Seminole Community College

Infobox University
name = Seminole Community College
motto="Be Yourself. Only Better."
type=Two-year community college
established=1965
president= Dr. E. Ann McGee
location=Seminole County, Florida
state=Florida
country=United States
student body= 30,000
faculty=830
endowment=$5.6 million
campus=SCC has four campuses throughout Seminole County
nickname=SCC
mascot=Raiders
colors=Blue and Gold
website= [http://www.scc-fl.edu www.scc-fl.edu]

Seminole Community College (SCC) is a community college with four campuses throughout Seminole County, Florida, offering two-year college credit degrees (A.A., A.S.); specialized career certificates; continuing professional education; customized workplace training; adult education; community, leisure and youth programs; and an array of culturally stimulating events, including theatrical and musical performances, planetarium shows and guest speakers.

With nearly 30,000 students enrolled at SCC, its programs range from college credit transfer degrees and career certificates to training for information technology and health professions to business management and construction trades.

The History of Seminole Community College

On July 1, 1965, the Florida State Legislature signed a charter creating Seminole Junior College. That year, the Seminole County School Board hired Dr. Earl S. Weldon to be the newly formed College’s president.

One of Dr. Weldon’s first duties was to locate a piece of land to build the school. After reviewing many possible locations, R.T. Milwee (superintendent of Seminole County Public Schools) and Dr. Weldon chose an 80-acre lot that once belonged to Chase Citrus Groves, a location chosen for its proximity to U.S. 17-92 and Interstate 4. Portable classrooms and offices were put in place, and plans were made for the construction of the College’s permanent structures.

Seminole Junior College opened in 1966. Seven-hundred students paid $5 per credit hour to further their educations. Initial class offerings included accounting, business, English I and II, journalism, Spanish, math, science and speech, among others.

Construction began in 1968 on the Campus’ first permanent structures. The F-Building, which houses the faculty offices, was built that year. The Vocational Building, Science Building and a library followed in 1969. The Admissions Building, the Student Center, the E-Building, the Health Building (the gym) and the Automotive Technology Building were built in 1974.

On July 1, 1975, Seminole Junior College became Seminole Community College. By the end of the College’s first decade, enrollment had increased to 14,161.

The G-Building (Fine Arts), the J-Building (business tech, drafting and design, digital media and healthcare) and the K-Building (used for automotive technology, EMT and fire training) were added in the late 1970s, and this period of growth for the College continued into the 1980s, seeing the Adult Education Building and Science Lab built.

After 30 years of honorable service, Dr. Weldon and Dr. Reitz retired in 1995.

The next year, Dr. E. Ann McGee, a community college graduate and administrator at Broward Community College, succeeded Dr. Weldon as the college's president. Faced with a 20 percent dip in attendance, Dr. McGee rejuvenated SCC with a period of substantial growth. Under Dr. McGee’s direction, SCC Foundation assets increased from $1 million to more than $7 million.

Sparked by a $2.5 million donation from the Central Florida Auto Dealers’ Association, SCC opened its $10.1 million Automotive Training Center in January 2007.

The next chapter of SCC’s growth came when the innovative Center of Economic Development at Heathrow opened in Fall 2007. The Center partners Central Florida’s economic development leaders with the College to train the region’s work force in business/technology-related programs, attract and retain leading technology companies to Central Florida, and sustain the driving force behind the region’s economic engine

The College’s Altamonte Springs Campus opened in January 2008. The Campus houses SCC’s Healthcare Program, a diverse offering of A.A. degrees and adult education.

For more than 40 years, SCC’s history has been decorated by the many accomplishments of its students and its loyal and hardworking faculty and staff. Today, the College is growing and adapting to meet the needs of an ever-changing community. SCC is moving forward in its mission to serve the Central Florida community. By offering high-quality educational programs and services, the College continues to provide students and area residents with a multitude of resources.

Adapted from an article by Joe Hendricks in The Scribe, Volume 13, No. 4, April 15, 2005.

Accreditations and Approvals

Seminole Community College is accredited and approved by the following organizations:

* Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate Degrees (SACS)
* American Bar Association
* American Medical Association (AMA)
* Approval Committee for Certificate Programs (ACCP)
* Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
* Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
* Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CARC)
* Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER)
* National League of Nursing (NLN)

Campuses

* Sanford/Lake Mary Campus: The Sanford/Lake Mary Campus offers a full curriculum taught in small, intimate classroom settings. In addition to offering a wide variety of degree and certificate programs to meet even the most unique needs, the Campus is also home to SCC’s Art & Phyllis Grindle Honors Institute, the Fine Arts Theatre, SCC's Planetarium and intercollegiate athletics programs.

* Oviedo Campus: The Oviedo Campus is one of SCC’s most popular campuses due to its proximity to affordable student housing and a bustling commercial district. The Campus is only a few miles from University of Central Florida, making it an ideal choice for students who wish to transfer there after they have achieved an associate degree.

* Altamonte Springs Campus: SCC's program offerings at the new Altamonte Springs Campus are designed to better equip today's students for tomorrow. The high-tech, learning-centered Campus concentrates on three key academic areas: Healthcare, general education requirements for the A.A. degrees offered by the College, and adult education.

* The Center for Economic Development at Heathrow: This state-of-the-art facility partners Central Florida’s economic development leaders with SCC to train the region’s work force in business/technology-related programs, attract and retain leading technology companies to Central Florida and sustain the driving force behind the region’s economic engine. It offers relevant programming for the area’s emergent work force, as well as professional and continuing education classes. The Center also functions as a collaborative space, where students, community residents and professionals can converge, learn and create.

Notable Alumni

References

External links

* [http://www.scc-fl.edu/ Seminole Community College Web site]
* [http://www.scc-fl.edu/international/ International Students at SCC]