Volume 11 - February 2017
IN THIS ISSUE
Spotlights
Gulf Coast State College Hosts Girls' Day of Engineering
Hosted in conjucntion with National Engineers Week, GCSC put on an event held in their Advanced Technology Center designed to provide girls in the community the hands-on opportunity to learn about STEM careers, such as Engineering, Cybersecurity, 3D Printing, and more. 
SkillsUSA to be Hosted Once Again at Pensacola State College
The Region 1 Competition began o February 21st and more than 300 high school and college students from Pensacola to Tallahassee are expected to compete. The competitions are based on leadership, service and technical fields such as cybersecurity or health occupations.
Message from Chancellor Madeline Pumariega
In his column America's Great Working-Class Colleges, David  Leonhardt, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for the New York Times, writes that public colleges are engines of social mobility because they serve many more students than elite universities, that many of their graduates are doing well financially upon graduation and, further that public colleges serve low-income or at-risk students which makes the outcomes all the more noteworthy and significant.  
 
The Florida College System is the pathway to social mobility with affordable and accessible educational programs. Our open-access mission democratizes education for large numbers of minority and low-income Floridians. We offer a high-quality, affordable education to students. Our Florida College System institutions consistently top every list of national rankings. Considering our outstanding accomplishments, funding is important as the System could do more to fill the 250,000 job openings with resources targeted to growing emerging and undersupplied workforce programs. We hold tuition low to make college affordable and keep students out of debt. At a time when student debt is a crisis in our nation, only 24% of FCS students borrow, with an average amount of $5,900.
 
Beyond enrolling students, our System ensures each student receives a high-quality education, as noted by the fact that our graduates do so well on post-college outcomes. Half of our performance funding measures are focused on two important outcomes: job placement/continuing education and entry level wages. In both cases our colleges do exceedingly well.
 
As Florida develops a cadre of elite universities, enrollment of first-time-in-college students in the State Universities System (SUS) has remained relatively unchanged over the past decade.  At the same time, for every one Floridian the SUS enrolled as a first-time-in-college student, the FCS enrolled ten.[1]
 
We are dedicated to making the FCS the best in the nation.  Our institutions strive to improve higher education and support students throughout their educational journey, these colleges continue to be the great dream drivers, propelling students to the middle-class life and beyond where they may lead happy, healthy, and productive lives.

[1] Staff analysis of IPEDS data suggest FTIC fall enrollment in the State University System of Florida increased by 1,775 FTIC students, from 31,700 to 38,875 students, while also adding Florida Polytechnic University and the University of Florida Online.  Over the same time period, FCS institution FTIC enrollment grew from 63,848 to 81,466 - an increase of 17,618 students.
Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar  Student of the Month 
Ania Bang has been selected as the February Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar Student of the Month. 

Ania is a student at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) enrolled in the Physical Therapy Assistant program. In 2015-16, the Physical Therapy Assistant program had a 100% graduation rate.  Over 100 applicants apply for a  prized spot in the program with only 30 students selected each year. Ania was selected into the program as the top-ranking student. 

She excels in her studies and is currently ranked as an academic leader in her class. She is recognized by her instructors as a leader who helps her peers succeed. The Instructional Program Manager, Dr. Sean McClafferty, boasts she goes "above and beyond" during study groups. 

As an active member in the community, Ania has one of the highest volunteer hours at FSCJ's newly-opened pro bono clinic. She is a leader in her Service Learning and Community Outreach programs throughout Jacksonville and St. Augustine, as well as among her classmates at FSCJ. 
Faculty and Administrators: Nominate a Student to be the Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar Student of the Month
Nominations for the Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar Student of the Month are open. If you know a student who demonstrates exemplary leadership skills, academic success, and/or commitment to community service through their involvement in the Florida College System, nominate them today!
Valencia College Hosts Civil Rights Activist, Minnijean Brown Trickey, One of the "Little Rock Nine"
Minnijean Brown Trickey talked about the importance of fighting injustices through nonviolence by turning anger into productive action.
 
Many know the story of the courage and strength of the Little Rock Nine, the nine teenagers who faced angry mobs of white supremacists, the governor of Arizona, and the state's national guard to integrate Little Rock Central High School in 1957 after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling a few years before. 
 
As a part of their Black History Month celebration, Valencia College hosted Minnijean Brown Trickey, one of the nine and current civil rights activist. She received a standing ovation from the audience as she made her way on stage and shared her story with students and community members.    

In an interview with ValenciaVoice, Trickey notes some of the values of her story are about persistence and how young people are thoughtful and capable of effecting change. She encouraged the Valencia students to continue to push through matters of oppression and inequality because she believes everyone has an opportunity to make a difference in history, just as she has. 
Embracing Access and Diversity
The Florida College System (FCS) enrolls a diverse student population.
 
For the 2014-15 academic year, the FCS enrolled large proportions of prior year high school graduates who identified as black or Hispanic, providing an important starting point for earning a degree or certificate. Among prior year high school graduates who are Hispanic and who entered the postsecondary sector, 72.5 percent (18,360) enrolled in a FCS institution. Of the 2013-14 black high school graduates who continued their education at a college, university, or technical center, 68 percent (11,564) entered the FCS in 2014-15. The proportion of white (25,079) and "other" minority (3,243) high school students who enrolled in a Florida college after high school graduation was 57.6 percent and 53.6 percent, respectively.
 
According to Community College Week's "Top 100 Associate Degree Producers," eleven FCS institutions placed in the top 100 colleges in the nation for the number of associate degrees awarded to African American students while eight colleges ranked on the top 100 list for associate degrees awarded to Hispanic students. Overall, eleven of the 28 colleges placed among the top 100 colleges nationwide for the number of associate degrees awarded to minority students. The Florida College System is prepared to serve the state's growing higher education needs.
Chancellor Pumariega speaks with student leaders
Chancellor Madeline Pumariega had the opportunity to share her journey with Palm Beach State College students while they were in town for Florida College System Student Government Association Rally in Tally.
 
She spoke with students about the opportunities in Florida to continue their education and earn a degree that leads to a job. She emphasized the Florida College System (FCS) remains dedicated to providing a high-quality affordable education for all Floridians.

"The American dream is built on the values of our Florida College System, on the belief that everybody is given an opportunity can succeed with the intentionality to make sure that we get students across the finish line, there is not a system that I am more proud to be its Chancellor and champion it every single day. I am proud to be on this journey with all of you, and I expect that this next year we will have the kind of success that we have put in place," said Chancellor Pumariega.
Rally in Tally: Student Government leaders from across the state gather in Tallahassee
Representing the 800,000 students from Florida's 28 Colleges, the Florida College System Student Government Association attended Rally in Tally to make its voice heard at the Capitol. With a wide ranging legislative platform, more than 280 students came to Tallahassee to share their views on college affordability, safety and security and veterans initiatives. Beginning their day on the 22nd floor of the Capitol, Chancellor Pumariega spoke to the group about the importance of their work. Chancellor praised the students for being engaged and adding a face with personal stories to the important mission of the Florida College System. The group's legislative platform stands firm in support and opposition to bills being discussed in committees. The students advocated for  as well as shared concerns regarding guns on campus legislation. Bright red, white and blue signs in hand showed support of House Bill 155, providing Bright Futures funding for Florida College System students who attend classes during the summer semester as well as HB 186 or any bill that allows postsecondary access and textbook affordability.
Florida College System promotes understanding, diversity
 
The Chancellor of the Florida College System (FCS), Madeline Pumariega, is proud of the open access mission of the colleges and recognizes how an education can change a life. "Black history month honors courageous men and women who have created pathways through education to successful careers. The early leaders in the Florida College System established institutions which led to opportunity. This month we take the time to appreciate those who led the charge in Florida to provide opportunities and access for all."
 
Read more about how the FCS promotes understanding and diversity in this article.
Tallahassee Community College's Wakulla Environmental Institute
TCC's prized Wakulla Environmental Institute (WEI) opened just last year on 158 acres of bio-diverse  land in Wakulla County. In 2012, Governor Rick Scott allocated $4.5 million dollars for the project in Florida's budget, and a year later, the US Department of Commerce's Economic  Development Administration granted TCC an additional $1.5 million to contribute to its construction.

The WEI serves to fulfill a three part mission: education, conservation and recreation "in a manner that stimulates economic development in an environmentally responsible way," according to their website. 

The first part of the mission, education, is realized through environmentally-focus degrees, certificates and programs for students and community members. These include Environmental Science Technology, Green Guide Environmental Education Program, Oyster Aquaculture Certification, and Unmanned Technology (Drone) Applications.

For their second mission, conservation, WEI boasts a state-of-the-art facility designed with the good of the environment in mind. Along with 10,000 square feet of classrooms, meeting spaces and a wet lab, the Institute features insulated concrete walls, LED light bulbs, a solar-paneled parking lot and rain collection tanks used for cooling the A/C and flushing toilets.
 
Recreation is their third mission. As WEI continues to grow, they will implement environmentally-themed recreation for both students and the community of Wakulla.