October 2017
IN THIS ISSUE
Spotlights







Message from Chancellor Madeline Pumariega
In 2017, the  Aspen Institute named the top 150 colleges
eligible to compete for the coveted 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Once again, 14 of our 28 colleges were recognized for high achievement and performance among the top 150. The Aspen Institute allows for not more than half of institutions in each state to compete. I know that all of our colleges are nationally recognized for excellence and innovation.

Florida has a long tradition of excellence in higher education. The U.S. News and World Report named Florida as the number one state for higher education. This is a result of the hard work, success and excellence  within our system. Our colleges are  continuously
building  on student success. 

Just recently, I had the opportunity to join five of our colleges for the National Guided Pathways Conference. Our colleges along with 25 other institut ions from around the country spent two days developing pathways that will help advance college completion through academic programs. This is just one example of various innovative practices that our colleges engage in throughout the year. This time of year is special as we recognize best practices throughout the Florida College System (FCS). The Chancellor's Best Practice Awards are recognized annually by the FCS and acknowledge programs that strive to be the most innovative in the system.
 
This year we will be celebrating our colleges for their focus on student access, success, affordability and workforce alignment. The four winners of the 2017 Best Practice Awards include Valencia College's Got College? Program, Eastern Florida State College's Aviation and Aerospace Workforce Program, Santa Fe College's Financial Aid Campaign and Tallahassee Community College's AskStudent Central Initiative. Congratulations to each of our winners and to each of our program applicants for your outstanding work in the field.

With great appreciation,


Madeline Pumariega
Chancellor
2017 Chancellor's Best Practice Award Winners  
Today, Florida College System (FCS) Chancellor Madeline Pumariega is recognizing four colleges for innovation and excellence through the Chancellor's Best Practice Awards. The Chancellor's Best Practice Awards is an annual recognition of FCS colleges that have established innovative practices or have enhanced existing programs. The Best Practice Awards offer an outstanding opportunity to promote the honorable initiatives to statewide and national audiences by sharing the exemplary programs found in FCS institutions. The four colleges will be honored at the Association of Florida Colleges' (AFC) 68th Annual Meeting and Conference in Palm Harbor.  The four colleges being recognized are Eastern Florida State College, Santa Fe College, Tallahassee Community College and Valencia College. 

Eastern Florida State College's  program, Developing and Sustaining a Competitive Aviation and Aerospace Workforce, is being honored for creating exciting careers in aviation by developing and sustaining a competitive aviation and aerospace workforce curriculum. It is located at the Orlando Melbourne International airport and serves as a pipeline to provide highly skilled workers to companies such as Embraer, AAR, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, RUAG Space, Blue Origin and others that are fueling the region's rapidly expanding commercial aviation and aerospace sectors. With cutting edge equipment, specialized curricula and highly qualified instructors, the aviation maintenance technology program provides students with hands-on training to develop skills which are highly sought by employers and transferable to other targeted industries including advanced manufacturing. 

"The aviation program stands out for what can happen when vision is combined with workforce needs to give people great careers and help our local economy," said Eastern Florida State College President Dr. James Richey. "That's even more exciting when you consider the program is ramping up to instruct more students to meet the demand at area aviation companies." 

 Santa Fe College's Financial Aid Campaign created a unique approach to reducing student loan debt through an affor dability pathway helping ease the financial burdens through a financial aid  campaign which ensures students' progress in their a cademic programs without gaps in financial support. Santa Fe College reduced the amount of unsubsidized loans to students by 18 percent between the 2015-2016 academic year and the 2016-2017 academic year. This approach ensures students' progress in their academic programs without gaps in financial support. 

Santa Fe College President Jackson Sasser said, "So much of what Santa Fe College aspires to be is practiced in the Florida College System. We thank you and share this honor with you." 

Tallahassee Community College's AskStudent Central: Enrollment Call Center 2.0 was recognized for ensuring students have a streamline pathways into college. The Center provides support for Admissions & Records, Academic Advising, and Financial Aid. Call Center representatives are student centered and focus on helping them understand missing documents, Florida residency, important dates, registration questions, and so much more. Services are offered via phone, email, and through the online FAQ and ticketing system called Student Central. In addition, the Call Center Representatives are also able to provide outbound calling for various call campaigns throughout the year. 

Tallahassee Community College President Jim Murdaugh said, "Tallahassee Community College is proud to be selected for a Chancellor's Best Practice Award. The call center is a tremendous asset for our college and creates real benefits for students and families. The call center staff not only help students navigate the enrollment process, but also become a familiar and reliable source of information and assistance throughout students' time here." 

Valencia College: Got College? Increasing the College Going Rate in Osceola County, organized by Valencia College, the School District of Osceola County, and the Education Foundation of Osceola County, is being recognized as an innovative initiative designed to help students overcome the barriers that historically prevented students from pursuing postsecondary education.The "Got College?" initiative has been recognized in the local media and by state and national organizations as being a sustainable and noteworthy program to increase student access and success.
 
President of Valencia's Osceola, Poinciana and Lake Nona campuses Kathleen Plinske said, "I am so proud of our community's "Got College?" efforts to increase educational attainment levels in Osceola County. Since 2010, Osceola County's college-going rate has increased by more than 20 percent, demonstrating the success of our collective efforts to reduce the barriers that historically have prevented many students from going to college."

"I applaud our colleges for their commitment to excellence and innovation in our system," said Chancellor Pumariega. "It is this commitment that keeps the Florida College System in the forefront as a national leader in higher education." 

For more information, visit Chancellor's Best Practice Awards. 
Innovations and Excellence Convening 
On October 3 and 4, 2017 the Florida College System and the Council of Presidents hosted a statewide Innovations & Excellence Convening at Daytona State College in the Mori Hosseini Center. Over 130 attendees from various industries, educational organizations and Florida's 28 colleges gathered to analyze and assess the progress of Florida College System (FCS) Institutions as it relates to mathematics pathways redesign, college affordability, and workforce partnerships/attainment. National speakers and higher education leaders were present to discuss trends and strategies in higher education, share innovative methods for enhancing college affordability for FCS students, discuss the pipeline needed for advancing and aligning degrees to jobs in Florida with area partners from the Florida Chamber Foundation and share successful practices that promote developmental mathematics achievement.

Left to right: FCS Chancellor Madeline Pumariega, Dr. Uri Treisman, Dr. Davis Jenkins and Palm Beach State College President Ava Parker at the Innovations and Excellence Convening. 
The two-day event kic ked off with a welcome address from the FCS Chancellor Madeline Pumariega, along with President Tom  LoBasso of Daytona State College and Secretary Jim Poppell of the Florida Lottery.  The first panel session on Developmental Mathematics Redesign introduced two national experts, Dr. Davis Jenkins, senior research associate at the Community College Research Center and Dr. Uri Treisman, executive director of the Charles A. Dana Center to discuss the current state of mathematics education nationwide. A focus on removing math as a barrier to completion, as well as providing math pathways support to further learning were key topics of the session. Members from each college participated in a collaborative workgroup session to discuss and analyze both institutional and statewide data. Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab, author of "Paying the Price," closed the day's sessions with a conversation on college affordability and student needs, emphasizing "Hope is a strategy," when making college more affordable for all students.



The panel discussions on day two focused upon workforce partnerships and attainment, including  a contextual data overview session and conversation on Florida's talent needs, skill gaps, and employer demands. Mr. Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Michelle Dennard, president and CEO of CareerSource Florida , and Ms. Nancy Keefer, President of the Daytona Regional  Chamber of Commerce were all present to discuss their collective vision of Florida's workforce agencies in meeting the workforce needs of Florida's future with a focus on helping graduates obtain effective majors and jobs the economy demands. Mr. Wilson introduced the panel and discussed key data from the  Jobs 2030 Repor t including the fact that "A vibrant Florida economy will rely upon a college  educated workforce as 58% of jobs in 2024 will  require a postsecondary credential." Both CareerSource President Michelle Dennard and Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce President Nancy 
Left to right: Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce President Nancy Keefer, CareerSource Florida President Michelle Dennard, Florida Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson and FCS Chancellor Madeline Pumariega at the Innovations and Excellence Convening. 
Keefer provided recommendations for colleges to strengthen partnerships and develop skilled workers. According to Ms. Dennard, "We want to produce degrees where there is a demand in the workforce. Aligning jobs for the future is a strategic work of statewide directors and the intent of CareerSource Florida." The day concluded with a follow-up collaborative group discussion and session on "Charting a Path Forward" whereby the Council Chairs Panel members reported on the key takeaways learned and provided recommendations to guide the work of the Councils over the coming year. Chancellor Pumariega closed the event by thanking each participant, panelist, and college for their outstanding work and contributions, as well as a special thanks to the Florida Lottery, CareerSource Florida, Florida Chamber of Commerce, Daytona State College, Lumina Foundation, the Helios Education Foundation, VitalSource, Pearson, Wiley Education Services, Department of Economic Opportunity and the Florida Chamber Foundation for their support and partnership.
 


In her closing remarks, Chancellor Pumariega reiterated, "The American Dream is built on the values of our Florida College System - the knowledge that everyone given the opportunity to succeed, can succeed in college. Let us go from here today with the mission to provide access to high-quality, affordable academic learning and success, develop globally competitive workforce and respond rapidly to diverse state and community needs."
Miami Dade College's Miami Animation and Gaming International Complex (MAGIC)
Florida's colleges work hard to provide hands-on knowledge and the fundamentals needed to help guide students on their entrepreneurial path. Miami Dade College (MDC) serves as an exemplary example. MDC launched an entrepreneurship hub called the Idea Center in partnership with Knight Foundation where students can come together to collaborate and utilize the provided resources and mentorship to share and make creative, innovative entrepreneurial ideas come to life. The Idea Center includes several components such as MarketHack, CREATE accelerator, CodePro, The Startup Challenge, and the Innovation Lab. These programs provide students with the innovative knowledge, experience and access to network and bring ideas to life. The programs instill in their students that they can be their own boss.

Housed in the state-of-the-art building as the Idea Center is MDC's Miami Animation and Gaming International Complex (MAGIC). MAGIC is a state-of-the-art facility that contains a motion capture studio, design labs, audio engineering and color suites, and other spaces for students. Every student enrolled in the program has the opportunity to pitch their animated movie or video game to industry leaders like Nickelodeon, MTV, Univision and Tell Tale Games. Students are also mentored by industry professionals  from world-renowned studios  while completing short animated films. 

Katelyn Goldstein, MDC student who is currently developing an animated movie with Univision, said, "This animation program is a rare opportunity. Everyone is given the chance to pitch their shows to the industry -- Nickelodeon, Univision, and Disney. This is almost impossible to find i n any college curriculum. I plan to use everything I learned here in my career as an animator."  

The Open Lab is a multi-purpose space dominated by The Brain, a screen that  is connected to every work station and room in the complex, that featu   res 30 work stations and is a place where students can view and share work with others. Students have access to a creative tool    set that allows them to draw characters, convert the work to vector art, and work with 3D animation, compositioning, mo deling, simulation, and rendering. The Open Lab also includes a printer area that houses several 3D printers, including a wide form at plotter that allows students to visualize the production color palette, storyboards and characters.

Recently, MAGIC   in troduced a c ertificate program in virtual and augmented reality. In a virtual reality scenario, the viewer is immersed into a simulatio n that obscures their entire vision. Students can learn how to create simulations that can  be used in healthcare, architecture, shipping, the military and in video games. MAGIC contributes to the small but growing industry of local gaming studios and allows for these studios to find qualified workers in the area meeting workforce demands. Students can earn an Associate in Science in Computer Programming and Analysis where student s will develop skills in modeling, lighting, motion and sound, while learning how to tell a compelling story. This trains students in the technical and creative skills required in today's highly competitive animation industry. 

"MAGIC's academic program empowers students to tell their stories while learning the production pipeline for both animation and video game development," said MAGIC Chairperson Mauricio Ferrazza. "They develop and produce animated movies starting with an idea and delivering a product while being mentored by industry executives. The academic program at MAGIC was designed to be hands on, where story and production takes the front seat leading students into project development, mentored by industry executives. The program prepares students to organically migrate into jobs, through internships provided by MAGIC partners." 
Candy Day - Gulf Coast State College  

Candy Day is a full-time Computer Science student at Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) finishing her Associates in Science degree in Civil Engineering Technology while working on her Associates in Arts for Computer Science as well. Day was born in Chile and grew up in London. Moving to the United States and pursuing an education has led her to endure many challenges including learning how the U.S. education system works, understanding the meaning of a GPA and how to maintain it at a high level. Currently, Day has a 3.45 GPA and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa organization, an official international honor society of two-year colleges.

Day is well-known by both her peers and instructors for her hard work and outstanding leadership skills at the college. In May 2017, Day was awarded the "Bob McSpadden Outstanding Student Leadership" award by her peers. Day is the co-founder and vice president of the Ripples of Change Club at GCSC, a non-profit humanitarian student club. The club's latest project involves the construction of a tiny house for the less fortunate veterans in the community. Among the other club members, Day has designed and 3D printed prototypes of a tiny house village and has constructed plans for a Disaster Relief Unit (DRU). GCSC's Ripples of Change Club won the "Outstanding Student Organization" award and its DRU took third place at the GCSC Startup Weekend, a community event for entrepreneurs, developers, designers, artists and others to pitch ideas and learn the skills needed to launch a business. Additionally, Day has served as president of GCSC's Spanish club and volunteers at club events.

Day not only strives to better herself, but aims to help others better themselves through her volunteer e fforts. Day has worked with Habitat for Humanity to help build a home for a family in need, volunteered at the Panama City Rescue Mission to help build a sustainable garden and recently volunteered at the Red Cross as a shelter administrator to help those in need due to Hurricane Irma. Many of these volunteer efforts have gained coverage through local media outlets. Recently, Governor Rick Scott recognized Day with the Volunteer Florida Champion of Service Award at the Governor's Mansion for  strengthening our state with significant and meaningful service. 

Through Day's leadership, she hopes to influence her family to be better people and show them that with the proper time management skills, there is always time to influence others or be influenced without considering race or gender. 
Faculty and Administrators: Nominate a Student to be the Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar Student of the Month
In honor of the late Chancellor Clark Maxwell Jr., each month a student is selected to represent the Florida College System. Nominations for the Student of the Month are accepted on a rolling basis. 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's Poinciana Campus
Valencia College (VC) recently celebrated the grand opening of its new Poinciana Campus, which opened its doors for classes on Aug. 28. More than 1,000 students signed up to attend classes at the $27 million campus during the first semester. The Poinciana Campus is VC's sixth campus in Orange and Osceola counties and brings higher education closer to home for students who traditionally lacked access. Before the opening of the Poinciana Campus, those who lived in Poinciana had to travel about 45 minutes by car to Valencia's campus in Kissimmee or travel through bus which added to the student's travel time. 

The campus features 12 classrooms, a state-of-the-art science lab, two computer labs, a culinary teaching kitchen, a library and tutoring center. Poinciana Campus will also be home to a Center for Accelerated Training where adults can take short-term courses in English, Spanish, construction, private security officer training, warehouse packaging and transportation logistics. Associate in Arts (A.A.) degrees and Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees will be offered at the campus. With an A.A. degree from Valencia, graduates are guaranteed admission to the University of Central Florida through its 2+2 Articulation Agreement DirectConnect to UCF. Articulation ensures that students receive credit for comparable coursework without unnecessary repetition when transferring from one institution to another.

Students at Valencia's Poinciana Campus who plan on attending a four-year institution after completing their associate degree can choose from four program pathways such as general studies, health sciences, bio-med/pre-med/biology, or math/engineering. Five A.S. degree programs will also be offered, such as business administration, culinary management, hospitality and tourism management, computer information technology, and criminal justice technology. 
Thank You to Our Sponsor of the 2017 Chancellor's Best Practice Awards 
Shelby Galligher - Bright Futures Scholarship Recipient

Shelby Galligher is a graduate of First Coast High School in Jacksonville and a recipient of the Bright Futures Scholarship. She entered Florida State College at Jacksonville in the spring of 2016 and is currently working towards her Associate of Arts. Galligher has maintained a 4.0 GPA while working towards her degree, and she intends to apply to the nursing program. Galligher took care of her disabled mother for three years and discovered her passion for helping others. Sadly, her mother recently passed away, and Galligher has dedicated her work in school and future in nursing to her mother. She also serves as a student ambassador, through which she provides campus tours to new students and their families.