Channing A. Sampson

2020 Winter Commencement Student Speaker

Channing A. Sampson, of Tampa, and single mother to four daughters (ages 14, 12, 11, and 4) will receive her Associate in Arts degree. A graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in 2010, Sampson attended Bethune-Cookman University, but returned home after one semester. “Although college was still a very real and an important goal, I chose to work for the State of Florida,” said Sampson. She learned the importance of education and hard work by watching her mother who held three jobs for most of Sampson’s childhood to make ends meet, but she never lacked. 

Sampson continued her education taking a class here and there, but found it challenging. In 2015, she became the primary custodian of her three nieces. Becoming a single foster parent to three children was not ideal for a 22-year-old, but Sampson was determined to keep her nieces out of the foster care system. “At that time, school seemed to be a distant dream,” said Sampson.

Knowing education was important to the success of her family, in 2016, Sampson returned to school in the fall of 2016 and took two classes for the next two semesters. Having to pay her tuition without financial help was a burden, so, Sampson took another break from school to regain financial stability.

In March 2017, Sampson officially adopted her, then, four nieces and set out to continue to build a life for her new family. With education still being the key to their success, Sampson took a position as an Administrative Assistant with PHSC’s Foundation.  She also enrolled as a PHSC student. “I plan to stay at PHSC to obtain my bachelor’s degree in supervision and management,” say Sampson. “Someday, I hope to impact businesses in my community.”