From Land to Legacy
In a moment that officially qualifies as a really big deal, Hillsborough Community College just received a $1 million gift—the largest in the school’s history—to build the Pop and Glenn Dickman Family Workforce Education Building right here at the SouthShore Campus.
The donation comes from Danita Dickman and her family foundation, who have a long track record of doing big things for our community. (These are the same Dickmans who literally donated the land the campus sits on. Yep—that ground you’re standing on? Dickman turf.)
At 51,000 square feet, the new facility will be a game-changer for SouthShore. It’s not just about bricks and beams—it’s about opportunity. The building will house HCC’s Workforce Development programs, including nursing, welding technology, and automotive collision repair. That means real-world training for real-world jobs—right here in our own backyard.
This isn’t your average classroom setup either. Students will have access to hands-on training, high-tech simulators, and state-of-the-art labs that prepare them for careers that are in-demand and close to home. Whether someone’s switching careers, graduating high school, or just looking to skill up, this new building puts more doors within reach—without ever having to cross the bridge.
And for local businesses? It’s a win, too. Employers in SouthShore and across Hillsborough have been asking for more skilled workers. Now, they’ll have a direct pipeline to homegrown talent trained right here.
So yes, this is a big deal for HCC. But it’s an even bigger deal for SouthShore—because it means more jobs, more opportunity, and more reasons to be proud of where we live.
Hats off to the Dickman family—land-givers, legacy-builders, and all-around South County superheroes.