PCC Student Wins Two Meteorology Scholarships

05/26/2009: The forecast for Andy Hazelton of Lakeland looks doubly bright. The Polk Community College student has won two meteorology scholarships. He recently received a $1,000 scholarship from Bay News 9 and a two-year $5,000 scholarship from the American Meteorological Society.

Hazelton is majoring in Astronomy/Atmospheric Science and Meteorology at PCC. He expects to graduate after the summer term and will be attending Florida State University in the fall, majoring in Meteorology. PCC Physics Professor Bruce Dubendorff raved about Hazelton. “He is one of the best students I have ever had in physics,” Dubendorff said.

Hazelton says he has been interested in meteorology since he was five or six years old. “I was particularly interested in hurricanes and severe weather in Florida,” he said. He studied weather on his own, reading a variety of books on the subject. He is excited to be pursuing his studies at PCC and looks forward to going to FSU.

“It’s an honor to receive these scholarships,” he said. “I’m very excited. There is a lot of expense related to attending college-- room, books, in addition to tuition -- and I won’t have to worry about finances.” Hazelton’s goal is to do research for the National Weather Service.