February 2018
IN THIS ISSUE
Spotlights




 

Displaced Puerto Rican Student Finds Home at Miami Dade College



Message from Chancellor Madeline Pumariega
The images out of South Florida on February 14 were heart breaking and powerful. In the wake of the tragic events, our colleges have demonstrated an unwavering support to all those affected. Almost immediately, from Palm Beach State College came the Twitter post, "We're here for you," Miami Dade College, "MDC stands with Parkland," and the heart shaped post from Polk State College needed no words beside "Stoneman Douglas High School." Broward College (BC) organized blood drives, offered mental health counseling services through the college's Student Assistance Program, and greeted students at BC's College Academy in coordinated efforts to immediately support those impacted by the tragedy. Many of these students were previously enrolled at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Various other colleges from across the state also reached out to graduates of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and nearby high schools to offer support and counseling resources.

The Florida College System (FCS) always stands united and ready to help our students and communities. The executive leadership of the Council of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs put forth recommendations to strengthen campus safety and security, which always has been and will always remain a priority among all Florida colleges.

It is this unity of purpose that creates the platform for so many of our successes. As Florida continues to look at effective student success and completion strategies, bringing together the leadership, faculty and staff of our 28 colleges is critical to that success. I am pleased to share the development of Florida's new Student Success Center that was officially announced at the 2018 Chancellor's Best Practices on Innovation and Excellence Convening. Through the generous support of a $1 million dollar grant through Helios Education Foundation, in partnership with Jobs for the Future, the Florida Student Success Center (Center) will serve to support Florida and community college efforts to develop student-centered pathways and increase student completion rates.

Florida has become the 15th state to join the national Student Success Center Network.  The role of the Center is to provide foundational research and data that will help faculty and staff make decisions that support and develop strategies for student success utilizing a guided pathways approach to advising, teaching, and learning. In addition, the Center will map institutional strategies that serve as a resource of information as colleges and the System consider new partnerships to increase student success. Research supported by the Student Success Center will occur in collaboration with the FCS to best leverage resources that inform practice in our state.

I am pleased to partner with each of you at our 28 Florida colleges, as well as Helios Education Foundation, Jobs for the Future, Kresge Foundation, and many other partners, as we move forward in the development of the Student Success Center. Thank you for your outstanding leadership, commitment to students, and investment in your communities and our state. Together, we will continue to transform lives and prepare our students to meet the future demands of tomorrow with confidence and skilled training.

With great appreciation,


Madeline Pumariega
Chancellor
Campus Safety at Pensacola State College
In light of the recent tragedy at Broward County's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, campus safety remains a priority of our Florida College System institutions across the state. Recognizing the need to prepare students, faculty and staff in the event of a similar situation, Pensacola State College (PSC) has been proactive in maintaining a safe and secure campus, as well as working to close the gaps in preparedness. PSC involved 26 staff and faculty members to help organize and implement Campus Safety Month to educate students and employees on the importance of being aware and prepared on campus, home and public locations.

One kick-off activity brought in a law enforcement panel made up of local law officials, PSC faculty, and University of West Florida Assistant Police Chief Deborah Fletcher to answer student and employee questions regarding safety. Following the panel, national and regional speakers were brought in to discuss safety strategies. Kristina Anderson, a survivor of the ma ss shooting at Virginia Tech University, and Florida State University (FSU) Police Chief David Perry were two of the leaders involved in the discussion. Perry shared how his department responded to the shooting that  occurred at Strozier Library at FSU.  
 
Throughout the month, students, faculty and staff were offered weekly training including rape aggre s s i on  defense classes, active  shooter training, crime prevention and awareness, and CPR and first aid  training sessions.  PSC pa r tne red with 15 community partners and five student organizations to host these  workshops and events. In total, 38 event  took p lace at five of PSC's six campuses. More than 3,100 students, administrators, faculty and staff attended. 
 
Chancellor's Best Practices on Innovation and Excellence Convening 
On February 8, the Florida College System (FCS) hosted its 2018 Chancellor's Best Practices on Innovation and Excellence Convening at the Champions Club in Tallahassee, FL. More than 160 attendees from various FCS institutions, industries, and educational organizations gathered to hear from innovators and national leaders as they shared postsecondary best practices focused upon access, affordability, articulation, achievement and educational attainment. The Convening was centered upon the five foundational tenets of student success and highlighted the future of workforce, student completion, equity, strategic workforce partnerships, internships, and best practice programs that advance access to college, as well as help students transition most effectively into a globally competitive workforce.

"Community colleges are the best of America's invention," said Chancellor Madeline Pumariega as she gave her welcome address, kicking off this year's convening. Following, Chancellor Pumariega welcomed Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart who addressed the crowd by acknowledging Florida's long tradition of excellence in higher education.

Global Foresight CEO Mary O'Hara-Devereaux delivered the morning keynote, discussing the future of work and the impact technology will have on the future of workforce training. O'Hara-Devereaux shared insightful information regarding occupations that will not be relevant in years to come and the ways college educators must prepare students for the future. She challenged the crowd to continually exercise foresight knowing that more than half of all jobs students are trained for today will not exist in the coming decade.

O'Hara-Devereaux stated that we have to think about the careers that will take the place of jobs requiring a bachelor's degree. "We have to be strategic and offer programs that will fill the need of the future economy," said O'Hara-Devereaux. 

The first panel session drew upon the expertise of national leaders in the areas of workforce development and training as they discussed innovative ways colleges can foster partnerships and internship programs with outside workforce partners. Panelists included CareerSource Florida President Michelle Dennard, Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) President Cynthia Bioteau, College of Central Florida (CF) President James D. Henningsen, National Development Executive of Apple, Inc. Jay Matheson, and Farovi Shipping President Jorge P. Rovirosa.

FSCJ President Bioteau stated that the FCS is a talent pipeline to our local business industry. "Interconnectivity between colleges and businesses helps us to educate students for the future workforce," said Bioteau.

"Partnerships with companies lead to increased internships and co-operative opportunities to prepare students to enter the workforce with the soft skills sought out from businesses," said CF President Henningsen. He also shared the success of CF's Talent Center in how it equips students to enter the workforce and have an internship and job placement rate of approximately 95 percent.

As the panelists continued to provide attendees with valuable workforce insights, Farovi Shipping President Rovirosa shared the importance of identifying industries that are in need of developing programs to connect students to those fields.

Founder of the College Excellence Program and Vice President of the Aspen Institute Joshua Wyner was the second keynote of the day. Wyner discussed the challenges facing the community college sector and shared the five core tenets of what excellent community colleges do to achieve exceptional student outcomes. He stressed that improving college student success is a vital national priority.

"Strong leadership and vision, clear pathways to credentials, improved teaching and learning, strategic use of data, and community partnerships are foundational characteristics of our nation's most exceptional colleges," said Wyner.

Following his keynote address, Wyner moderated the second panel session focused on building a culture of excellence. Panelists included Broward College (BC) President J. David Armstrong Jr., Indian River State College President Edwin R. Massey and Miami Dade College (MDC) President Eduardo Padr ón. All three presidents discussed their insights as nationally recognized Aspen Prize Finalists with Distinction colleges by reinforcing the importance of meaningful reform that promotes access and success for students of color and low-income students.

"Embedded supports are valuable," said BC President Armstrong. "Students who attend Broward College's Academic Success Centers are five times or more likely to excel in gateway courses in comparison to students who do not utilize academic supports."

MDC President Padr ón stated that college is thought of as an expense and not as an investment. "That form of thinking needs to be reframed in order to provide students with the support needed to be successful in the workforce," said Padr ón.

The final panel session of the day focused on guided pathways to success that increase access, affordability, and attainment in the FCS, moderated by Baldwin Consulting Principal Christopher Baldwin. Panelists included Tallahassee Com munity College President Jim Murdaugh,  Eastern Florida State College President James Richey, and St. Petersburg College President Tonjua Williams. Baldwin, who currently leads extensive work on student success models through the Stude nt Success Center Network, opened the panel discussion by detailing the importance of helping students map a pathway to their end goal, choose and enter a pathway, keep them on their chosen path, and ensure that students are learning. Presidents Murdaugh, Williams, and Richey each detailed specific programs that are helping students through this model.

"Guided pathways can significantly increase student persistence leading to graduation," said Baldwin. 

A moment of special recognition was given before the day's closing to recognize the strong leadership of Florida Keys Community College President Jonathan Gueverra who helped his campus in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Chancellor Pumariega presented Gueverra with an "It's a Better Day Tomorrow" award for his leadership, optimism and strength to persevere through times of rebuilding and lead his students, faculty, and staff back from the devastation.

Chancellor Pumariega followed with the announcement of the Florida Student Success Center initiative, which was made possible with a $1 million grant from Helios Education Foundation, in partnership with Jobs for the Future. The center will support Florida's state and community colleges' efforts to develop student-centered pathways and increase student completion rates. The Florida Student Success Center has become the 15th state to join the national Student Success Center Network.

"At the heart of the Florida College System's mission is the understanding that we must continually provide access to a high-quality, affordable education that maximizes student learning and success," concluded Chancellor Pumariega. "Our students drive this work and mission. Thank you for your work to continually provide high-quality, affordable academic and career education programs that maximize student learning and success, develop a globally competitive workforce and respond rapidly to diverse state and community needs. You are the winners in this circle."
Siemens-Aspen Community College STEM Awards Recognize Outstanding Education for High-Demand Jobs  
The Aspen Institute and the Siemens Foundation recently announced the eight winning community college STEM programs of the first Siemens-Aspen Community College STEM Award. The award recognizes the outstanding preparation and education those programs provide students that are seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Among the eight winning college programs, four Florida College System institutions were recognized including Broward College (BC), Hillsborough Community College (HCC), Miami Dade College (MDC), and Valencia College (VC).

Each program will receive a $50,000 award to bolster their program, recruit new talent and provide student scholarships. The winning STEM programs range from nursing to telecommunications technology. Half of this award will be allocated for further program development, and half will be allocated as scholarships to students, known as Siemens Technical Scholars.

Overall, jobs in STEM fields are projected to grow at double the rate of non-STEM occupations. Community colleges like BC, HCC, MDC and VC are playing a significant role in working to meet this demand. More than half of all STEM jobs across the United States require no more than an associate's degree and pay wages that average more than $50,000 annually.

"Community college STEM programs are a strong pathway to job security and financial success for many students - whether that means heading right into a great paying job or getting a more advanced degree," said David Etzwiler, CEO of the Siemens Foundation. "This award recognizes the colleges that provide an excellent STEM education and develop talent from every community."

BC was recognized for its nursing program, which is designed to prepare an individual for a career as a registered nurse. The program's mission is to prepare competent, compassionate and culturally sensitive entry-level nursing graduates whose professional practice encompasses legal and ethical decision-making in the promotion of health in the community.

"This inaugural award will assist with our continued investments in our nursing program," said BC President J. David Armstrong, Jr. "Healthcare is one of the most in-demand professions in our region and our graduates in this field are recognized among the best. This grant will provide some program-specific support as well as support to some selected students."

HCC's paramedic program received recognition for providing future first responders with the skills needed to serve families in the Bay area. HCC paramedic students are trained to leave the classroom and directly enter the workforce ready to serve the community.

"This award recognizes our faculty's longstanding commitment to working with employers to build high-quality academic pathways to employment and to providing comprehensive support services that promote student success," said HCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Ginger Clark.

MDC's top-ranked Miami Animation and Gaming International Complex (MAGIC) program was recognized for offering students various unique opportunities for hands-on job training through top national partners including Disney, Nickelodeon, Alienware, Sony, Univision and several others.

VC's winning Network Engineering Technology program is designed to prepare students who qualify for technological roles in network design, network infrastructure, network installation, network security and maintenance, inter-network communication and connectivity, network monitoring and administration, and digital forensics and incident response. At Valencia, there are currently more than 400 students enrolled in the program. In 2014-15, 72 students graduated from the program and landed a job after graduation. In their first year after college, students earned an average salary of $43,000.

"This scholarship will provide tremendous financial opportunities for our Network Engineering Technology students completing their degree in cyber security," said Nasser Hedayat, assistant vice president for career and workforce education at Valencia.

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Siemens Foundation partnered to create the Siemens-Aspen Community College STEM Award to identify and elevate exemplary college STEM programs that deliver exceptional training for jobs that require strong STEM technical skills, some college hands-on training and a postsecondary credential below the four-year degree - known as middle-skill jobs - in areas ranging from advanced manufacturing and energy to information technology and healthcare.

As part of the award, BC, HCC, MDC, and VC will help select students in partnership with the Aspen Institute to be recognized as a Siemens Technical Scholar and to receive scholarship funds between $3,500 and $10,000 to continue their education or pay existing student loan debt. The Siemens Technical Scholars program recognizes an exceptional group of diverse students from across the country who demonstrate the rewarding careers and opportunity that result from completing an excellent STEM program. Aspen will share those scholars' stories to demonstrate the economic opportunity available in STEM middle-skill jobs.

"Our nation's best community colleges are incredible engines of opportunity for students seeking rewarding careers in STEM fields," said Joshua Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. "This award recognizes colleges that provide an excellent education for talented students from every community, delivering on the promise of social mobility and lifelong opportunity."
 
The Florida College System (FCS) serves as the education pipeline for the state of Florida. In particular, the 28 community and state colleges offer a wide variety of programs in criminal justice, law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical technician, and other related protective services. From Career and Technical Certificates in Florida Law Enforcement, to College Credit Certificates in Crime Scene Technology, to an Associate of Science degree in Fire Safety Technology, the FCS is educating the sunshine state's first responders. In 2016-17, nearly 15,000 students were enrolled in a Criminal Justice and Corrections program. More than 3,500 were enrolled in a Fire Protection program, more than 200 were enrolled in a Homeland Security or Law Enforcement program, and more than 8,000 were enrolled in an Emergency Medical Technical program.
Sara Varela - Broward College  

Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Sara Varela will graduate this May with her Associate in Science degree in Film Production at Broward College. Varela has worked at The Observer, the college newspaper, for the past three years and has been the Editor-in-Chief for the past two. She has won three writing awards, including first place for Best General Column at the Florida College System Publication Associations student awards in 2017. In the summer of 2017, Varela participated in the POLITICO Journalism Institute, where she produced, shot and edited a two-minute video and a 500-word article published by POLITICO.com. Varela became the first community college student to be chosen for the prestigious program.
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!
State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota's New Library and Learning Center 
State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) recently celebrated the opening of its new Library and Learning Center located at SCF's Bradenton campus. The new library offers students and the community with modern technology and digitally enhanced space with opportunities for students to interact and collaborate.

The two-story complex features an indoor amphitheater, media production studios, a Visualization Theater for high-impact presentations and an SCF Fab Lab where individuals can create smart devices tailored to local or personal needs. A technology-free room, called the Big Thinking Hub, will provide students an area where they can read, write papers and be free from the internet.

The bottom floor of the library has "creative maker spaces" with digital equipment, such as 3D printers, a sound studio and spaces with Microsoft hubs for students to work collaboratively. A time capsule was also added in a vault beneath the structure, which is set to open in about a century.

The second floor of the library features an outdoor terrace for students, as well as a 270-degree Visualization Theater, which SCF President Carol Probstfeld calls one of her favorite parts of the library. The Visualization Theater classroom, which can seat 40 students or visitors at a time, is designed to provide library users with a contemporary digital learning environment. It offers 270-degree immersive projection on three walls for 80-linear feet of display surface, zoned audio systems, cameras for real-time video capture and collaboration spaces. Students and community members who use the space can project images on all screens simultaneously or on to separate screens for small groups or individual projects. The technology will allow for high-impact presentation and immersive interactive learning. For example, a nursing student studying the human heart can stand in the video wall and watch a presentation on the heart up close while collaborating with other students in real time.

SCF President Probstfeld calls the library "the most significant building we have built in the last 25 years and the next 25 years on this campus." Probstfeld stated that she wants the college to be more engaged in all aspects of life around the college, including business, culture and societal.

In addition to all of the resources mentioned, the new library will house the college's extensive book collection and resource materials available to SCF and SCF Collegiate School students, as well as community members who hold a library card at the county libraries. SCF Libraries partners with the public libraries in Manatee and Sarasota counties and the Tampa Bay Library Consortium (TBLC) to offer community members access to resources at SCF's library. Those who wish to use the library can apply for a library card with SCF to check out materials and even hold meetings in the community room.

The significant role that the new library plays in the community helped achieve financing through the Florida Legislature with the help of state Senator Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, and Representative Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton. Having a community room and the promise that Bradenton and Sarasota community members can use the library made it easier for both Galvano and Boyd to secure state funding for this community resource, which amounted to $17.68 million, according to Probstfeld. SCF Foundation donors have also raised more than $1 million to bring the building and technology to life.

On February 5, SCF invited the community to join faculty and staff as they ceremonially "pass the book" to SCF's new Library and Learning Center. Probstfeld lead the line of participants stretching from the former library as the last few books were handing one-by-one and shelved in the new, state-of-the-art building. More than 100 people volunteered to be part of the ceremony. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on February 22. The library is officially open to students and the community.

"This is the centerpiece for the future of the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota," said SCF President Probstfeld.