Santa Fe College is a state college located in Gainesville, Florida, and is a member institution of the Florida College System. Santa Fe College is accredited by the Florida Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Located in North Central Florida, its main campus is in Gainesville, Florida. As of the 2015-2016 school year, the school reported 22,043 students, two-thirds of which were enrolled part-time.
History
Santa Fe Community College was established by the Florida Legislature in 1965 in response to a request from the Alachua and Bradford County Boards of Public Instruction, which had canvassed the area and learned that the community would be well served if all citizens have the opportunity for an education. In 2008, Santa Fe Community College officially changed its name to Santa Fe College to emphasize the bachelor's degree programs that it began offering.
Locations
Campuses
- Northwest Campus, located in the Northwest side of Gainesville next to I-75, opened in 1972. The 175-acre (0.71Â km2) campus serves as the main campus for the college.
Centers
- Andrews Center, located in Starke, opened in the renovated Bradford County Courthouse in 1985. It expanded in 1991 with the restored Cultural Building and in 2001 with the Lillian Stump Center.
- Blount Center, located in downtown Gainesville, opened in 1990. Originally in the renovated 6th Street railroad depot, it expanded in 1993 and again in 2006 with a new classroom building.
- Charles R. and Nancy V. Perry Center for Emerging Technologies, located in Alachua, opened in 2009. The Perry Center serves as the home for the new Clinical Laboratory Technology bachelor's degree, as well as the biotechnology degrees.
- Davis Center, located in Archer, opened in 2003.
- Kirkpatrick Center, located near the Gainesville Regional Airport, opened in 1972. This center, also referred to at the Institute of Public Safety, educates law enforcement and corrections officer recruits and offers programs to train sworn officers. The Kirkpatrick Center also educates students in the Emergency Medical Services and Aviation Sciences programs.
- Watson Center, located in Keystone Heights, opened in 2005, with a second building being added in 2006.
Academics
The college has more than 50 accredited technology and applied sciences programs, most which are two-year degrees.
Arts and Sciences Program
Offering an Associate in Arts Degree, the Arts and Sciences Program consists primarily of liberal arts and sciences courses. This program culminates in a two-year liberal arts degree that can be transferred to a university which offers a bachelor's degree. The descriptions, course numbers and content of classes at Santa Fe College are the same as those in the first two years at Florida's public universities. Santa Fe College's liberal arts courses are also transferable to most public and private four-year schools in the US.
Technology and Applied Sciences Program
Offering the Associate in Science degree or certificate, the Associate in Science program consists of technology and applied sciences courses designed to prepare students for careers in skilled professions. Some of these programs enable them to transfer to a four-year college or university. Programs offered include Dental Assisting, Air Conditioning Repair, Automotive Technology, Child Development, Construction, Public Safety, Zoo Animal Technology, Information Technology, Cardiovascular Technology, Aviation Safety and Nursing.
Bachelor's degrees
Santa Fe College offers nine bachelor's degrees: Accounting, Clinical Laboratory Science, Early Childhood Education, Health Services Administration, Industrial Biotechnology, Information Systems Technology, Multimedia and Video Production Technology, Nursing, and Organizational Management.
Library
Santa Fe College is supported by the Lawrence W. Tyree Library, which is located in Building Y on the main Northwest Campus. Opened in January 2002, the $10 million building includes a coffee shop, multiple group study rooms of varying sizes, DVD and video viewing stations, computerized classrooms, a conference room and two reference desks. Additional technology and services available to Santa Fe College students and faculty through the Tyree Library include printers and copiers, multiple charging stations, and 87 computers distributed throughout the library's ample study areas, as well as a thorough online library catalog through which patrons can also request books and other media from library collections throughout the state.
The library is named in honor of former Santa Fe Community College president, Lawrence W. Tyree.
Athletics
Fight Song
In 2009, Santa Fe College adopted a fight song. "Saints Forever" was performed for the first time on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 between softball games in Gainesville. The song was a collaboration between Chris Sharp, the college's director of bands, and Ryan B. Leverone, a Santa Fe College student.
Awards and recognition
In 2009, Santa Fe College was listed 6th in the nation in awarding A.A. degrees by Community College Week.
In 2012 and 2014, the college was named as one of the ten best community colleges in the United States by the Aspen Institute.
In 2015, the Aspen Institute gave the school the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence as top-rated community college in the United States.
In 2015, Santa Fe College's Lawrence W. Tyree Library received the 2015 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award from the Association of College & Research Libraries.
Notable alumni and attendees
- Debbie Boyd â€"â€" Former member of the Florida House of Representatives
- Robin Campbell â€"â€" U.S. Olympian from 1980 to 1984
- Clyde Fleming â€"â€" Suwannee County District 2 Commissioner, Vice Chairman of Board of County Commissioners. Commisioner Compliance Officer of Northeast Florida (District 2), Florida Department of Transportation.
- Dan Friendlyâ€" Author, bookseller
- Craig Fugate â€"â€" Director of FEMA under President Barack Obama
- Sam St. John â€"â€" Sheriff of Branford, Florida. Suwannee County council seat.
- Adam Kluger â€"â€" Advertising executive and founder of The Kluger Agency
- Connie Mack IV â€"â€" Former U.S. Representative and son of former U.S. Senator Connie Mack III
- Marco Rubio â€"â€" U.S. Senator, candidate in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
- Commander, Robert L. Smith â€"â€" U.S. Coast Guard Former Deputy Director of Congressional Affairs (2003-2006) and Director of Financial Analysis Division (1997-2003).
- Karen Thurman â€"â€" Former U.S. Representative and Chair of the Florida Democratic Party
- Clovis Watson Jr. â€"â€" Member of the Florida House of Representatives
See also
- Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
References
External links
- Santa Fe College