March 2017
IN THIS ISSUE
Spotlights
Florida College System Welcomes New Chipola College President Dr. Sarah Clemmons
Chipola's District Board of Trustees tapped the institution's interim president to be the permanent replacement. Dr. Clemmons has worked at the college since 1979, working her way up to  Senior Vice-President of Instruction before taking her current role. She is only the second Chipola alumnus to ever serve as President. 
Congratulations to Broward College and Indian River State College Finalists with Distinction
Broward College and Indian River State College were honored as Finalists with Distinction by the Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence and each received a $100,000 prize. More details below.
Hospital District Commits $6M for College of Central Florida Health Science Center
Marion County Hospital District has committed to giving $6 million dollars for the construction of a state-of-the-art health sciences center for CF if the Florida legislature approves their request for matching funds.
Message from Chancellor Madeline Pumariega
A college education is not an abstract concept.  It is one of life's few tangible accomplishments that can never be taken away from anyone.  Our colleges have been given and accepted the responsibility for providing access to the American dream.

Because 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 - it is our belief that every person is good enough to be a valuable member of their community.

Every day we work on breaking the cycle of poverty, the generational cycle of poverty and making sure that students starting in seventh grade have a pathway to being college and career ready.  We now know that two-thirds of our students who graduated from a Florida high school last year enrolled in a Florida College System institution.  The primary choice for these graduates has been to take the next step and enroll at an FCS institution, with 65 percent of these graduates entering public postsecondary education.  Given this perspective, we have become the pathway to breaking the generational cycle of poverty; making sure that we put families on a path to prosperity and help fill needed occupations that are open.

Not only do we provide affordable access to high quality education, but we have embraced that students have access to success.  Our colleges are national leaders.  This accomplishment is the result of many factors, most notably our hard work and collective effort to ensure that we have reached and remain on top. 

I have traveled this state and have seen first-hand the work of our colleges.  Without question, each trip inspires me.  I see the hard work and innovation occurring at all levels of the institution.  I witness the energy that goes into the work and I have seen the outcomes of this hard work as students proudly, and rightfully so, stride across our stages at commencement.  We need more of these gallant, beautiful strides that fill our hearts, and are emblazoned in our memory and fuel our work. 

I am pleased to work with our 28 colleges that make up the Florida College System and this month will be hosting a Chancellor's Best Practices Summit on Innovation & Excellence to highlight the great work of our state.  The focus of this convening is on Access, Affordability, Achievement/Articulation and Attainment and will feature statewide and national leaders to discuss the key issues of our system in relation to student success outcomes.
 
This newsletter details a portion of this focus and provides a spotlight on the great work that all of you are doing to help our students find meaning through their educational journeys and career pathways. 


Broward College and Indian River State College, Aspen Prize Finalists with Distinction
Broward College President J. David Armstrong Jr. and Indian River State College President Edwin R. Massey accepting their Aspen Prize awards in Washington D.C.
Two Florida College System institutions were honored by the Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence with the 2017 Aspen Prize Finalist-with-Distinction Award, Broward College and Indian River State College. The prestigious, biannual award recognizes colleges with exceptional student outcomes  in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students. The two institutions were each awarded $100,000 with their distinction.

Since the award's inception in 2011, a Florida College System institution has either been the winner or a finalist, with Valencia College claiming its inaugural win.    

"As Chancellor of Florida's 28 colleges, I am proud of Broward College and Indian River State College for consistently offering an affordable education and achieving top graduation rates," said Florida College System Chancellor Madeline Pumariega. "These distinctions of excellence further the successes of the Florida College System, which provides access to all Floridians seeking higher education as a pathway to the workforce."

With a pool of over 1,000 community colleges across the nation, the Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence Program started the Prize to " honor [and support] those institutions that strive for and achieve exceptional levels of success for all students, while they are in college and after they graduate."

Some of the impressive student outcomes that propelled Broward College to Finalist with Distinction were it's highly diverse student population, with 66% being nationally underrepresented minorities, and the diminutive gap (about 1%) between the graduation/transfer rates of all students and the underrepresented minority students. Also, Broward College students attain bachelor's degrees at a whopping 50% higher rate than the national average. " By advancing the quality of academic and student support offerings and deepening ties to four-year university partners, Broward College has in recent years achieved consistently strong student outcomes across a variety of metrics," the Aspen website states.

Indian River State College's assets were listed as strong graduation rates for all students, 10% above the national average, and specifically, a strong graduation rate for underrepresented minorities, about 10% higher than the national average. IRSC is also touted as the third most affordable college in the nation, ranked by the US Department of Education. The Aspen Institutes website says of the college, "Indian River's leadership values affordability and strong customer service, delivering excellent student outcomes in exceptional workforce programs and strong liberal arts education programs."  
Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar  Student of the Month 
Ross Serrano has been selected as the March Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar Student of the Month. 

Ross is a non-traditional and first generation student at Broward College studying to receive his Associates in Science degree in Graphic Design.

Ross' story starts in the country of Mexico where he was born and raised. Due to his LGBTQ identity, he lived in peril and fear and without the support of his family. Determined he could lead a better life in the United States, Ross came to America by himself as an adult. Though he immigrated legally, he did so without the backing of friends or family and faced many hardships as a result.

In the United States, Ross was homeless and working any and every job he could to fulfill his dream: to go to college. He's not only succeeded, but he's excelled. Set to graduate in December of 2018, Ross holds a perfect 4.0 GPA and has a part-time job.
The 1st Place Piece 
He's a student in Broward College's elite  Robert " Bob "  Elmore Honors College and a leader as the president of the Downtown Campus chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

Talented not only in academics but also in art, Ross found his passion in the high-demand field of Graphic Design. He belongs to the American Institute of Arts and has been recognized for his talents. His piece won first place in the Broward College Art Fest.

Ross has lived two lives, one in Mexico and one in America; one where he lived in fear and one where he has prospered. Not many people would have the courage to take such drastic measures to essentially start their lives over in pursuit of their dreams. Despite the adversity he's faced, his peers and colleagues describe him as kind-hearted, empathetic and "simpatico," always conscious of how he can better life for others and for himself.
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!
Leading the Way in Graduation Rates
With over 115,000 graduates last year, the Florida College System has the highest graduation rate of any state in the nation. The numbers only continue to grow as our colleges develop innovative programs and best practices to increase the percentage of students who graduate. These numbers aren't just taking into account traditional college students; our colleges achieve these results even while serving populations who are only part-time enrolled, have full-time jobs and are responsible for dependents such as children, spouses or elderly parents. 
100% Passing Rate Honored
It is not often that you can boast 100% for anything much less passing a huge national exam, but Seminole State College of Florida has the distinction to say for almost a year their nursing students did just that.
 
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the organization responsible for the development of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), ranked Seminole State College of Florida's (SSCF) AS in nursing program first in the nation among 1,946 nursing programs. SSCF earned the recognition for having a 100% student passage rate on the NCLEX for the time period from April to September in 2016. The college also achieved an impressive 99.4% passage rate on the NCLEX for all 2016 AS graduates.

Dr. Cheryl Cicotti, Associate Dean of Nursing at Seminole State College of Florida , attributes the program's success to the technology students are able to utilize while in their courses. "We are able to augment learning by using simulation technology in our labs that requires students to think on their feet", stated Dr. Cicotti.  She also credits the program's success to its strong relationship with regional employers. "Program staff work with local employers to gather feedback on the performance of graduates 6-12 months after they begin employment and assess how curriculum may need to be amended." Just as important as the work done in the classroom and with employers, the college creates what Dr. Cicotti refers to as "an atmosphere of success" designed to help students achieve their academic and career goals.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity projects that the statewide demand for registered nurses will increase 16.2% (from 2016-2024) with an average 7,750 job openings per year. Florida College System (FCS) institutions consistently produce highly qualified graduates prepared to meet the state's demand for trained nurses. In 2015-16, FCS institutions enrolled 13,900 students and graduated 4,516 students with an Associate in Science (AS) in nursing. C ongratulations to Seminole State College of Florida, the  nursing program staff and students on their success. 
Addressing Less than Ideal Conditions for Succeeding in College
Recent national headlines have highlighted the struggles college students face with meeting basic needs including the lack of finances, consistent housing and food.  The American Association of Community Colleges created a data point highlighting the 49% of college students who ran out of money in the past 12 months. Another article in the Washington Post,  Disturbing Trend of Homeless Community College Students is also a reminder of the support some students need to continue their educational journeys.  For students juggling family and working responsibilities, challenges remain for creating an environment conducive to academic success.

In the Florida College System, 667 students use the homeless waiver to support their educational aspirations and many more students may be unaware of the opportunity or unwilling to ask for assistance.  In other areas of need, colleges are ensuring students have access to emergency student loans such as the program developed by Daytona State College. Colleges also ensure students don't go hungry by offering food pantries such as the one at Miami Dade College. On a similar note, Hillsborough Community College, Pasco-Hernando State College, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, and Polk State College are members of the College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA), an organization who offers resources and forums for the purpose of alleviating food insecurity, hunger and poverty among college and university students in the United States.  Moving forward, Florida colleges continue to address these less than ideal conditions and more to ensure students reach their goals and make their dreams of a successful life come true.
Using Data to Continuously Improve a Model System for Student and State Success
A recent report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, The Role of Community Colleges in Postsecondary Success, highlights the importance of viewing community college progress from three angles: (1) college persistence; (2) transfer and mobility; and (3) certificate and degree completion. At the Florida College System (FCS), focusing on how to increase student persistence, transfer opportunities, and completion is a daily priority. Over the past few months we have been digging into our nationally recognized data system to help lead tough, constructive conversations. Below are just a few examples of how our data are helping to shape discussions at the state level.
 
College Persistence. Across the FCS, over one-third (36 percent) of first-time students who enroll as full-time in the fall semester either return as a part-time student or not at all in the following spring semester. Within our colleges, we see wide variation with the colleges ranging from 26 to 49 percent. While only two-thirds of our students attend full-time, we know that these are the most successful students, earning their degree or certificate in the shortest amount of time. What are you doing on your campus to help students remain full-time?
 
Transfer and Mobility. Articulation agreements and 2+2 pathways are cornerstones of postsecondary education in Florida. Nearly half of all upper division students in the State University System (SUS) started at a Florida community college. FCS transfer students are as successful as native four-year students. Guiding our students to Associate of Arts (AA) degree completion with courses that transfer into the university program of their choice is essential to keeping the cost and time of excess credit hours down. What are you doing to help guide students towards their continuing education goals?
 
Certificate and Degree Completion. Graduation rates help tell the story of the success of the FCS and its 28 colleges. Not only is Florida home to the community college system with the highest 150% graduation rate in the country (34.6 percent compared to 23.5 percent), but the 150% graduation rates of all 28 Florida colleges are also above the national average, based on data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System - (IPEDS). Ensuring students from all socio-economic backgrounds achieve their goals is essential, which is why the performance-funding model awards extra points for colleges based on the graduation of Pell students. What are you doing on your campus to help Pell recipients succeed?
 
The FCS is the model for community college systems in the United States. We are reminded daily of the great work of our colleges in the areas of access, affordability, achievement, articulation, and educational attainment. Our ultimate goal is to ensure every Floridian has the opportunity to purse a college education at an affordable cost, graduate in a timely manner, and learn the skills needed to earn a high-paying wage in Florida's economy. 
New Tools to Teach Those Who Protect our Communities
It's state of the art,  providing cutting edge,  in-demand training space for the police officers who keep the neighborhoods safe and paramedics who make every second count during an emergency.  The Polk State College Center for Public Safety is now home to the college's programs in Criminal Justice, Emergency Medical Service and Fire Science Technology. 

The consolidation of first-responder training in one technology-rich location is a remarkable improvement for Central Florida. The new facility offers access to technology with the space and equipment needed for reality-based scenario training. Students learn alongside their counterparts from other public safety fields. Students receive the very best preparation for saving lives - while also learning to protect their own.

The more than 100,000 square-foot complex houses everything from a full-scale, lifelike outdoor street scene, complete with mock storefronts, where aspiring first responders will train for scenarios they are likely to encounter in the field. It also incorporates an indoor immersive training lab featuring a ceiling-mounted wall system which allows walls to be moved to mimic the settings of real-life crimes, allowing trainees to prepare for situations they may encounter on the job. There is plenty of defensive training space, a forensics crime scene lab, a firearms simulation space and an EMS skills lab and simulation training lab.
 
In this new complex, the Institute for Public Safety, will grow, collaborate, share resources, and train a public-safety workforce to prepare these future leaders to protect themselves and the communities they serve.