The walls of PHSC’s Instructional Performing Arts Center will ring forth with the cadence of live music 6 p.m. September 9, when–in honor of 50th Anniversary of Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC)–the PHSC Foundation is hosting a VIP Fundraiser with a goal of raising at least $1 million to help students with scholarships. PHSC’s new Instructional Performing Arts Center is located at 8657 Old Pasco Rd. in Wesley Chapel.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, the PHSC Foundation set a record of nearly 950 students with $1.2 million in scholarship funding–a record they hope to break with this year’s festivity, the only public fund-raiser of the season and one that claims as a presenting sponsor the Musunuru Family/Rao Musunuru, M.D.
“We give every student the opportunity to apply for a scholarship,” said Lisa Richardson, Ed.D., associate vice president of alumni and college relations/executive director of the PHSC Foundation. “We can never have enough in scholarship funding.”
As they support the scholarship fund, guests will enjoy a live music performance featuring a chorus of lovely piano music.
“It’s a wonderful event,” said Richardson. “The stage of the beautiful IPAC will resound with performances.”
It seems appropriate that the evening’s entertainment will be performed by young musicians, in single performances and duets. They are Adaline Burgess (age 7, piano solo), Addysan Monbarren (age 7, piano solo–and the granddaughter of Senator Wilton Simpson – a PHSC Distinguished Alum), Addysan Monbarren,7, and Bailey Bardin, 16 (piano duet), Kasey Lang and Connor Harrie (ages 17 and 16, piano duet). Performing in groups will be the Patel Conservatory Showstopper Broadway intensive cast, the Wiregrass Ranch High School string quartet, the Cypress Creek Conservatory of Music band.
“It’s all to benefit the students,” said Richardson. “And we can showcase our beautiful performing arts center.”
PHSC’s Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC), reads an informational page found, “provides students state-of-the art learning in the performing arts. The IPAC offers four Associate of Arts (AA) performing arts curriculum pathways for students who plan to transfer to a Florida public university to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Dance, Theatre or Music….The facility offers 35,947 gross square feet inclusive of a 444-seat auditorium with accompanying stage and backstage areas, a large lobby, three studio classrooms, one general purpose classroom, three computer laboratories, a video production studio, faculty and staff offices, and a conference room. Architectural, acoustic and visual design and technology provides the proper environment necessary for outstanding instruction and learning in the performing arts.”
The event itself, says Richardson, reflects the passion for education displayed by Rao Musunuru, M.D., who has been serving as a member of the District Board of Trustees for PHSC for the past 22 years.
“This is all about the passion of Dr. Musunuru,” she said. “He uses his time, talent and treasures to instill confidence in the future… And this presentation will honor and showcase the talents of young people.”
In addition, every guest will receive a copy of a colorful booklet that recognizes all event sponsors.
Under Dr. Musunuru’s guidance, the event is planned to optimize health and safety.
“He has requested that masks be worn, and–in a facility of more than 400 seats–only 200 people will be allowed. Dinner and drinks will not be served, although a special treat will be brought out. Temperatures will be checked for all guests,” said Richardson. “We absolutely will follow the best protocol.”
Tickets for the VIP Fundraiser start at $500, with sponsorships starting at $2500. For more information about tickets and sponsorship levels, visit PhSC.edu/VIP-fundraiser. Or contact Lisa Richardson, Ed.D., associate vice president of alumni and college relations/executive director of the PHSC Foundation, at [email protected] or 727-816-3410.
“As with everything we do at this school,” said Richardson. “We aim with this event to transform lives to invest in tomorrow.”
