recruitment Director Keana Roberts. “We want students to walk away saying wow, I didn’t know PBSC had a program that I was interested in, or I wasn’t thinking about college but now I am.”

The Mary Durstine McArtor Reynolds Memorial Giving Fund Inc. is a charitable organization headquartered in Tequesta, Fla. For more information about Reynolds and the fund, visit www.marysgivingfund.org.