100 years of Titan Pride Hits the Road with New SPC Specialty License Plate

As St. Petersburg College prepares to celebrate a century of changing lives, Titan pride is getting ready to hit the road.

For the first time in the College’s nearly 100-year history, Florida drivers can put SPC on their license plates while helping fund scholarships, emerging technology and workforce programs for the next generation of Titans.

The new specialty plate marks a legislative milestone for SPC. Through the efforts of Melissa Gonzalez, Associate Vice President of Government Relations & Strategic Priorities, and the support of legislative partners, the College successfully advanced legislation authorizing its first specialty license plate.

Approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis on April 10, 2026, the legislation took effect Oct. 1 and authorized specialty plates for organizations and institutions including Miami Dade College, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

The SPC plate will feature an SPC Titan in blue and gold, with “Florida” across the top and “St. Petersburg College” along the bottom.

“This is about so much more than putting our name on a license plate,” said Dr. Tonjua Williams, President of St. Petersburg College. “Every SPC plate on the road will represent nearly 100 years of opportunity, transformation and community. Even more importantly, it will help create those same opportunities for the students who will carry SPC into its next century.”

One plate. One investment. Generations of opportunity.

Beyond celebrating College pride, the specialty plate establishes an ongoing funding source that can support SPC students for generations.

Annual use fees will benefit the St. Petersburg College Foundation, with 40% dedicated to scholarships for students in need and 50% supporting student-success initiatives, particularly emerging technologies and workforce development programs that prepare students for high-demand careers. Up to 10% may be used for administrative costs related to promoting and marketing the plate. This means that every license plate purchased or renewed becomes more than an expression of college pride. It becomes an investment in educational opportunities, workforce readiness and the future of our community.

Unlike a one-time grant or appropriation, the specialty plate creates an opportunity for recurring support through purchases and annual renewals. As more alumni, employees and community supporters participate, the funding has the potential to grow, helping SPC expand educational opportunities year after year. It creates the foundation for a legacy of giving that grows with each generation of Titans.

“As both an SPC alumna and someone who now has the privilege of raising support for our students, seeing SPC represented on Florida roads is incredibly special,” said Denise Godfrey, Executive Director of Development for SPC’s Foundation. “This license plate is more than a way to show your Titan pride — it’s another way to invest in our students and the opportunities that can change their lives. As we approach SPC’s 100th anniversary, I love knowing that Titans everywhere can proudly celebrate where we’ve been while helping support where we’re going next.”

The long-term impact could reach far beyond the classroom. Scholarship recipients may go on to become nurses, teachers, first responders, entrepreneurs and community leaders, strengthening the Tampa Bay workforce and the communities SPC serves.

The specialty plate arrives as SPC prepares for one of the biggest milestones in its history. Founded in 1927 as St. Petersburg Junior College, the institution will celebrate its centennial in 2027.

The College’s history includes the history of Gibbs Junior College, founded in 1957 to serve Black students. Gibbs merged with St. Petersburg Junior College in 1965, becoming an important part of SPC’s history and its longstanding commitment to expanding access to higher education.

Today, SPC continues that mission by connecting students with affordable education, workforce credentials and pathways to careers across the Tampa Bay region.

Taking Titan pride on the road

The new plate gives SPC alumni and supporters a visible way to celebrate their connection to the College while making a lasting investment in its future.

SPC unveiled a prototype of the specialty plate during SPC Day on Sept. 12 at the Midtown Center in South St. Petersburg, where generations of Titans gathered to celebrate the College’s 99th anniversary.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is responsible for producing the plate using the approved design. Under Florida law, newly authorized specialty plates must go through several steps before becoming available to the public. The SPC specialty plate is expected to be available for online ordering in November, followed by availability at motor vehicle service centers across Florida in December.

“We hope to see these plates everywhere,” said Dr. Williams. “Every plate holder will be telling a little piece of the SPC story while helping another student write theirs.”

As SPC approaches its 100th anniversary, the specialty plate connects nearly a century of educational opportunity with a sustainable investment in the students who will shape its next 100 years.