Valencia Community College’s Osceola campus was recognized by the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities with its Outstanding HACU-Member Institution Award, in recognition of the college’s efforts in advancing the mission and goals of HACU.
The award was presented Nov. 1 during HACU’s 23rd annual conference held at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort. Dr. Silvia Zapico, provost of the Osceola campus, accepted the award on behalf of the college.
Zapico served as past chair of HACU and has represented Valencia as a member of the association since 2001.
Hispanic students make up more than 27 percent of enrollment collegewide and 46 percent of enrollment on the Osceola campus alone. The college is third in the nation in the number of associate degrees earned by Hispanics.
Accepting the award was Valencia Provost Silvia Zapico (center). The award was presented by HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores and Rosa Perez, Chancellor, San Jose/Evergreen Community College District and treasurer of HACU's Governing Board.
Established in 1986, HACU represents 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain and Portugal.
Valencia Community College’s distinguished artist series Visions & Voicesis one of the best kept secrets in Orlando. These amazing events highlight world-class poets, songwriters and artists from across the country. Visions & Voices events are free and open to community members (that means you), not just Valencia students, and have featured many talented artists including Poet Laureate Billy Collins, Musician David Wilcox, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paula Vogel and Poet David Whyte.
John Gorka at Valencia
This fall Visions & Voices brings back musician John Gorka. His acoustic music, deep melodic voices, and charming persona provide an expression of everyday life that is rich in complexity yet simple in verse.
I beseech you: take a mid-day break and come experience John Gorka on November 18, 2009. You will thank me later. The performance is from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. at the East Campus Performing Arts Center. Add to your calendar, schedule a date, make a plan, and attend the event. John Gorka will be the best afternoon treat! Well worth any effort to attend.
Gorka, like the Visions & Voices series, is a wonderful kept secret–artists have recorded and/or performed John Gorka songs, including Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mary Black and Maura O’Connell. His music video for the single “When She Kisses Me” found a long-term rotation on VH-1’s “Current Country,” as well as on CMT and the Nashville Network. John has also graced the stage of Austin City Limits, appeared on CNN, and has been the subject of other national programming.
This visit by John Gorka isn’t just for students, faculty, and staff; it’s for our community to experience something unique and different. Invite a friend, pass it on . . . this is one secret not worth keeping.
For more information about Valencia’s distinguished artist series and other upcoming artist visits, please visit online at:www.valenciacc.edu/visionsvoices
A little friendly motivation from one of my favorites, Abraham Lincoln…Never underestimate the power of a friend. Abraham Lincoln said, “I am a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down…” A friend is more than a companion. A friend is the better side of ourselves.
As we enter this season of thanksgiving, a heartfelt thank you to all of our friends and motivators!
Through your kindness, my next two semesters have been completely covered, including my textbooks, which we all know can be as expensive as tuition itself. As an independent, full time student, reaching the level of higher education beomces a challenge as we face everyday life. I will be forever grateful for what the foundation has done for me durimg my future endeavors.
R. Stio
2009/10 Ella B. Sadler
Scholarship Recipient
Did you know that annual alumni membership is absolutely free at Valencia?
Please take a moment to reconnect and get involved with exciting Alumni Association benefits and events. We invite you to fill out the membership registration form online today!
Already a member? Please complete the alumni class notes online. We’d like to know what you’ve been doing: new job, new degree, new adventure, new babies . . . all stories are welcome!
The Annual Osceola Arts Festival will be held February 13 and 14, 2010 on the Osceola Campus of Valencia Community College in Kissimmee. Artist applications are now available at www.ocfta.com. The deadline for all applications is December 1, 2009.
The Osceola Art Festival is an annual juried fine arts show under the sponsorship of the Osceola Center for the Arts and in partnership with Valencia Community College. Show incentives include $15,000 in prizes, including (1) $1500 Best of Show 2D award, (1) $1500 Best of Show 3D award, (9) $900 1st place awards in each category, (10) $300 open awards of excellence and (10) $100 open honorable mentions. A complimentary Artists Awards Brunch will take place Sunday morning and Booth Sitting is available. Categories include painting, pastels/graphics/ drawing, photography, sculpture/clay/ceramics, jewelry, glass, wood, mixed media & metal.
The festival, which is free and open to the public, is located on Highway 192 in Kissimmee. Kissimmee is located in the heart of Florida’s tourist capital and is just 20 minutes from Walt Disney World and Orlando. Call 407.846.6257 x 4 or visit www.ocfta.com for more information.
With a successful Taste for Learning event behind us, we now have are arduous task of remembering all those who made a difference (big or small) every step of the way in the planning process to give our thanks. And though we use the word arduous, we simply mean that it’s difficult not to thank everyone we encountered along the way … and we mean everyone and so we will!!!
It’s because of every conversation, every email, every comment, every thought, every task, every wish and every word of advice that we sit here and say, “Wow, what a great event that was!”
And so to all those smiling faces in our office doors, at the end of the phone and across email cyberspace and beyond, we smile back while blogging and say thank you for all you did and continue to do – you know who you are!
Gov. Crist lauds Valencia/UCF shared classroom building
Gov. Charlie Crist was among a host of elected officials and leaders in higher education at today’s ribbon-cutting for the $23 million University Center, a classroom building shared by UCF and Valencia Community College on Valencia’s West Campus.
Through partnerships like the one shared by UCF and Valencia, the state wants to give students “every possible avenue of opportunity to acheive what they want to achieve,” Crist told a crowd of more than 100.
The 100,000-square foot building is the largest on campus. UCF and Valencia split the cost.
UCF offers a variety of degree programs that students can complete in their entirety at the University Center. That eliminates the need for students who live and work in west Orange County to make the trek to UCF’s main campus in east Orlando.
Please join
Valencia Community College and the University of Central Florida
in a dedication ceremony for The University Center
Thursday, October 29, 2009
8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Ceremony
9:30 a.m. Building Tours
Valencia Community College
West Campus – University Center, Building 11 Atrium
1800 South Kirkman Road
Orlando, FL 32811
Parking available in Lots F and G
For our fellow Valencia colleagues: Please consider nominating a worthy co-worker for the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence in Learning Leadership Award.
The purpose of the NISOD awards program at Valencia is to recognize full-time members of the faculty, staff and administration for outstanding accomplishments in improving student learning. Recipients should have demonstrated meritorious learning leadership, as outlined in the award guidelines.
To request a nomination form and guidelines, please contact College and Community Relations (ext. 3126). Please note the submission deadline is Wednesday, November 4, 2009.
For more information about NISOD and this year’s conference (May 30 – June 2, 2010), visit www.nisod.org.
You are cordially invited to attend a happy hour full of free flowing wine and food, all the while benefiting a great cause: American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
Please join Valencia Community College and the Valencia Volunteers at Urban Flats in downtown Orlando from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday October 29th.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy Urban Flat’s normal Happy Hour OR purchase a $20 ticket at the door which includes the following:
- all you care to drink wine or non-alcoholic beverages
- all you can eat food: flat breads, salad, dessert
$15 from every ticket goes to American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer!
Wait, there’s more: * Advance ticket purchases will receive a free drink/cocktail coupon (yes, wine is free). Contact Becca Shevlin at rshevlin@valenciacc.edu or 407-582-5567. * Free parking in the Plaza Parking Garage: Urban Flats will validate
* Drawing for Orlando Magic basketball signed by the 2009 team and $100 gift card to Club 23, Back Room, or Mako’s with drawing at the end of the night.
Scholarship in memory of Valencia student Christine “Tina” Collyer: Tina’s Heart
Christine ”Tina” Collyer’s lifelong dream of becoming a fire fighter was ignited by an AS degree in Fire Officer Technology, an AS in Emergency Medical Service Technology and a certificate in Paramedic Technology from Valencia Community College. In January of 1996 she joined the Orlando Fire Department and also served as Paramedic and instructor for the department and citizens of Orlando.
Tina was the Explorer Advisor for many years and proudly served on the Honor Guard. Her contributions to the Orlando community extended as a volunteer with Burn Camp, Dream Flight, and the Winnie Palmer Secret Santa.
Friends and family are honoring Tina’s commitment to learning and her giving spirit with a scholarship in her honor. The family wanted to create hope with Tina’s Heart marking one year since Tina’s passing in October 2008.
If you wish to make a donation to the Tina Collyer Memorial Scholarship, Tina’s Heart please visit www.VALENCIA.org and click on Make a Donation.
As Jill mentioned below we had a wonderful event this past Saturday. I wanted to send a personal thank you to our generous food sponsors. Our guests were captivated by signature food items that were provided for Taste 4!
It was an absolute pleasure to work with these fantastic chefs and restaurants, and I look forward to working with each of them in the future. With the support of the these food vendors, ever single dollar raised goes directly to 2+2 scholarships for DirectConnect.
We would like to offer our special thanks for the gourmet food that was provided for this year’s event!
Fiorella’s Cucina Toscana – The Westin Imagine Orlando
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Bubbalou’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que
Hooters
Cala Bella, Rosen Shingle Creek
Executive Pastry Chef David Ramirez, Rosen Shingle Creek
Kouzzina by Cat Cora™ at Disney’s BoardWalk
Cabin Creek Food Services
B.B. King Blues Club
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
Jared Silvia, a Valencia Community College graduate from the Winter Park Campus, has been selected to have his creative writing published in Phi Theta Kappa’s 2009 edition of “Nota Bene,” the society’s literary honors anthology.
Silvia was one of 15 Phi Theta Kappa members nationally to have his work chosen for publication. Two of his short stories, “Uncle Benny” and “The Boxer,” will be published. For “Uncle Benny,” Silvia will be awarded a $500 Reynolds Scholarship. He is one of four students nationally to win the scholarship this year.
Silvia graduated from Valencia in spring 2009. He is now attending Rollins College and is majoring in English with a minor in creative writing. His work has also been published in “Mosaic,” the literary journal of Valencia’s Winter Park Campus.
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is the honor society of two-year colleges. It is the largest honor society in higher education with 1,250 chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States and throughout the world.
“Nota Bene,” recognizes outstanding writing of Phi Theta Kappa members and demonstrates to the literary public the academic excellence and commitment to scholarship found at two-year colleges.
SOURCE: Marketing & Media Relations; Valencia Community College; 407-582-1778; mtchen@valenciacc.edu
Saturday was amazing – another successful A Taste for Learning! The final numbers are being tallied, so be sure and check back to see how much was raised in support of Valencia and UCF 2+2 DirectConnect scholarships.
Thank you to all of our sponsors, attendees and volunteers - we appreciate your support! And remember, 100 percent of all sponsorships, tickets and auction receipts go directly to scholarships and is eligible to earn dollar-for-dollar match through the state of Florida First Generation in College matching grant program.
Valencia/UCF Partnership Greatly Expands College Opportunity in West Orange County
On Thursday, Oct. 29, Valencia Community College and the University of Central Florida (UCF) will host a public ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for their new shared facility, the University Center, located on Valencia’s West Campus on South Kirkman Road.
The event will be held in the University Center (Building 11) atrium. The dedication ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. followed by a ribbon cutting and guided tours of the building.
UCF has offered select courses on Valencia’s West Campus since 2000 and on Valencia’s Osceola Campus since 2001. The new building allows UCF to further expand its offerings on the west side of Orlando, opening up opportunity for many who may not be able to attend classes at the university’s main campus. The new building also provides familiar ground for Valencia students who transfer to UCF via the DirectConnect to UCF program, which guarantees Valencia graduates admission to UCF.
Nearly 27,000 Valencia students are enrolled in DirectConnect. Valencia students make up the largest number of UCF’s transfer students; one in five UCF graduates are Valencia transfers.
The $23 million, three-story, 100,000-square-foot facility accommodates classes offered by both institutions with more than 40 classrooms, a state-of-the-art testing center, computer labs, study rooms, faculty and staff offices and a café.
The University Center opened for classes in August, welcoming 775 UCF students to Valencia’s campus. This facility enables UCF to offer complete bachelor’s degrees in Nursing, Electrical Engineering, Applied Science, Business Administration, Interdisciplinary Studies and Psychology on Valencia’s West Campus. Valencia’s engineering programs are also housed in the building, including an associate in arts pre-major degree that is articulated with UCF and associate in science degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering.
Kavin Choe, a second-year Valencia student who is enrolled in the associate in arts engineering pre-major, plans to transfer to UCF to study mechanical engineering. He says that he hopes the university will continue to add courses on Valencia’s West Campus.
“I like the class sizes here, and I like the people,” Choe said. “It’s a much nicer building. We have new equipment, and it’s convenient for me. If every one of my classes were offered on this campus, I’d be all for it.”
The University Center is expected to receive LEED certification at the gold level for its environmentally friendly design, construction and energy-saving features. C.T. Hsu + Associates was the architectural firm for the project. PPI Construction Management Inc. was the builder.
The Valencia Character Company will present the musical farce “Lucky Stiff,” with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, as the opening production for its 2009-2010 theater season.
The musical opens on Friday, Oct. 23, with additional performances on Oct. 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 and Nov. 1. Curtain time is at 7:30 p.m. for Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances and at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays.
All performances take place at the Performing Arts Center on Valencia Community College’s East Campus, located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail in Orlando.
Ticket prices are $10 for general admission and $8 for seniors and Valencia students, staff and alumni. For reservations and further information, please call the Box Office at 407-582-2900. Advanced reservations may also be made at www.redchairproject.com.
A musical comedy meets murder-mystery, “Lucky Stiff” revolves around a hapless British shoe salesman who inherits $6 million in diamonds from an uncle he never knew he had. There’s just one catch: to collect, he must first take his uncle’s corpse on one last great adventure vacation to Monte Carlo.
When it turns out that a group of mafia members and a charity are also after the money, mayhem ensues, with all kinds of zany characters getting caught up in the action. Finally though, disguises fall away, the truth is revealed, and maybe even love is born.
Based on the book, “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” by Michael Butterworth, “Lucky Stiff” is created by the same collaborative team that wrote “Ragtime,” “Once on the Island” and “Seussical.”
Valencia Student to be Featured on CNN Special, “Latino in America”
Orlando, FL – Valencia Community College student Carlos Robles will be featured in the documentary, “Latino in America,” which will debut Oct. 21 and 22 on CNN and CNN en Español. Robles’ story will air on the 22nd.
The two-night, four-hour documentary, hosted by correspondent Soledad O’Brien, examines the growing diversity of America, exploring Latino-American culture through personal stories. Several U.S. communities, including the Puerto Rican community in Orlando, are featured.
Robles, who was a police officer in Puerto Rico, aims to become a sheriff with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. However, he is worried that his struggles with English may keep him from his dream. To work on his language skills, he is enrolled in Conversational English courses through the Center for Global Languages at Valencia Enterprises, the continuing education division of Valencia Community College. CNN followed his progress for eight weeks, documenting his class work and gaining insight into his life in Orlando.
Students from Puerto Rico make up nearly 10 percent of the Conversational English courses at the Center for Global Languages.
Valencia’s service to the Hispanic community is also noteworthy in the following ways:
• Hispanics account for almost 27 percent of the 50,000 degree-seeking students at Valencia.
• Because enrollment exceeds 25 percent Hispanic, with at least half coming from lower-income families, Valencia is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution.
• Valencia ranks 3rd among the nation’s two-year institutions for the number of associate degrees awarded to Hispanics (up from 5th in 2008).
“CNN Presents: Latino in America,” reported by Soledad O’Brien, premieres Oct. 21 and 22 at 9 p.m. (EST) on CNN and on CNN en Español. For more information, visit www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/latino.in.america.
SOURCE: Marketing & Media Relations; Valencia Community College
To read more Valencia news, please go to www.valenciacc.edu
Please join Valencia Community College and the University of Central Florida in a dedication ceremony for
The University Center
Thursday, October 29, 2009 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast 9:00 a.m. Ceremony 9:30 a.m. Building Tours
Valencia Community College West Campus – University Center, Building 11 Atrium 1800 South Kirkman Road Orlando, FL 32811 Parking available in Lots F and G
I would most graciously like to take the time to thank you for your outstanding contribution. It was a pleasant surprise to see that The University Club of Orlando saw fit to assist me in my educational pursuits. While researching your organization I must say I was highly impressed with the phenomenal support you all have shown the Central Florida area for over the past 80 years. I am truly flattered to be supported by such an awesome organization, it definitely says a lot when professionals and pillars of the community take a stand to give back and uplift the surrounding communities wherever you may see a need.
Again, it sincerely means the world to me that your organization has taken an interest in support of my college endeavors. As a veteran of the U.S. Army I cannot honestly express in words the appreciation one feels when our fellow countrymen/women decide to step up and show that “you all do care.” I do hope one day to be a part of your wonderful organization and assist you all in your efforts of continuing to build this amazing community.
D. Cooper
2009-10 The University Club of Orlando
Scholarship Recipient
Each November, in celebration of American Education Week, the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools brings business and civic leaders into the classrooms - in a fun and engaging way - to talk with students about academics, careers and the future.
The Famous Faces of Photographer Jack Mitchell on Exhibit at Valencia
The Anita S. Wooten Gallery at Valencia Community College will host an exhibition titled, “The Photographs of Jack Mitchell,” beginning Friday October 2, with a reception from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mitchell’s photos will be on exhibit through November 6.
Mitchell’s photographs of famous personalities in the arts, from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Alfred Hitchcock and Agnes de Mille, serve to map American popular culture during the second half of the twentieth century. He worked for the New York Times Arts & Leisure section from 1960 to 1995. In addition to the Times, his work has appeared in People, Newsweek, Vogue, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair magazines, as well as in several books. The collection is on loan from the Thrasher Horne Center for the Arts at St. Johns River Community College.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Anita S. Wooten Gallery is located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail on Valencia’s East Campus. Call 407-582-2298 or 407-582-2268 for more information. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
September 30, 2009
Source: Marketing & Media Relations
407-582-1015
ctraynor@atlas.valenciacc.edu
White House Brings “Community Conversations”on Hispanic Educational Excellence to Valencia
Valencia Community College hosted the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, a “Community Conversation,” on Wed., Sept. 23 attended by approximately 100 people.
The public forum led by Juan Sepulveda, director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, is part of a nationwide tour, including stops this week in Tampa, Miami and Puerto Rico.
Sepulveda outlined President Barack Obama’s ambitious goals for improving all facets of education in the U.S. from pre-kindergarten through elementary, middle school, high school and colleges. Among them is the recently announced $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” initiative that challenges states to redesign education to meet the demands of a global economy and return America to the top of the world’s producers of college graduates.
“This is our moon shot,” said Sepulveda of the ambitious project. “We’re in a unique point in history and our president is committing to the largest investment in education ever made.”
Among the efforts specifically impacting community colleges, the U.S. Dept. of Education will increase individual Pell Grant awards to $5,500; eliminate the costly middle layer in student loans resulting in the availability $6 billion more for low-interest loans; and dramatically streamline financial aid forms. Overall, President Obama has proposed an investment of $12 billion in community colleges over the next decade.
The attendees were invited to share their concerns and ideas on the issues facing Hispanics in attaining an education, including lack of parental involvement, language barriers, college affordability and funding constraints that limit access.
Valencia’s service to the Hispanic community is noteworthy in the following ways:
Valencia is more ethnically and racially diverse than at any time in its 42-year history, with Hispanics accounting for almost 27 percent of the 50,000 degree-seeking students.
Because enrollment exceeds 25 percent Hispanic with more than half of those considered low income, Valencia was formally designated in 2009 as an Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Dept. of Education.
Valencia ranks 3rd among the nation’s two-year institutions for the number of associate degrees awarded to Hispanics (up from 5th in 2008).
Valencia has long-term assessment results that show a reduction in academic achievement gaps across racial and ethnic groups, particularly among Caucasian and Hispanic students. In a study involving 34,000 students over four years that was undertaken as part of a national initiative called Achieving the Dream, Valencia has sought to improve the success rates of students in six courses that a majority of students must take and in which many have traditionally struggled. As a result of this work, achievement gaps between African American and Caucasian students narrowed from 13.4 percent in 2004 to 3.6 percent in 2008. Gaps between Hispanic and Caucasian students saw an even more dramatic shift, with Hispanics lagging by 1.8 percent in 2004, and four years later, surpassing their Caucasian counterparts by 4 percent. These results were largely due to three strategies employed as part of the ATD initiative to improve student performance: peer tutoring, linked courses, and mandated enrollment in a Student Success course for those who were required to take development math, reading or writing.
The College has won two national awards in 2009 as a result of its focus on identifying and closing achievement gaps: a grant in the amount of $733,333 from MDC., Inc., a grantee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to boost the college completion rates of low-income students and students of color, and the national Leah Meyer Austin Institutional Student Success Leadership Award presented by the Lumina Foundation for Education.
The White Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanics was created by executive order under President George W. Bush in 2001. The community conversations will serve as the foundation for a new presidential executive order that will govern the White House Initiative and will be signed by President Barack Obama. The office operates under the U.S. Department of Education and has as its charge to examine the underlying causes of the existing education achievement gap between Hispanic American students and their peers. For information, visit their website at http://www.yic.gov.
College Night 2009 will provide an opportunity for high school and college transfer students to scope out their options for college. More than 100 admissions representatives from colleges across the country will be present for this two-night event, which will be held at Valencia Community College. Last year’s representatives hailed from universities including Yale, Cornell and the University of Florida, as well as local schools such as Valencia, University of Central Florida, Rollins, Florida Southern and Stetson. There were also representatives from the United States Air Force, Military and Naval Academies. Students can receive information on everything college related, from admissions requirements to financial aid, degrees and programs, and campus housing. College Night 2009 will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6 on Valencia’s Osceola Campus and Thursday, Oct. 8 on Valencia’s East Campus. Both events run from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Valencia’s Osceola Campus is located at 1800 Denn John Lane in Kissimmee. The East Campus is located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail in Orlando. For more information please go to www.valenciacc.edu/collegenight or contact 407-582-2330 or enrollment1@valenciacc.edu.
Source: Melissa Tchen, Marketing and Media Relations
Valencia Community College
On Friday, October 9, Valencia’s Division of Business, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Division of Fine Arts, Student Development and Student Government Association will present a screening of the nationally renowned film, Call + Response,produced and directed by famous musician Justin Dillon.
This film takes viewers on a journey through the depraved depths of child brothels and the sinister side of migration known as slave labor, and features prominent luminaries on the issue such as Cornel West, Madeline Albright, Julia Ormond and Ashley Judd.
Following the film, Mr. Dillon will speak about the pervasiveness of modern day slavery and human trafficking, as well as spend time answering any questions about the film or the current abolitionist movement.
The screening will be held Friday, October 9, at 6:00 p.m. on Valencia’s West Campus, in the Special Events Building (building 8). Seating is limited, so tickets are available at the West Campus Student Development Office (building 3, room 147). Doors will open at 5:00 p.m. on the evening of event, and those with tickets will be seated first.
For more information about this event, please call 407-582-1203.
When individuals come together for the greater good of the cause, those individuals become a team and this Friday morning Wikipedia offered the most simplistic of explanations behind the word “teamwork.”
Teamwork is a joint action by two or more people, in which each person contributes with different skills and expresses his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group in order to achieve common goals. This does not mean that the individual is no longer important; however, it does mean that effective and efficient teamwork goes beyond individual accomplishments. The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.
At Valencia, this has never been proven truer than in recent weeks with the inception of the Save the Corks! campaign. Many have read what the campaign is all about as the news spreads like wildfire, but for those still unsure, yet wanting to become a part of this ever growing team, let’s recap:
Now through the end of December, you are welcome to send your wine or champagne corks to Valencia Foundation, 190 S. Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801 or if you happen to be in the downtown area, stop by the foundation offices, say hello and personally drop off your corks (we’d love to see you). You can also take your corks to Save the Corks! containers at participating ABC Fine Wine and Spirits locations. Through a partnership with Nomacorc and Terracycle, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits will donate $.02 to A Taste for Learning for each cork recycled.
Each week, the foundation receives bags of corks from members of the Valencia community at varying campuses and learning centers. And with each drop off or interoffice mail donation, there is a note of support. While it’s a simple “we are your cheerleaders” or “we support you” tone that these notes take, the true meaning behind the corks, the notes, the teamwork and the support is simple. It’s all being done for the many students who walk the corridors and halls everyday at Valencia and even those not yet on campus, but with Valencia on the brain.
I won’t ramble – it’s Friday and the weekend is soon upon us! Let me simply end with a heartfelt thank you to all of you for your support and commitment to recycling those corks and upcycling our efforts.
Please take a gander at this local article OrlandoSentinel.com that highlights the upcoming Taste for Learning event benefiting 2+2 scholarships for Valencia and UCF. Sentinel Food Editor Heather McPherson shares info about A Taste for Learning, put on by the UCF Foundation and the Valencia Foundation. The Oct. 17 event is at Rosen Shingle Creek. Tickets are $125 per person or $200 per couple and the money raised will help fund scholarships. Visit www.valencia.org/taste for information.
For those who cannot attend, the article continued: ”there is still an opportunity to help and feel good about the bottles piling up in the recycle bin. Through the end of December, drop off pulled corks at Save the Corks! containers at participating ABC Fine Wine and Spirits locations. Through a partnership with Nomacorc and Terracycle, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits will donate 2 cents for each cork recycled. ”
What You Need to Know as Your Parents Age
Presenters: Helen Von Dolteren-Fournier and Julie Kronhaus
Join us for a workshop created just to help you manage your concerns or questions regarding your aging parent(s). If you are the primary caregiver or are simply concerned for the sake of your parent(s) or parent(s)-in-law and need answers, consider joining us. If you have any of the following questions, consider attending:
1. What legal documents should every parent have in place? If my parents executed their documents 20 years ago, up North, are they still good?
2. What if my parents outlive their money – what assistance/benefits are there for them? How do I find out about these programs?
3. Do you and your siblings agree on the long-term care plan for your parent?
4. My widowed mother wants to marry someone she has met at the Senior Living Center – what should she consider, legally, before she marries?
5. I suspect that my brother is misusing the Power of Attorney – what can be done?
6. Is it true that my father must ‘give away’ or ’sell’ all his assets, including his home, to qualify for Medicaid assistance?
7. What is Guardianship and how will I know if my parent needs it?
8. My mother passed but my stepfather is still living; how can I approach him to speak about these types of issues?
9. My father was a WWII veteran – is he eligible for any VA long term care assistance and will my mother be eligible, too?
Valencia Faculty and Staff, please join us!
Thursday, September 24 from 6-8:30 p.m.
Criminal Justice Institute
Registration Code: GAP – 1
Article provided by The Bulletin – a weekly publication for the faculty and staff of Valencia Community College.
Save the Corks! ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Joins TerraCycle Program to Recycle Nomacorc Wine Closures
Nomacorc, the world’s leading producer of alternative wine closures, announced that ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Florida’s oldest and largest independent wine and spirits retailer, has joined its innovative recycling program. Beginning in mid-September, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits will collect post-consumer use Nomacorc wine closures that will then be “upcycled” into unique consumer products by TerraCycle, which operates an established and well-respected national recycling program.
Through its Save the Corks! program, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits will host collection containers in which consumers can deposit used wine closures at nearly all of its 150 Florida retail locations. The collected closures will then be shipped to TerraCycle, which will “upcycle” the closures into eco-friendly consumer products made via low-energy consumption means.
“While all Nomacorc products are already 100% recyclable with LDPE food packaging, our upcycling program with TerraCycle and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits finds a new purpose for Nomacorc closures while supporting local charitable organizations and our own corporate environmental goals,” said Malcolm Thompson, vice president of marketing and innovation for Nomacorc.
Every wine closure collected and sent to TerraCycle adds $.02 in charitable giving. ABC Fine Wine & Spirits has designated the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College, through the Valencia Foundation, as the initial recipients of the funds.
“For us, an important part of the program was the ability to raise funds for our charitable endeavors, while simultaneously giving wine consumers in Florida a ‘green’ option for their used wine closures,” said Charles Bailes, III, ABC’s chairman and president. “Florida is the third largest wine-consuming state in the country; it took us no time to realize what a difference we could make if people get in the habit of upcycling their wine closures.”
A major focus of ABC’s collection campaign is “A Taste for Learning,” an annual event sponsored by ABC Fine Wine & Spirits that supports the Valencia Foundation and University of Central Florida Foundation. “A Taste for Learning” is scheduled for October 17, 2009 and is expected to provide a strong boost to the collection efforts in ABC Fine Wine & Spirits stores statewide.
Nomacorc announced its upcycling program with TerraCycle in January 2009. As TerraCycle’s exclusive wine closure manufacturer partner, Nomacorc is leading the effort to identify and secure additional retail and winery sponsors for the closure recycling program.
About ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
Founded in 1936, Orlando, Florida, based ABC Fine Wine & Spirits is the country’s largest privately owned fine wine and spirits merchant, with approximately 150 retail stores spanning the Florida peninsula from Tallahassee to Miami, and 1600 employees. www.abcfws.com
A Taste for Learning, benefiting Valencia and UCF, is an annual wine tasting extravaganza for which everything, from venue to cuisine to wines to auction items, is donated, allowing 100% of the fundraising to go directly to scholarships for students of Valencia Community College and UCF. This year’s Taste partners with the University of Central Florida in recognition of the 2+2 DirectConnect program guaranteeing Valencia students a seat at UCF when they complete their associate’s degree. www.valencia.org/taste
About Nomacorc
Nomacorc is the worldwide leader in the growing alternative wine closure category. Dedicated to technological innovation, Nomacorc manufactures its portfolio of products using a patented co-extrusion process. As a result, Nomacorc closures provide consistent, predictable oxygen management and protect against off-flavors due to oxidation, reduction or cork taint. Nomacorc’s 100% recyclable products are available through a vast network of distributors and sales agents on six continents. With 500 employees worldwide and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in the United States, Belgium, Austria and China, Nomacorc produces more than 2 billion closures annually. Working with renowned wine research institutes worldwide, the company leads the wine closure industry in fundamental and applied research in the area of oxygen management in wine. For more information, visit http://www.nomacorc.com.
About TerraCycle
TerraCycle (www.terracycle.net) represents a new generation of company, putting as much emphasis on its social and environmental impact as its profits. In 2001, college freshman Tom Szaky founded TerraCycle in hopes of building a new, more responsible way of doing business. Since then, TerraCycle has revolutionized the industry by making eco-friendly and affordable products from waste materials.
TerraCycle provides jobs in the inner-city, provides free fundraisers for schools and non-profits and inspires kids nationwide to make a difference locally and globally. Join the TerraCycle eco-revolution by signing up for our free fundraising collection programs where we pay you for packaging like drink pouches, yogurt cups and more. To learn more about joining a TerraCycle brigade, go to www.terracycle.net/brigades.
Reprinted from: Nomacorc press release, Richards Partners for Nomacorc/Contact: Katie Myers, Zebulon, N.C., September 10, 2009.
The Winter Park Autumn Art Festival is scheduled for October 10-11th, 2009 and is a community-oriented sidewalk show that features work by Florida artists.
Valencia is proud to work with the festival and is looking to support this event through student, staff and faculty volunteers. If you are interested in providing your time and talents please contact Sunni at sfavaliprevatt@valenciacc.edu.
In addition to presenting quality visual art, the festival provides entertainment and participatory events for the enjoyment of visitors and artists. The festival is held near Valencia’s Winter Park Campus at beautiful Central Park located along Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park.
Thank you for your generous donation. Through your kindness, my next two semesters have been completely covered, including my textbooks, which we all know can be as expensive as tuition itself. As an independent, full time student, reaching the level of higher education becomes a challenge as we face everyday life. I will be forever grateful for what the foundation has done for me during my future endeavors.
Again, thank you for your help with my continued education in addition to assisting me with my dreams of one day working with the State Department to further the American vision around the globe.
R. Stio
2009-10 Ella B. Sadler
Scholarship Recipient
Did you miss the chance to make an online bid for Valencia’s fabulous auction item for the Red Chair Affair? No worries, you can attend the event and bid at the live auction! The Red Chair Affair, a fundraiser for the Red Chair Project, will be held this Saturday at Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre.
Now through the end of December, you are welcome to send your wine or champagne corks to Valencia Foundation, 190 S. Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801 or if you happen to be in the downtown area, stop by the foundation offices, say hello and personally drop off your corks (we’d love to see you). You can also take your corks to Save the Corks! containers at participating ABC Fine Wine and Spirits locations. Through a partnership with Nomacorc and Terracycle, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits will donate $.02 toA Taste for Learningfor each cork recycled.
And for those attendingA Taste for Learningon October 17th, be sure to bring your corks the night of the event and visit Cork Island! It’s sure to be a time you won’t forget.
Excerpt: The cost of going for gold adds about 2.5 percent to the cost of construction, according to officials at Valencia, which soon stands to have three gold certifications in its portfolio. The new special-events center on the school’s west Orlando campus is now vying for gold LEED, with such features as toilets that use filtered rainwater collected in an underground cistern. Designed by Orlando’s Hunton Brady Architects, the showcase building — which also holds the school’s culinary-arts program — optimizes its use of daylight and its views of Lake Pamela while minimizing the effects of direct sunlight. Reflective roofing materials and crushed limestone walkways help ward off the heat.
“It’s all about return on investment,” said Valencia President Sanford C. Shugart. “For public buildings, we’ve been in a period in the last two or three years when both capital and operating resources have been scarce, but it’s usually a good strategy to spend more on capital to save on operating.”
In addition to saving on power and water bills, the structures have carpet and paint intended to decrease allergens and, possibly, health-care costs. Paying extra to go for gold is “kind of a gamble” in terms of monetary pay backs because of uncertainties in the oil markets, Shugart said. But, he added, working toward top-level certifications also says something about how a company perceives its role in the larger community.
Valencia Community College is proud to host the 2009 Orange & Osceola County College Night programs for the state of Florida. This is a great opportunity for students preparing for college, parents who have questions, and friends who just want to tag along to mix and mingle with colleges from ALL over!
Start your college search process up close and personal.
Visit with representatives from colleges and universities located across the country.
Gather local and federal information regarding grants & scholarships
College Night, Osceola Campus
Valencia Community College
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
6:00-8:00pm (EST)
Co-Sponsored by Education Foundation of Osceola County
College Night, East Campus
Valencia Community College
Thursday, October 8, 2009
6:00-8:00pm (EST)
Taste invitations are done and mailed. Yay! I know that some of you are racing home to check that mailbox now, but no worries! If you haven’t received your copy in the mail, feel free to visit our website www.valencia.org/taste to purchase tickets today.
You can find additional information, including an overview of the event, sponsorship information and a listing of our current restaurant partners. We have some great food waiting for you at Taste this year!
UCF Foundation and Valencia Foundation proudly join together to present A Taste for Learning on Saturday, October 17 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Rosen Shingle Creek. Tickets are $125 per person or $200 per couple.
Join us as vintners from around the world serve their finest wines and sample exquisite cuisine from restaurants like B.B. King’s Blues Club Orlando, Cala Bella Shingle Creek, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and Uno Chicago Grill. Tempting auction items will include everything from travel to truffles, to wine and wild nights out. There’s something for everyone!
Funds raised at A Taste for Learningwill benefit Valencia and UCF 2+2 DirectConnect scholarships. 100% of all sponsorships, tickets and auction receipts will go directly to scholarships and is eligible to earn dollar-for-dollar match through the state of Florida First Generation in College matching grant program, doubling your investment.
Can’t attend A Taste for Learning? There is still an opportunity for you to help – recycle your corks and upcycle our efforts through the Save the Corks! campaign. Now through the end of December, you are welcome to send your recycled corks to Valencia Foundation or take your corks to Save the Corks! containers at participating ABC Fine Wine and Spirits locations. Through a partnership with Nomacorc and Terracycle, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits will donate $.02 to A Taste for Learningfor each cork recycled. And for those attending, be sure to bring your corks the night of the event – see you there!
Every wanted to have a theater experience – onstage? You can! The upcoming Red Chair Affair, Central Florida’s start to our cultural season, is hosting an online auction to kick off the event. You’re invited to check the Valencia Red Chair package online! Winning bidders will receive a fab Red Chair and a pair of season tickets to the Valencia Character Company 2009-2010 Theatre season. To sweeten the deal, the auction winner also receives an onstage experience as an asylum inmate in full costume for one performance of Marat/Sade!
Valencia Character Company 2009/2010 Season includes: Lucky Stiff, The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Chareton under the Direction of Mansieur de Sade, world premiere of a new play, student directed One-Acts, and Almost Maine.
We encourage you to check it out, place a bid, and check back often!
On September 8th at 8:00 PM, Viacom Entertainment is kicking off an initiative to improve our schools and promote education nationwide called Get Schooled. In order to showcase Get Schooled to the nation, Viacom will be preempting program on its channels: BET, VH1, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central and airing a show focused on three people who work for Kelly Clarkson, LeBron James, and President Obama. The goal is to highlight how education helped them reach their positions. Valencia has been asked to help promote this event because it connects to our work with the Developmental Education Initiative.
Want to know more about the Valencia Foundation and how we support Valencia Community College? F.A.Qs for you are provided so you can be one of Those-in-the-Know.
What is the Valencia Foundation? The foundation is a separate, not-for-profit, IRS approved 501(c)(3) corporation chartered in 1974 to provide financially for the educational needs of Valencia that cannot be met through state aid or student tuition income.
What does the Valencia Foundation do? The office coordinates campaigns that help Valencia Community College provide a range of benefits, including scholarships, new technology, facilities, faculty improvements, and special programs. Nearly 60 community leaders volunteer generously of their time, talent, and resources by serving on the board of directors.
Can I tell the foundation how to spend my money? Yes, you can tell our foundation how to utilize your donation by making a restricted gift. *Please see the next question and answer for more information about restricted and unrestricted gifts.
What is the difference between a restricted gift and an unrestricted gift? If you make a restricted gift, also known as a designated gift, you can direct your contribution to a specific scholarship, academic program, or any other special need. If you make an unrestricted gift—one with no restrictions on its use—you give Valencia the ability to apply funds where students need them most, including taking advantage of unexpected opportunities and meeting unforeseen challenges.
Will I receive tax benefits for my gift? Yes, in most cases, the college’s supporters can deduct gifts from their taxes. Besides making direct, one-time contributions, you may also want to consider the long-term tax and estate-planning benefits of giving through annuities, trusts, and other financial tools.
Can I make a gift in honor or memory of someone? Yes. As a tribute to a friend, colleague, mentor, family member, or anyone else, you can give in a person’s name.
How can I double or even triple my contribution? Check with the human resources office at your company to see if it offers a matching funds program. More than 1,200 corporations have programs that match employees’ gifts to organizations like Valencia Community College.
What is a planned gift? A planned gift is an arrangement to make a contribution to the Valencia Foundation, usually in the future. Annuities, trusts, and bequests in a will are examples of planned gifts. For more information, please visit our planned giving website at www.valenciagiving.org.
What is an outright gift? An outright gift is an immediate, direct contribution, usually consisting of cash, real estate, or securities.
Are there any advantages to making an outright gift? Yes! In fact, the advantages of making an outright gift are many… Valencia now offers more than 50 pre-major associate of arts, over 100 associate in science and applied science degrees and certificate programs: most programs lead to immediate entry into the workforce.
When you make an outright gift of cash, property, securities, or other assets to the Valencia Foundation,
You provide instant assistance to the college and gain an immediate tax deduction.
You usually get a charitable deduction for the full cost of the gift in the year you make it.
It’s an easy, efficient way to support a cause you believe in.
There are no complex financial documents to fill out.
You get the satisfaction of offering direct financial help that furthers Valencia’s mission of reaching out to potential students and providing affordable, accessible learning opportunities.
You receive other benefits depending on the type of gift: cash, real estate, or appreciated securities.
Because most Valencia Foundation benefactors make an outright gift of cash, the foundation has established several convenient ways for you to provide that support, including a check or credit card.
Are all gifts useful? Yes, gifts of all amounts are deeply appreciated no matter how large or modest. Added to other gifts, any one gift combined has a large impact. Any gift demonstrates your concern for educational excellence at Valencia.
Can I make a gift online? Yes. It’s quick, easy and secure through our online registration form at Make a Donation.
What is an Annual Fund? An Annual Fund is a yearly campaign that raises resources for student scholarships and college programs and establishes a vehicle for Valencia to broaden its base of support. The rental income from the foundation’s real estate investments cover most of the foundation’s operating and fund-raising expenses, ensuring that 100 percent of donations are used exclusively for our donors’ intended purpose.
What is the Capital Campaign? The Capital Campaign is a special campaign for new investments in people, programs, technology, and facilities for Valencia.
Where can I get more information? Contact the Valencia Foundation at 190 S. Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32804; (407) 582-3150 or by emailing the foundation at foundation@valenciacc.edu
Have you checked out Valencia’s wellness activities yet?
Fall offerings start a week after classes begin, the week of September 7th, and ending the week before classes end, December 12th. For questions about wellness events or classes, please contact Debi Jakubcin at 2281 or djakubcin@valenciacc.edu.These classes are for faculty and staff only.
No pre-registration required. Please just show up. You may attend any campus.
East Campus
Yoga PM- MONDAY, 5:15pm – 6:15pm, Dance Studio (6-104)
NEW -Yoga AM – WEDNESDAY, 7:00am – 7:45am, Dance Studio (6-104)
I would most graciously like to take the time to thank you for your outstanding contribution. It was a pleasant surprise to see that the University Club of Orlando saw fit to assist me in my educational pursuits. While researching your organization I must say I was highly impressed with the phenomenal support you all have shown the Central Florida area for over the past eighty years. I am truly flattered to be supported by such an awesome organization, it definitely says a lot when professionals and pillars of the community take a stand to give back and uplift the surrounding communities wherever you may see a need.
Again, it sincerely means the world to me that your organization has taken an interest in support of my college endeavors.
D. Cooper
2009-10 University Club of Orlando Winner
Classes start today so welcome back everybody! Here is a look at what is happening on some of our campuses this week:
East Campus Career Development Services Information Table
September 1 – 3, 1 to 2 p.m.
Great Hall, Building 5
West Campus Photo Bookmarks
September 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stop by the cafeteria and get a souvenir photo bookmark for Welcome Week
Nova Southeastern University
September 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Building 2 Breezeway
Providing information on their master’s degree programs
SGA General Meeting
September 2, 1 to 2 p.m.
Building 6-202
Meeting open for all students to attend
Balloon-a-thon
September 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SSB Patio
Fundraiser for “Light the Night” (The Luekemia and Lymphoma Society), sponsored by Valencia Volunteers
Welcome BBQ
September 3, 11:30 a.m.
SSB Patio
Instant Video Buttons
September 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stop by the cafeteria and get a souvenir video button for Welcome Week
Winter Park Campus
Welcome Back Week
August 31 – September 3, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Portico and Student Lounge
Phi Theta Kappa Meeting
September 4, 5:30 p.m.
(Source: Valencia Events, Events and Announcements)
For more information on events and all campus locations, please visit http://valenciacc.edu/.
Ron is a member of The Institute for the Advancement of the Aural Arts (IAAA), an international visiting group of seven musicians and educators who present concerts, master classes and workshops based on the most
contemporary musical thinking on a worldwide basis. Ron’s company, Sword
Guitars, builds guitars in microtonal tunings. His second book, titled
“Tricesimoprial Scales for Guitar,” is available through IAAA Press.
CORINA PASCAL 2006
Corina graduated cum laude from the University of South Florida in May 2009 with a degree from the College of Business Administration. She works as a financial coach in Tampa and is in the process of opening up her own family financial service business later this year.
DAVID NICHOLAS TORRE 2002
David recently became a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP). He also recently graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and is currently studying
for the Florida Bar exam.
LAURA (BAKER) DARNELL 1992
Laura is currently working on her Master of Science degree in nursing administration through the Indiana University School of Nursing while working as the clinical manager for the Emergency Department at
Community Hospital North in Indianapolis, Ind. She has been happily married for 10 years and is the mother of three children ages 8, 6, and 4.
NANCY (POORE) LANFERSIEK 1999
Nancy will graduate with a master’s degree in reading education from the University of Central Florida in August. She holds certifications in reading, elementary education and early childhood, and hopes to teach at Valencia in the future.
For information on how other Valencia graduates are doing pick up a copy of the Summer/Fall 2009 VITAE.
F. Cabral is a Valencia graduating senior and 2008-09 Mayor Richard T. Crotty Valencia – UCF Two Plus Two recipient. He takes a moment to expresses his thoughts on community:
My philosophy regarding community service is: pride is the measure of perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of one’s character and desire to contribute to society.
The gratification I receive from helping another defines my identity and nurtures my virtues. When I help someone and see a small difference of change for the better, it inspires me to continue helping others. I have witnessed that taking the time to help someone, fosters their self-worth, and helped them become more eager and confident as individuals.
As a result, I was surrounded with content people and this improved my own quality of life.
Valencia Community College’s ensemble and chorus groups are looking for new members for the fall term. Opportunities are available to all students, staff, faculty and community members.
There are three opportunities available:
Voices of Valencia
Now in its 13th year, the Voices of Valencia is a musical group for singers of all levels. The group performs all over Central Florida, including at theme parks and convention centers, and every so often they record an album. This holiday season, the group will continue building its very own production, N.O.E.L. (Night of Everlasting Light) with music arranged by Derric Johnson (creator of Epcot Candlelight Processional and Voices of Liberty). Anyone can join Voices of Valencia and no auditions are required.
To be a part of this group, participants must register for the Valencia course MUN 1311, CRN # 11221. Members will receive one hour of college credit. The course costs $87.36. Seniors over age 59 and dual-enrollment students can join for free. The group will meet every Tuesday night, beginning Sept. 1, at 7 p.m. on Valencia’s East Campus, located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail in Orlando.
West Campus Choir
Valencia’s West Campus now has a music ensemble of its own. The West Campus Choir (formerly known as the Valencia Chamber Chorus) offers its members a chance to be a part of some holiday shows in the Central Florida area, including the Epcot Candlelight Processional. No auditions are required.
To join the chorus, participants must register for the Valencia course MUS 2930, CRN #14882. Members will receive one hour of college credit. The course costs $87.36. Seniors over age 59 and dual-enrollment students can join for free. The group will meet every Thursday night, beginning Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. on Valencia’s West Campus, located at 1800 South Kirkman Road in Orlando.
Valencia A Cappella Chorale
The Valencia A Cappella Chorale is seeking members for its premier a cappella group, Intone. Intone’s musical style is characterized by a unique variety of lush vocal harmonies and its high-energy patriotic and holiday numbers. Intone has been a regular in the local resorts (including Disney) convention centers, conferences and other venues over the years.
Those interested in joining must have music skills and a great work ethic. Auditions are required. For more information about this group or any other, please contact Mr. James Jones at 407-582-2340 or jjones2@valenciacc.edu.
Source: Melissa Tchen, Marketing & Media Relations (407-582-1778; mpoorbaugh@atlas.valenciacc.edu), Valencia News and Information – August 13, 2009
Oh, Woman! conference this weekend is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2009, at the Orange County Convention Center. Tickets are now only available at the door howeverAEGIS Law Firm has 3 tickets available courtesy of Helen Von Dolteren-Fournier, Esq.
If you are interested in reserving a ticket, please call 407.539.3939 by 4:30 p.m. today and provide your name. Your ticket will then be placed at “Will Call” for pickup tomorrow. Please note: you must call and provide your name today.
SOMMELIER Rosen Shingle Creek
ABC Fine Wine and Spirits
Fry|Hammond|Barr
BORDEAUX McCree General Contractors and Architects
FIRST PRESS Freeman
Orlando Event Photographers
Orlando Magic
Orlando Health
UCF Regional Campuses
Valencia Community College
Walt Disney World Co.
VINTNER Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association
Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services of Orlando Inc.
LarsonAllen LLP
Progress Energy Florida
CABERNET Baker Hostetler CT Hsu + Associates PA Paul and Mary Ann Kinser PPI Construction Management Inc. Progressive Communications Schoolfield Properties Inc. – Wayne and Dianne Schoolfield SeaWorld, Aquatica and Discovery Cove Second Chance Fund – Kay Walters
Join us for a night of fine wines and gourmet cuisine with good friends all for a great cause…UCF and Valencia students!!!
Many of you have been reading about community colleges in Florida adding bachelor’s degrees to their programs, changing their names to “college” or “state college,” and other issues swirling around the future of our system. In the last issue of Vitae, I promised an update on these issues with a focus on Valencia’s direction.
Background
First, it is important to note that Florida is, in fact, under-built for undergraduate education. As far into the future as I can see, the metropolitan areas in central and south Florida will have significantly more demand for freshmen seats than supply. This is a result of improving school performance over the past decade leading to more graduates and an even larger percentage of high school graduates prepared for and seeking admission to college. In addition, the burgeoning regional universities (UCF, USF, FIU) that were nearly open door a decade ago are filled to undergraduate capacity and managing demand as they always have, by raising admissions standards. Thus at UCF, where more than 70 percent of applicants were accepted for admission just 10 years ago, only 45 percent are today. This situation has created very real access challenges in these several metropolitan areas, challenges not seen in the rural areas of North Florida, the Panhandle, or even Southeast Florida.
Meanwhile, the number of Florida community colleges offering a few bachelor’s degrees in occupational areas such as teaching, nursing, and applied technologies has steadily grown since 2000. These programs were intended to meet very specific needs that were unlikely to be met by universities, not to signal a break from the traditional mission and programs of the best community college system in the country; many, however, including me, considered these programs to have been the proverbial camel’s nose under the tent, a “slippery slope” on which “mission drift” would be difficult to manage, a conclusion now hard to avoid.
By last spring, some 14 colleges out of the 28 had either added one or more bachelor’s degrees or signaled their intention to do so, while strange new names were appearing – Daytona State College, Northwest Florida State College, etc. Then, pretty much out of the blue and without consultation with the State Board of Education or the community colleges’ Council of Presidents, a bill appeared in the legislature attempting to break up the system into two tiers comprising 20 or more community colleges and some three to nine “state colleges.”
The bill was full of special interest, some of which you have read in the press, and was deeply divisive within our college system. In the end, some of the worst thinking in the bill was blunted and two task forces were created to recommend further details on the new Florida College System. They met through the year and presented their findings to the legislature at just about the time the issues surrounding the now resigned speaker of the house, the bill’s sponsor, were unraveling.
At present, a bill has been introduced in both the House and the Senate to round out the details of the new system. It is my hope that it will retain the character of our system – one college system, not two; serious governance and oversight of limited bachelor’s degrees by the State Board of Education; one funding formula with bachelor’s degrees funded at no advantage over associate degrees; and serious limits on the percentage of one’s enrollment that can come from the upper-division programming, a way of guarding the core mission of the community college. The next few weeks will tell if the state’s policy leaders can get us back on track.
“The college is what the students experience, no more and no less.”
Valencia’s Future Regarding Bachelor’s Degrees
So what may be in Valencia’s future with regard to bachelor’s degrees? As I have often said to my colleagues around the state and country, “The college is what the students experience, no more and no less.” So we always ask, “What do we want our students to experience?” As access to the freshman class at UCF began to be seriously constrained, especially for place-bound local students, we asked just this question. Our answer was that our first preference for our students was unfettered access to the whole range of established degrees at UCF. You see, offering degrees of our own would consume all of our discretionary resources for years to come, and even after 10 years might provide only 15 or 20 degree options.
So we opted to push our relationship with UCF, signing an agreement guaranteeing all Valencia graduates with an A.A. degree admission to UCF and calling for UCF to bring dozens of new degree programs to our campuses. We call this program “Direct Connect” and will celebrate a milestone in this partnership this fall by opening a 100,000-square-foot university center on our West Campus to serve upward of 5,000 upper-division and graduate students.
Is this working? Frankly, this may be the most powerful partnership of its kind in the world. Valencia currently has more than 27,000 students in Direct Connect (compared to 2,700 statewide in community college bachelor’s degrees) with rapidly expanding options for bachelor’s degrees in business, accounting, education, nursing, and engineering. In Fall 2010, the upper division of the region’s first architectural design degree will be added exclusively at Valencia in partnership with UCF. And for the first time, Valencia and UCF are working together to generate major philanthropic support to 2+2 scholarships.
Will Valencia ever add its own bachelor’s degrees and change its name? Ever is a long time, and actually our agreement with UCF permits the offering of bachelor’s degrees should a clear need arise. I hope, however, that this would be a very rare occurrence and that any such decision would be made together in the spirit of our deep partnership. Should the state’s naming conventions change, I suppose we’d study the matter to determine, again, what is in the best interest of our students, but personally I’d hate to lose the word “community.” It says so much about who we are — all of us, including you, our alumni.
(Reprinted from Community, Summer/Fall 2009 VITAE Magazine Issue 4)
Oh, Woman! conference this weekend is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2009, at the Orange County Convention Center. Tickets are now only available at the door however the Valencia Foundation has 2 pair of tickets available to the first calls to 407/582-3150.
Interested callers who are confirmed will be asked to pick up tickets at Valencia’s Downtown Center front desk at 190 S. Orange Avenue by 6:00 p.m. Friday night.
Orlando Sentinel article for Florida students: ”your school’s financial-aid office should be your first stop. Here’s where to find information on them and other resources: How to get help paying for college — OrlandoSentinel.com
K. Vazquez, a 2008-2009 scholarship recipient, expressed her gratitude to the foundation:
I would like to thank you for your donation that has allowed me to continue my education at Valencia Community College. I know that I am blessed and you have provided a sense of security and self-worth with your donation. I am so grateful that I am in a position that will help me in my future. You have enabled me to continue striving, and I promise to do so.
I wish that I could find the sophisticated words that would describe what I am feeling, even as I type this letter, my heart is full of well wishes and my eyes try to fight back the tears. But all I can say is ‘thank you’. I hope that this letter makes you feel a great deal of satisfaction and happiness that you have given me.
I remember when I checked my e-mail and I saw the good news, my mother started dancing in the kitchen as I read her the letter, she looked as if a burden was taken off her shoulders, and I knew that it had been. Thank you for making my mom dance and jump around; that was the second gift you gave. You don’t know how much seeing that means to me. Thank you.
Valencia Foundation has been helping students reach their educational goals since 1974. According to a recent statistic from discovernursing.com, by the year 2020 there will be an estimated shortage of 800,000 nurses. Our partnership with the Martin and Gracia Andersen Trust genuinely reflects our mission to enhance learning in Central Florida. Our donors clearly see the vision and need within our community.
Due to the generosity of the foundation we were able to award ten (10) students nursing scholarships. These fine men and women all exemplified financial need and a passion for their current field of study. Gary Wright writes, “I am a 44 year old African American male, I am married with four children. Pursuing my degree has been financially strenuous for my family and me.” Although Gary has applied for financial assistance, he was denied. Often, we hear from students just like this that have reached out for additional help and are unable to obtain the financial means to continue their education. It’s reported that we are currently meeting only about half of the documented need for financial support within our community. Only through scholarship opportunities like these are we able to truly make a difference in the lives of students who might not otherwise be able to afford an education.
As one of our students writes, “I am grateful for the opportunity to personally thank you for your generosity. Were it not for scholarship patrons like you, many students such as myself would not be able to pursue their life-long goals.”
I have been doing a lot of proofreading lately, and so I decided to compile my very own top five list of proofing tips:
1. Speak out! – Read text out loud, sort of like giving a speech.
2. Walk the line! – Fold over a piece of paper, maybe using a light color to draw the eye, but white works just as well, and proof the piece line by line.
3. Be kind, rewind! – This one comes from my mom, a teacher: start at the bottom of the piece and proof from end to beginning, it works well for spelling.
4. Add it up! – This one is for grants or reports with numerical lists: check your numbers to make sure they add up and all the data is there. I once heard a grant reviewer say the first thing she does is take a calculator to check an application and sometimes those rounded decimals, especially in percentages, need an extra check.
5. Make a friend request! – Get a second, third, fourth set of eyes on the piece to make sure everything looks good. Sometimes I will ask someone from a different department to get a completely fresh review because it is amazing what your eye can miss when you’ve read something 17 times! Other times, usually with design pieces, I will ask different people to look for different things, so one person will do spelling/grammar and another will look for style/spacing.
Feel free to add your own tips in the comments section, I would love to learn some new tricks!
Valencia’s Green Cleaning Initiative Beginning in 2008, the custodial department began looking into ways of creating a healthier environment for our students, staff and faculty at Valencia. Several different ways were investigated to achieve this goal: (1) The methods currently being used to clean, and (2) the cleaning chemicals being used. Questions like, “What kind or brands of green certified chemicals could help us maintain a clean environment?” or “How do we change our work methods to ensure the health of our customers?” were considered. Through hard work and numerous consultations, the custodial services supervisors, coupled with support from procurement, have upgraded to what is now Valencia’s Green Cleaning Initiative. With close consideration and testing of products, the chemicals now in use are safe and environmentally responsible. So far, the custodial department has converted 80 percent of its cleaning products to those that are environmentally safe, and plans to increase that number.
(Reprinted from Changing Our Ways, Summer/Fall 2009 VITAE Magazine)
The inception of Valencia’s recycling program, which began in February 2007, included only the collection of mixed paper. Since that time there has been a remarkable and steady reduction of our carbon footprint.
Recycle bins at Valencia's downtown center
In October 2008, the program expanded to include mixed paper, cardboard, aluminum cans and plastic bottles. Valencia receives a per-pound rebate from collected recyclables from the college’s recycling company. So far, more than 43 tons of recyclables have been processed, which converts to a savings of $3,529.50 to the college.
Bottom Line: Each ton (2,000 pounds) of recycled paper/cardboard converts to a savings of approximately 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy, and 7,000 gallons of water.
(Reprinted from Valencia Recycling Facts and Statistics, Summer/Fall 2009 VITAE Magazine)
It’s wonderful to witness a group of individuals so dedicated to our students.
This past Friday seven faculty, staff and foundation team members joined together to award scholarship dollars for deserving students. During one of the busiest times of the school year, our fellow committee members spent a half day to serve one purpose: awarding scholarships.
Busy as bees, the committee sifted through a healthy pile of applications and essays in search of the perfect fit. The committee shared stories of college days, spent a few moments reading excerpts of student essays that touched our hearts, and laughed at individual’s outbursts.
Pat Lee, Career Staff representative writes “I just wanted to say how much fun I had this morning. Not only was it fun, but it’s a really rewarding experience being able to award scholarships.”
What a rewarding experience. (I hear you, Pat!) To be able to shape the future of someone that you don’t know; to believe in an individual so much that you are willing to invest in their future without hesitation or expectation. This is what makes my day bright…all I can say is the scholarship committee ROCKS!
Geraldine Gallagher, CFRE, sits down with Helen Von Dolteren-Fournier. Helen Von Dolteren-Fournier, JD, CFP, President of AEGIS Law Firm PL, is the chair of Valencia Foundation’s board of directors.
Q: What influences in your life have encouraged you to be philanthropic and community-minded?
According to my mother, Helen Calafut-Von Dolteren, it doesn’t take much to be a nice person – a kind word, holding a door open for someone or sharing a bowl of homemade soup. Combine kindness with God’s word, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and you naturally wind up with philanthropy in my world.
Q: Tell us about your law firm.
AEGIS Law Firm PL focuses on personalized estate planning. The company was founded upon the principle that it is our mission to help our clients fully understand complicated issues through education and personal attention.
Q: There are many charities and causes you could support, and you do. But you clearly have prioritized your time, talents and resources. Why is Valencia one of your priorities?
Public education and the arts are my dual missions, and Valencia allows me to support both. I care about this college because anyone can begin anew at Valencia, whether it’s to sharpen their work skills or tool for a new career. I have heard the college described as the Ellis Island of higher education, and it is true. Valencia’s students come in all shapes, sizes and ages, and from diverse income levels, families and backgrounds. The college’s programs provide opportunities in just about any field you could imagine. How much easier could it be to support an institution that does so much for everyone in every corner of our community?
Q: Why do you think that philanthropy matters?
As a society and as individuals, I believe we have a moral obligation to give and to give back, to protect and keep safe those who need a hand up, and to provide everyone with the opportunity to learn and succeed. This is our American dream. I also believe that giving when no one is looking and telling not a soul is a cornerstone of philanthropy and service.
Q: What are your priority initiatives for your term as foundation board chair?
I would like to build upon the previous good works of the foundation board chairs who walked before me and ensure that the college and all of Central Florida come to know, appreciate, love and support Valencia Foundation. Each of us as board members, donors, students, alumni, retirees, faculty and staff can make it our mission to tell Valencia’s stories in the community. We have to raise the profile of the college and our foundation so that when donors are planning their philanthropy, they understand the vital role the college plays in this community. For our donors, not one penny of your donation is spent on anything other than your intended use, be it scholarships, teaching chairs or programs.
Q: What do you hope your life legacy will be?
When I die, I want people to realize that they have the power to change the world – it’s just going to take awhile and through a lot of small actions. Whether it’s through a hot meal, scholarship or educational workshop, it can be done. We can leave the world a better place than we found it. Mother Teresa once said, “Do no great things. Do small things with great love.”
Q: What is your fondest hope for Valencia?I would like to win the PowerBall for $200 million so we can build all the campuses and facilities and fund an enormous educational endowment to assist students and the college. But it is my fondest hope that I see the day when any deserving student in our community is able to attend college, and money doesn’t stand in the way. That will take an endowment many times the size of our current one, which is the largest among 1,200 community colleges, as recorded by the National Association of College and University Business Officers. Our student need has never been greater, and I’d like to work with my fellow board members, alumni and community partners to ensure we have the resources to keep the doors open for community college students in financial need.
(Reprinted from In the Mix, Volunteer Spotlight, Spring 2009 VITAE Magazine)
"That "spark" I've seen is the determination and focus of an individual who KNOWS the value of an education and hopes for more."
Patti Riva, a Valencia employee, chose to make a willed bequest leaving a portion of her estate to the Valencia Foundation. When asked to share why she became a Legacy Society member, Patti reflected on the joy she’s known from being a spectator to the actions of determined students:
“In my position at Valencia, I have witnessed a spark in certain students; the spark of determination. These students have a burning need to be and experience more for themselves. To provide more for their family, give more to their community, and grow more within a career. Those same determined students have financial need as they attempt to balance the fiscal responsibilities that all of us share coupled with tuition, books, and lab fees.
It is when this spark of determination is ignited with financial aid through a scholarship that I’ve seen amazing results. I hope to be a resource in providing other students with an opportunity to fulfill their burning desire to succeed. That “spark” I’ve seen is the determination and focus of an individual who KNOWS the value of an education and hopes for more.
Whether it’s from a Valencia staff member or faculty member providing encouragement and support or scholarships from the Foundation to lighten their financial obligations, many an individual has surpassed their scholastic expectations.
I want to ignite other students by providing more students with the value of education as my legacy. My legacy gift will continue the possibilities of more incredible opportunities provided through an education at Valencia.”
I suppose Valencia Community College knows a little something about going green.
Valencia is Building Green
As part of the college’s commitment to go green, Valencia has pledged that all new building construction and renovations will meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria. LEED is an internationally recognized classification system created by the United States Green Building Council that determines which buildings are green and how green they are. So far, three new buildings on West Campus have been registered to be LEED-certified at silver level or higher.
MEET THE BUILDINGS
Allied Health & Sciences Building (AHS) This is Valencia’s first LEED-certified green building. At three-stories and 80,000 square-feet, it houses Valencia’s dental hygiene, radiology, sonography, respiratory therapy, polysomnography and cardiovascular technology programs, as well as dedicated biology and chemistry lab classrooms. Baker Barrios & Associates was the architectural firm for the project and Welbro Building Corp. served as general contractor.
Special Events Center This 17,000-square foot building provides a space for conferences, meetings and events for both Valencia and the community. It can seat up to 320 people for formal banquets or 400 people theater-style. The facility also contains a commercial-sized instructional kitchen for Valencia’s culinary program and a studio for the architecture program. Welbro Building Corp. served as general contractor for the building and Hunton Brady Architects were the designers.
Valencia/UCF Joint-Use Facility This three-story, 100,000-square-foot building, which is still under construction, will be shared by both VaIencia and the University of Central Florida. It will house full baccalaureate and graduate degree programs from UCF, including nursing, electrical engineering and a professional MBA program, along with Valencia’s two-year engineering program and shared student services. C.T. Hsu + Associates is the architectural firm for the project. PPI Construction Management Inc. is the builder.
(Reprinted from Changing Our Ways, Summer/Fall 2009 VITAE Magazine)
Congratulations to the following Valencia distinguished professors and scholars, who have been awarded a 2009-10 Valencia Foundation Endowed Chair for Learning Leadership. Our thanks to the community partners who continue to offer this opportunity to our faculty!
Category I
Mary Beck: Lockheed MartinChair in Science ($3,600) Joel Berman: Raymer F. Maguire Jr. Endowed Chair in Mathematics ($3,200) Julie Gagne: University Club of Orlando Chair in Humanities ($4,700) Richard Gair: Abe and Tess Wise Endowed Chair in the Study of the Shoah ($3,400) Deymond Hoyte: Bank of America Chair in Business Management ($3,700) Scott Krise: Lockheed Martin Chair in Mathematics ($4,900) Bonnie Oliver: Patricia Havill Whalen Chair in Social Sciences ($7,000) Susan Stone: Wayne Densch Chair in Geriatrics ($5,600) Jane Wiese: John and Florence MacLeod Chair in Business ($3,400)
Category II
Colin Archibald: SunGard Endowed Teaching Chair in Computer Science ($2,200) Anthony Beninati: Dr. P. Phillips Foundation Chair in Free Enterprise ($5,400) Kenneth Bourgoin: HuntonBrady Architects Endowed Chair in Hospitality Management ($2,000) Ralph Clemente: Walt Disney World Chair in Film Technology ($5,300) Corinne Fennessy: William C. Demetree Jr. Foundation Chair in Education for Special Needs ($3,700) Jim Inglis: Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association Chair in Hospitality Management ($3,800) James May: Maguire Family Teacher Endowed Chair ($20,800) Robert McCaffrey: University Club of Orlando Chair in Advanced Computer Technology ($4,900) Lana Powell: SunTrust Chair in Economic Development and Business Education ($3,600) Suzanne Salapa: Universal Orlando Chair in Arts and Entertainment ($2,800)
Justin Harvey was a dedicated Alumni Association Board member and founder of the inaugural Valencia Annual Run, Walk & Roll on Feb. 26, 2006. He was also a student at UCF at that time and worked tirelessly to coordinate his fellow UCF Student Athletic Trainers Organization members as 5K partners. Justin was well-known and admired as one to always make things happen, especially if it was something new. UCF SATO has been a valued 5K partner each year since then. The Valencia Alumni Relations office received this note earlier this year:
“Three years ago on March 6th, my son Justin Harvey passed away. At the time he was hospitalized, he tried to continue his work on the 5K Run for Valencia Alumni. I will also be grateful to VCC Alumni and PTK for continuing his memory each year through the 5K and the PTK Justin Harvey Scholarship. -Sincerely, Sharon Skoloski (Justin’s Mom)”
Justin Harvey is loved and missed by his many, many friends.
A Taste for Learning would not be possible without the generosity and support of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.
Through the sponsorship and support of ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, vintners from around the world will be pouring their finest wines. Join us on October 17 and speak and mingle with international winemakers and vintners throughout the evening. The ABC leadership team works with us for six to eight months ahead of each event on planning and implementation, leveraging their professional relationships and bringing huge inkind sponsors to the table. The day before and day of the event, they unleash 75 or more logistics staff to unload product and set up the entire configuration. This represents an enormous commitment of time and talent, which is only a portion of ABC’s annual contribution to Valencia.
ABC, we appreciate you! Thank you for all you continue to do for Valencia.
With the foundation’s fourth signature fundraising event quickly approaching, we say thank you to Rosen Shingle Creek for graciously hosting A Taste for Learning on Oct. 17, 2009. This is the second year the event will be held at the Rosen and we are grateful for their support.
Shakespeare’s Juliet said: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
Community colleges in Florida are working through this now. Are we junior colleges, community colleges, state colleges or simply colleges?
The debate is brewing and colleges are choosing sides.
At issue is whether we’ll offer four-year degrees, as some community colleges have chosen to do.
Also at issue is presumed prestige that may be part of changing our names.
Will Valencia offer four-year degrees? It’s possible. But only in close collaboration with our partner, UCF, to determine these programs are better provided by us.
Will state naming conventions change, forcing Valencia to become Valencia College? This is also possible.
But I have to say that I’ve always appreciated the fact that Community is our middle name.
I appreciate technology. Communication has become quick and easy.
It can also be a bit impersonal.
And I miss handwriting. I miss personally written notes and letters – however imperfect and sans “spell check.”
Recently I discovered a box of cleverly folded (who knew I was so clever?) notes from high school – penned when I was supposed to be paying attention to the teacher.
I enjoyed unfolding and reading each one, surprised at and reminded of the tales they told. And no doubt the lessons I missed in class.
I have a very similar joy when I receive a scribed thank you note from a student, donor or partner. I know that it may have taken a little more time than a quick email. They took an extra minute to prepare the envelope and put it in the mail. They put pen to paper in a very lovely and personal way. Sometimes they are musical (For our students who have sent those, please know I am the geek who opens your card over and over, still enjoying every moment). Every now and then they have a misspelling. (I am reminded of biblical observation and the tradition of Amish quilters that there is no perfection but for God. I know that is true of my own writing too.)
Always your notes to me make me smile.
Among lessons I may have missed in school, I have learned one thing: The power of the pen and the pleasure of a handwritten note are without question.
This is usually the time of year that I run around with my pants on fire! There is so much to do in one month, thirty-one days to be exact. Every possible deadline is hidden in the month of August. Financial aid deadlines, fee payment deadline, scholarship deadlines. WOW!
This is also the time of year that our students walk onto our campuses and feel inspired to start changing their lives. There is something special about the fall term and the students that it brings. Every person that begins this journey is special and I feel privileged to work where I can help someone achieve their dreams.
That being said, I am grateful to have such a rich partnership with so many dedicated members of the staff! I work with such a talented group of individuals that see our students through each step of the way. They help ensure that our students are able to move from one step of their educational career to the next, from applying for admission to filing their graduation forms. This is all possible by working together!
As a staff member and a returning student I know how much work and devotion each member of the staff is offered to our students on a daily basis. I feel overwhelmed by their good work and I am proud to be a Valencian!
Valencia Community College’s innovative remedial programs – and improved measurement of student progress – have been selected as a model for helping more young people succeed.Today, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and MDC, Inc. are giving over $1 million to the state of Florida and Valencia Community College to expand groundbreaking remedial education programs that promise to boost the college completion rates of low-income students and students of color.
Every year, roughly 375,000 Florida degree-seeking students attend a local community college, with nearly 40 percent of them having to take remedial classes to build basic academic skills. Many are unable to meet their goal of completing college. National studies have shown that nearly two-thirds of those who take remedial classes never graduate. However, successful programs at several colleges demonstrate that these numbers can be improved.
The grants announced today will support innovative remedial programs developed by Valencia Community College through Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, a multi-year national initiative that is aiming to dramatically boost college graduation rates among low-income students and students of color. The remedial education models pioneered by these colleges represent some of the most promising work in the country for boosting college completion rates among struggling students. Read more »
SunGard Public Sector recently announced the first award for the Freddie Filmore Jr. Memorial Scholarship through Valencia Foundation.
The scholarship recipient, Tonia Henselin, is a Valencia Community College student working toward her associate of applied science degree in criminal justice. She plans to transfer to the University of Central Florida and continue her education to become a juvenile probation officer.
This scholarship was developed in partnership with Valencia Foundation and is designated for students registered for the Law Enforcement Academy through the Criminal Justice Institute. The family of Freddie Filmore Jr. screens and selects the recipient for the scholarship, which offers financial assistance for tuition, books, fees and materials.
Mr. Filmore was a long-time employee of SunGard Public Sector who passed away suddenly in 2007. SunGard Public Sector provides technology and software solutions to help public safety and justice agencies, city and county governments, and K-12 school districts improve the lives of the citizens they serve. These solutions impact more than 140 million citizens in North America.
The mission of the Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) at Valencia Community College is to prepare criminal justice officers to protect and serve. The institute offers a world-class learning environment in a 77,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art training facility. As the population of Florida grows and as the strained economy continues to affect the local community, the need for qualified law enforcement and correctional officers must correspondingly increase to meet the need. Criminal justice is a demanding profession, requiring the individual to have a wide variety of knowledge and highly developed skills in defensive tactics, firearms, first aid and vehicle operations, according to CJI director, Jeffrey Goltz.
Since 2005, Valencia Foundation has been recognized as having the strongest community college endowment according to the National Association of College and University Business Officers’ national endowment study. Valencia Foundation is a local not-for-profit, IRS-approved 501(c)3 organization that seeks to unlock access to learning for students of all backgrounds. The mission of the foundation is to enhance learning, workforce training and economic development in Central Florida through the support of scholarships, teaching chairs, programs and buildings for Valencia Community College.
For more information or to make a donation, please call (407)582-3150 or visit www.VALENCIA.org.
The Valencia Community College theater program is accepting plays for its annual Florida Playwrights competition, which has been held every year since 1991. The winning original play will be staged in April 2010, as part of Valencia’s regular subscription series.
Playwrights currently residing in Florida are invited to submit the first 15 pages of no more than two never-before-produced manuscripts. The deadline for submission is September 15, 2009.
Scripts must be original, previously unproduced, full-length plays. (Scripts that have received staged readings may be submitted.) Collaborations are acceptable, but children’s plays, musicals and adaptations are ineligible.
A panel of readers will evaluate the submitted excerpts and ask select writers to submit their full manuscripts. From those, one play will be chosen to be developed and workshopped with the playwright’s participation. The playwright will receive a stipend to cover travel and other expenses related to the production.
The administrator of the competition plans to announce the winning play around December 1, 2009. The workshop process will begin in January 2010.
Electronic submissions are requested. They may be sent to Valencia’s artistic director, Julia Gagne at jgagne@valenciacc.edu. For further submission information or for a mailing address, please call 407-582-2296.
There are ways to give other than money. A collection of musically talented faculty, staff, and friends–-fondly called The Rogue Scholars–have found a way to put their talent to work. Contributing a love of rock-n-roll with their passion to help others, this band will perform at Valencia Osceola Campus Building 2 this Friday, July 24 at 7 PM. The modest $5 cover is designated for the Jane Dewey and Monty Bilyue Emergency Healthcare Services Scholarship benefiting Valencia Students.
Another scholar, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, once said “Give what you have; to someone it may be better than you dare to think”. To my new Rogue Scholar friends I say: thank you for what you have – both your time and your talents are appreciated!
Many of us have joined the Brave New World of Facebook. Data shows that FB Causes aren’t raising money at the rate that some predicted.
Valencia doesn’t have a Cause page, and that isn’t the way we go about inviting investors to join our mission.
But my own FB friends have stepped up to the plate in a big way.
I joined FB warily at the behest of childhood friends. I was so cautious that they staged a four-way conference call intervention. I have since discovered a community. And I now know so much more about each of my FB friends, lovely things that might not arise in a meeting or casual conversation. Sometimes hard things that have happened in your life. Important things I find out today that otherwise I might not know for weeks until I see you again.
I would like to give praise to my personal FB pals who’ve made commitments to Taste 4: Kay Walters, $3,500; Jay Galbraith/SeaWorld, $3,500+; Rich Maladecki/CFHLA, $5K+; Linda Landman Gonzalez (and Scott Bowman/Orlando Magic), $10K+; Sherrie Sitarik/Orlando Health, $10K; Richard McCree/McCree Design/Build, $15K; Bob Gibson/ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, $40K+; Guy Stephens/Fry Hammond Barr, $40K+; and Jonni Kimberly/Rosen, $40K+.
They are a few among many Taste supporters (though you can see how significant their contributions are), but I wanted to thank them for being my FB friends and also for being true, committed partners in a mission I hold dear.
100% of every dollar goes directly to scholarships and is doubled by a matching grant. Not a single penny goes toward the fabulous party that will ensue.
You may have noticed that we refer to Valencia as the strongest endowment among those who report to the annual surveys of private giving in higher education. Miami-Dade is way ahead of us but they no longer are in the same category as they offer bachelor’s degrees.
So among colleges that exclusively offer two-year programs we remain the top, the most robust, ahead by some $30 million.
Very few of us respond to either the VSE or NACUBO annual surveys. Here is what I don’t quite get: Why do our counterparts not participate in these benchmarking surveys and why do our national organizations not find it important to benchmark the results of every member organization?
It is nice to get the laurels but how can we get better (knowing our students need even more right now) when we don’t benchmark ourselves nationally?
Posted on July 20, 2009 by valencia foundation blog
I like to count things. Our CFO, Michelle, and my college professor friend, Brian, would tell you I am neither a financier nor a mathematician. But still I like to count.
So when I saw the list of Orlando’s 50 most powerful people, I had to dissect it. We have a whole untold story.
Among the 50 I found at least 20 percent with a clear tie to Valencia, as donors and/or alumni.
Valencia tends to fly under the radar, quietly going about our business of offering learning opportunity to tens of thousands each year. This has been true for more than 40 years.
But I’d say that the presence of our friends on the “Most Powerful” list demonstrates Valencia’s value to our community. Perhaps more important than that are the lives that are transformed because of education and opportunity. That definitely counts!
Celebrating the Fourth of July or Independence Day, the average person has one of several images in their mind: the beach, the sand, the sun, the pool, that yearly road trip, the boat, B-B-Qs, friends, family, fireworks, picnics, and good fun and celebration. I am certainly one of those individuals. In fact, I had those very same thoughts in my head, but not too far off, I had one all-too consuming thought as I enjoyed three days away from the office –my to-do list. As I lounged pool side with an ice cold Pepsi in one hand and a yummy grilled Sabrett hot dog with just the perfect smidgen of Gulden’s spicy mustard in another, I thought of that pesky to-do list. It’s not a bad thing, right? It’s a simple to-do list, a “what comes next in my agenda” type list. Sometimes it’s an actual list of numbered items and sometimes it’s that that ever popular post-it on the side of your desk, or in my case, multiple post-its that adorn my desk in hues of purple, blue, pink and yellow.
Forgive me; I digressed momentarily as I thought about the rainbow of post-its sitting on my desk. Read more »
So it’s after midnight and I can’t sleep. Plagued by rogue acronyms, I’ve dragged myself from bed to rant about the errant and rampant use of VCC. I’m disturbed by the reduction of our academic institution to a few small letters. To me (a Valencia alum), the institution of Valencia is one of strong academic rigor, including a first-rate honors program and one of the largest graduating classes among two-year colleges.
Valencia possesses faculty members who care more about student learning than the modest incomes they earn and an administration that supports and encourages ways to make the student experience the center of our work. With a team devoted solely to helping new tenure-track professors understand multiple student learning styles, Valencia excels. Additional pedagogical highlights include the weaving of four core competencies in the full curriculum: think, value, communicate and act.
The foundation is privileged to call friends our myriad, loyal donors, including community members, organizations and businesses, as well as Valencia staff and faculty, who willingly put students first so generations of bright, up-and-coming scholars can have a shot at a stellar education.
Valencia has been featured in Time Magazine and USA Today and on National Public Radio. It boasts the largest university-transfer rate of 1,200 community colleges in the country. This summer, it was named the top community college nationwide by the Lumina Foundation for ground-breaking work reducing the achievement gaps from students of diverse backgrounds. The MDC Foundation last week recognized this accomplishment by awarding a $700,000 grant to expand the project.
It seems a shame to limit a college that knows no bounds to a simple acronym.
Let’s face it, community colleges are often the Rodney Dangerfield of higher education on film and TV. I have cringed at the cheap shots.
But I get it.
Community colleges began in 1901 and swelled in the 1960s and ’70s, some 200 years after the first public US university opened. Until this current generation, two-year colleges were largely overlooked, serving primarily students with no other options. It was only a generation ago that most were junior colleges that looked a whole lot like 13th and 14th grades.
My how times have changed. Public community colleges are now the predominant mode of higher education nationwide and in Florida, enrolling 46 percent of all U.S. undergraduates. There are many other wondrous facts I could share with you about university-transfer rates, closing achievement gaps, affordability, honors opportunities, diversity, lifelong learning and the like — but I’m really preaching to the converted here.
I raise the issue because NBC is unveiling a new fall show on Thursday nights, “Community,” debuting Sept. 17 at 9:30. I find it encouraging that we’re working our way into prime time; after all, most educational sitcoms take place in high schools. Is this a sign of our ubiquity?
It stars Chevy Chase. I’m not sure what that means exactly; I’m afraid I’m having a “Caddy Shack” flashback. The early previews (“a place where anyone can begin again”) are somewhat promising, though the description on the NBC website plays up the stereotypes. Of course comedy relies heavily on underdogs, and you’ll find a whole study group full of them on “Community.” (Think Isle of Misfit Toys).
I read an article this weekend in the New York Times about how the economy is impacting the ability of students to afford tuition and of foundations and colleges to offer scholarships.
There’s a logic to a conservative approach by the leaders in higher education and nonprofits, to ensure their sustainability and long-term fiscal health.
Yet, if our mission is to serve students, how do we back down when the need has never been more urgent?
Valencia Foundation’s board asked itself that same question in many discussions over the past six months. They weren’t always easy conversations and the questions were challenging: Are we who we say we are if we take the easy way out? How do we ensure we meet our fiduciary responsibility for the financial future of the foundation? What if things get worse?
My observation is that the questions were a necessary part of the board’s due diligence but, as I watched, the outcome seemed to be a forgone conclusion. Their intention was to meet our mission and assist our students, whatever it takes.
That doesn’t mean there weren’t some “yikes” moments along the way.
The next question was how, and that was a little simpler: We will raise the necessary unrestricted, new dollars to maintain our support from last year — and maybe even increase it a bit. That allows the endowment to recover at the same time that students are served.
The next steps will be less simple, securing those dollars. Over the past five years, the foundation tripled its disbursement of scholarship dollars, so the price tag is not modest and donors are tightening their philanthropic belts. (This reality inspired most of the yikes moments. )
It was a courageous commitment — official early this month — that runs counter to the strategy many nonprofits are taking, which is to await the economic upturn so they can return to normalcy. I can’t help wondering: At what price comes safety?
We have a volunteer board of 60 local leaders who “get it.” They are in this for the students and never forget they are our first priority.
Together with our loyal donors, we’ll make it happen. I have no doubt.
Many of our students face sudden life crises that may force them out of school. Often they are an unexpected car bill, a change in child care arrangements, an insurance premium increase or other expenses that occur when “life happens.”
Too many times, a relatively minor expense looms large, and forces a student out of school.
The foundation makes available modest SOS grants — which don’t impact financial aid eligibility — of up to $300 to assist eligible students based on the recommendation of Valencia student advisers. The turnaround is typically just a few days.
The intention is to keep our students learning and enrolled in class, making progress toward their ultimate goals.
If you need a hand, please visit the student Answer Desk on campus to speak with an adviser and apply.
This month has really impressed upon me how much of the foundation’s good work isn’t of our own design but that of small community groups working for a larger purpose.
I recently traveled to the Osceola/Kissimmee area for a meeting of the Hispanic Business Council. This didn’t seem to be formal meeting with strict adherence to Robert’s Rules of Order (although I’m sure Robert was there somewhere) and I was awed by the camaraderie of individuals gathered. They shared—not reported—with each other updates on government budgets and spending, with guidance from representatives from local agencies and, my favorite, discussed what could be done to continue to support students with scholarships. I witnessed community and business leaders coming together for more than just business networking and lunch – they were coming together for the good of their community and all it encompassed.
Every year two organizations, Commercial Real Estate of Woman and American Institute of Architects, each hold a golf tournament using their organization’s resources and membership to host the event. Last Friday at the AIA tournament, Valencia student Dominique Walker thanked AIA for the opportunity to continue his studies in building construction. These two groups, seemingly unrelated to Valencia, do more with these tournaments than fund membership event, they fund a future for students.
Tuesday I met with three Rotary Club of Southwest Orlando members to look at how they can effectively utilize their current scholarship budget to help students defer college costs. Over a glass of iced tea these gentlemen impressed upon me that they really take the Rotary club’s motto ‘service above self’ to heart. This group is committed to making the world around them just a bit better — in any modest way they can.
These groups and organizations aren’t doing good work because of the Valencia Foundation. They are preparing their community, no matter how it’s defined, for a better future. It’s the leadership, guidance, and foresight of our donors, people just like you, who want to create a better place for others. The support Valencia Foundation provides to students: It’s not because of us . . . it’s because of you.
As a child, I was often labeled “overachiever,” or, sometimes, “geek.” The term applied depended on who was doing the labeling. None of these semi-derogatory names vexed me in the slightest, because I knew I was going places. I was going to do the big things and, consequently, make the big bucks. I knew this without a doubt and no one dared to contradict me.
Flash forward to the year 1995, and my life was proceeding as planned. Following my BS degree – completed in 3.5 years, thank you very much – and my first master’s degree, I was working in a very exciting, fast-paced environment as a software developer for a highly priced, highly skilled consulting firm. We were doing cutting-edge work for high-profile clients and there was never a dull moment. My paychecks were big and my skill set was growing ever larger.
And I wanted to throw myself out of a fourth-story window every single day.
Here is what they don’t tell you in school – or at least, they didn’t tell you back then. Bosses are demanding and very often, mean. Your best work, which you were taught to produce as a student, is TOO good, and it won’t encourage the clients to call us back in to do more work and pay us more money later on. Profit-oriented business can be cut-throat, painful and completely unfriendly. I was making all the money in the world, but I had no will to spend it and my child was growing up behind my back while I missed most of the experience. It is difficult to explain how much I hated my work environment without resorting to some sort of profanity.
So, I left the business, went into temporary financial ruin, and re-evaluated my situation.
Life can take some strange and interesting routes to get you where you are meant to be. Following certain events such as divorce, moving to another state to sponge off very wonderful parents and learning to deal with single-motherhood, I found myself standing in front of a classroom of somewhat willing yet none-too-eager finite mathematics students at UCF when the thought occurred to me that for the first time in a long time, I was doing something I actually felt good about. And there was icing on the cake – I was getting paid to do it. Not much, mind you. But, still… getting paid, and most importantly, feeling good about it and not at all like jumping out of a window. This, my friends, was progress.
MDC Inc. this week committed more than $1 million to Valencia and the state of Florida to expand groundbreaking developmental education programs that promise to boost the college completion rates of low-income students and students of color.
Every year, roughly 375,000 Florida degree-seeking students attend a local community college, with nearly 40 percent of them having to take remedial classes to build basic academic skills. Many are unable to meet their goal of completing college. National studies have shown that nearly two-thirds of those who take remedial classes never graduate. However, successful programs at several colleges demonstrate that these numbers can be improved.
The grants announced will support innovative remedial programs developed by Valencia Community College through Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, a multi-year national initiative that is aiming to dramatically boost college graduation rates among low-income students and students of color. The remedial education models pioneered by these colleges represent some of the most promising work in the country for boosting college completion rates among struggling students.
Valencia will receive $743,000 over three years. Read more »
This past Friday was the AIA (American Institute of Architects) Orlando golf tournament. The outing was great; it was at Reunion Resort which is absolutely gorgeous! A lot of golfers and good times and scholarships raised for students. All in all a fantastic day. I’m sure we’ll get a great recap from Anissa when all the numbers are in – today I wanted to chat about a funny story from the day that really made me think.
As volunteers for the outing, we were dispatched out on the course, and entered the course from a kind of side road that led to the morning’s registration area. It was not a difficult road to find, but at the fork, you were tempted to go the other way which eventually took you over a very cool bridge while enjoying natural Florida landscaping (as I said before, Reunion is gorgeous). Celica and I did indeed fall to that temptation and took the road better traveled. Soon realized we were about seven holes away from where we needed to be and the tournament was ending!
An anxiousness set in – would we get back in time? We needed to get raffle prizes out of our cars and help with the luncheon! Nervously we headed over the horizon, perhaps we could backtrack on the main road. Suddenly, up over the next small hill, comes a golf cart – and in it we see two red shirts and two big smiles. We had found some of our fellow Valencia Foundation team! They had re-routed as well and had come the other way. After a few minutes, we figured out which fork we should have taken and headed back with quick determination.
All was well … we got back just in time and finished the day. Looking around the room at lunch I realized, isn’t that just how it is for a team at work? We all set out on our own path, in our own “life cart.” Some of us drive fast, some slow and there may be some wrong turns and nervous times along the way. And yet, we all found each other – of all the people out there, we came together to form this amazing team of people who achieve good things, really good things, to further the mission of Valencia Foundation. Anything we do is touched by, shaped by, driven by this team and it amazes me what an impact everyone’s work has on our students and community. And… there is no better group to spend the day on the golf course with!
Perhaps my singular seminal experience (other than being a godmom) has been serving as a mentor.
Ashley and I were matched when she was 7 through Big Brothers Big Sisters in Houston. I still remember our first walk through a park (when she was getting to know me and we had the option of choosing another match opportunity if it was not a good “fit”), and she explained the entire ecosystem to me. Today she is 19 and we’ve shared so many priceless experiences.
I would not trade our time together for the world.
The ironic part is that you walk into this thinking you might be helping another person. What I discovered is that it had a tremendous impact on me. Some days I was sure that I was getting back way more than I was giving.
You, too, can become a mentor who has the opportunity to impact the life of a child through Take Stock in Children. This program is a little different, requiring just an hour a week onsite at the child’s school.
Valencia recently adopted the program, which offers middle school students a coach and a full 2+2 scholarship once they graduate from high school after having fulfilled their covenant of good grades and solid discipline.
We need more mentors.
Are you the one?
Please check out the Valencia site and apply if it seems like a good fit for your life. Details also are below.
As many of you know, Valencia is in its second year of implementing the Orange County Take Stock in Children initiative. We recruited 65 mentors to kick off last year and we are welcoming 40 new mentors for the 2009-2010 school year. Read more »
SunGard Public Sector recently announced the first award for the Freddie Filmore Jr. Memorial Scholarship through Valencia Foundation.
The scholarship recipient, Tonia Henselin, is a Valencia Community College student working toward her associate of applied science degree in criminal justice. She plans to transfer to the University of Central Florida and continue her education to become a juvenile probation officer.
This scholarship was developed in partnership with Valencia Foundation and is designated for students registered for the Law Enforcement Academy through the Criminal Justice Institute. The family of Freddie Filmore Jr. screens and selects the recipient for the scholarship, which offers financial assistance for tuition, books, fees and materials. Mr. Filmore was a long-time employee of SunGard Public Sector who passed away suddenly in 2007. SunGard Public Sector provides technology and software solutions to help public safety and justice agencies, city and county governments, and K-12 school districts improve the lives of the citizens they serve. These solutions impact more than 140 million citizens in North America.
A Taste for Learning will be Oct.17 at Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.
If you are wondering how you can help: Here’s an easy way.
Ask your routine service providers (nails, hair. spa, house cleaning, car maintenance, restaurants, golf, yard, a/c, plumbing (etc.) if they would offer a gift certificate.
Every dollar doubles through the first generation grant.
The American Institute of Architects’ Orlando chapter organized yet another wonderful round of golf, benefiting student scholarships. To date they’ve raised $115,000, not counting today’s earnings.
It was a toasty day but the event was amazing and perfect!
I’d like to thank Michael Lingerfelt and his AIA volunteers for orchestrating. I appreciate Anissa Alvarez, on our foundation team, for her leadership. And I cannot forget CT Hsu and Alan Helman, who brought the idea to me about eight years ago, inspired by CREW’s awesome history of tournament fundraising that has generated an endowment of about a quarter of a million dollars.
It takes a village to raise children. It also takes a village to raise the scholarships we need to ensure that deserving students stand a chance. So many people invested in this tournament, and I am very grateful to each of you.
I receive many thank you notes from students. Sometimes they come in the form of those singing cards that I open again and again (I readily admit that I am easily amused; I was drawn for days to a friend’s work website that offered me a standing ovation and applause every time I visited).
But each student note is special. And each one tells a story.
Over time, we will share many of the messages we receive from students — and encourage those who are willing to post directly here.
But in the meantime, here are a few excerpts I’d like to share:
Thank you for believing in humanity. At this time in every aspect of society the financial crunch is being felt by all. The funds you have donated will be well spent by me and will surely be appreciated. Again, I must thank you for believing. – J. Bryan
It is an honor to be recognized for my hard work, and receiving this scholarship motivates me to continue to strive for excellence. Your generosity has made a profound impact on my life, and I am truly grateful to be the recipient of this scholarship. I thank you for your confidence and willingness to help me achieve my educational goals. - D. Ross
I would like to thank you for being chosen as a recipient for your scholarship. This scholarship will help with books and supplies for my education. Earning my degree will be very rewarding, but knowing that there are people who care and will be there for you means a lot. I would like to express my deepest appreciation for your sincere kindness. - L. James
As a single mother of five children, attending Valencia is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. Juggling the demands of a full-time job, parenting and being a student requires a lot of energy, faith and support. Your assistance means a great deal to me and my children, as I always remind them that my education has been a team effort between all of us. Thank you for your continued support. – A. Llorca
To each of you who has invested in the life of another, I thank you. Our students thank you. If we had a standing ovation/applause widget, it would honor you!
One of the great joys of my work is that every day is different. But amid the diversity a common theme emerges: Every day I get to help make people’s dreams come true. It’s nourishing work.
Sometimes it’s the donor who is able to honor the immigrant parents who ensured she went to college by endowing a scholarship in their memory. Or a benefactor who wishes to provide the opportunities for students that he never had growing up.
Many times it means that a young man will be able to attend college and break the cycle of poverty, or a single mom can balance her life with her studies to earn a degree, serving as a role model for her little ones.
A young man who grew up on food stamps and free lunches is able to visit South America to study abroad, soaking up the culture, history, politics, arts and language in a way that just can’t happen from reading a book. Or a woman experiences the bone-chilling concentration camps first hand, bringing history to life.
A midlife parent realizes that there is opportunity beyond the recession, as he trains for and builds a new career to support his family. A mother flees with her children and the clothes on her back to escape abuse and start anew. The life stories of so many of our students demonstrate triumph over adversity. Read more »
At our board meeting recently, the inevitable discussion of the economy came up. Thankfully, our foundation’s wise and prudent investment strategy has softened the blow for our foundation, and thus for the students we serve. And though the discussion was focused on financial aspects, I found my mind wandering to economic coping strategies on a more personal level. How do I deal with the stress and the strife when things seem a bit overwhelming and the bottom line is looming?
Well, I like to move it, move it!
As a staff member, sometimes I feel the effects of the “behind the desk syndrome,” where my view seems clouded by my desk and papers and deadlines and oh gosh! all that intense stuff! During those times, it is so important for me to physically move myself out from behind my desk and into the community where I can see our mission in action. I had the pleasure of doing that twice recently, at a Take Stock in Children celebration event and at Valencia’s Alumni Achievers Reception.
At both events, what struck me was that the achievement and accolades go so beyond just the student being called to the podium. It transcends the room: It is the pride in the faces of the parents, teachers and mentors; it is in the hope of the younger children – siblings, sons and daughters – who now see that education and success are attainable.
As the claps and the hoots and joy rang out at the alumni event, our board chair, Helen, turned to me and said, “This is what it is all about.”
And she’s right – it’s not just about who needs to be called back first or which email I need to respond to…it’s about attending to my daily work with the real purpose in mind – to bring education, and the realized dreams that come with it, to so many in our community.
I’m grateful to have been able to experience those events. Suddenly, my view just got a lot brighter.
Here’s a fun little video. A a word to the wise: Classes are filling up quickly and some have already closed out for fall semester. So if you’re planning to attend, be sure to apply and enroll soon.
And if you have any questions, send us a note. We’ll find the answer or get you to the right person.
Valencia has been busily acquiring property to help accommodate our burgeoning student population. You probably know that we’re planning for new campuses in southeast and southwest Orlando. But the real estate I’m referring to is virtual and resides on Second Life, where the college has a building and is in the process of buying another.
I visited Second Life, and to be perfectly honest I haven’t quite wrapped my brain around it yet. Of course I’m not the target demographic. But it’s intriguing to watch learning change with each new wave of technology. I’ve read about SL over the past few years, as virtual real estate moguls amassed real dollars. I’m not sure if the recession has hit the online real estate market. (For details on the SL campus, see the very end of this post.)
We’re anxiously awaiting the June 19 golf outing with our friends from the local architecture community. Central Florida’s top architectural design professionals have been busily planning the 20th annual AIA Orlando Golf Tournament benefiting Valencia Community College Foundation scholarship fund and the AIA Orlando Chapter. The goal for this tournament is to raise scholarship funds for students in financial need. During the past seven years this tournament has raised more than $115,000 in scholarships!
Congratulations to five of our talented Valencia employees, nominated by colleagues and selected by a representative group of peers to receive the 2009 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence in Learning Leadership Award: Priscilla Gray, Linda Hidek, Ilyse Kusnetz, Lisa Macon and James May.
Students from Lee Middle School, Lockhart Middle School and Howard Middle School gathered at Valencia Community College for a ceremony celebrating their selection for the 2009-2010 Take Stock in Children program in Orange County.
Take Stock in Children is a statewide initiative that provides underserved students with a college scholarship and a mentor in the effort to help them stay in school, earn a high school diploma, graduate from college and enter the workforce.
Participating students are recruited in the seventh grade and continue on until they graduate high school. Students and parents must sign performance contracts agreeing to get good grades, exhibit positive behaviors and remain drug and crime free.
“These students are making a covenantal commitment – a promise to do their best and achieve at their highest potential,” said Valencia President Sanford Shugart. “We make the promise that if you make that commitment, college is here for you.” Read more »
Is it true that the only constant is change? The world is changing. With Web 2.0 engrossing people all over the globe, the way students learn is changing very dramatically too. Valencia’s professors have been embarking on creative delivery of learning to engage today’s students. Over the past few years our endowed faculty chair applications have shown increasing levels of innovation designed to facilitate learning.
Here is an insightful video that demonstrates the new learning dynamic occurring every day in our classrooms.
Posted on June 8, 2009 by valencia foundation blog
Our foundation board members took a minute from the festivities to pose for the camera. Don’t miss the opportunity to join us for Taste 4, benefiting 2+2 scholarships for Valencia students planning to transfer to UCF. Join us Oct. 17 at Rosen Shingle Creek.
Posted on June 7, 2009 by valencia foundation blog
Perhaps the biggest misconception about the green phenomenon is that it requires enormous sacrifice. Yet the contributions of many working together create renewable resources and sustainability, leading to a healthier planet and a brighter future.
Nowhere is that alchemy truer than in philanthropy. Donors to endowment sustain communities for generations to come.
Special event fundraising might not be considered part of the green equation; however, a very organic idea led to Valencia Foundation’s three fundraising events, A Taste for Learning, which have generated $1.2 million in scholarships for deserving students in need. Read more »
Sandy Shugart, Elisha Gonzalez-Bonnewitz, Chuck Beverly and Chuck Olgilvy
Florida Citrus Sports Chief Executive Officer Steve Hogan announced today that the FCSports Foundation has made a $1 million donation to help Valencia bring Take Stock in Children (TSIC) to Orange County. FCSports, the founding partner, has committed to sponsor children for five years in the program at $200,000 per year.
Take Stock in Children is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarships and mentors to qualifying low-income, at-risk youth in Florida. Since its inception in 1995, it has served more than 17,600 students through use of the Florida pre-paid college fund. Prior to the collaborative effort of Valencia and FCSports, Orange County was the lone county in the state without the widely successful program. Read more »
Valencia Foundation recently celebrated the successful culmination of its first-ever campaign to support Valencia Community College (Valencia). With a mid-2004 kick-off, the campaign drew more than $27 million in community support, exceeding its $20 million goal.
This year, the college will serve about 60,000 students, many of whom will need financial assistance to learn, train and retool, particularly in this challenging economic environment.
“Our students need us now more than ever, and we are grateful to our friends and partners in Central Florida for their consistent and increasing support even as they face a tough economy that impacts their own families and businesses,” says Helen Von Dolteren-Fournier, Esq., who serves as the foundation board chairwoman and principal in AEGIS Law Advisers in Winter Park.
Since 2001, the foundation”s endowment has tripled, growing from $17.2 million in 2001 to $52.6 million in 2008. Read more »
I would like to share my sincerest gratitude to the women (and men) of Commercial Real Estate Women of Orlando for another successful golf tourney, proceeds to benefit student scholarships. They’ve raised about a quarter of a million dollars for Valencia students so far — and are now helping us to provide 2+2 scholarships for Valencia/UCF students, an area of especially urgent need. I appreciate each of you!
The foundation celebrated the successful culmination of its $27 million capital campaign, recognizing board members and major donors. Keynoting the event was Jim Seneff, chairman and chief executive officer of CNL Financial Group Inc., who explored the role of Valencia and philanthropy in the community, sharing the reasons his family had made the college a philanthropic priority. The foundation board also recognized the Seneff family for their capstone gift, which created the James M. and Dayle L. Seneff Honors College. Read more »
I’m proud to announce that at the 2009 charity dance-off, choreographed by Femmes de Coeur friends and donors, Valencia was triumphant! Among the four nursing schools competing, our hoofer, Dr. Michael Bosley, assistant provost of our new Lake Nona campus and husband of speech professor and foundation board member, Dr. Amy, WON hands down (or is that feet down)! My sincere gratitude to FDC and Mike! You rock!
Posted on June 1, 2009 by valencia foundation blog
Welcome to our new home on the web. I hope you’ll spend a few minutes exploring and share with us your thoughts on how to make this blog rock. Our five staff bloggers (the Bloggettes?) will be joined occasionally by guest authors. Would you like to be one?
Here is why I care about this college and its people.
Valencia is a place of great hope. You see it in the faces of our students. You witness it in the nurturing hands of faculty and staff members who guide students through their learning odysseys and help them overcome hurdles. On commencement day, hope is manifest as graduates – some proudly, some humbly and others doing a little jig – cross the stage to accept their hard-earned diplomas. Countless, for the first time ever, are optimistic about their futures.
While our nation faces enormous challenges, it is comforting to know that hope abides.
What is even more heartening is to watch our students’ hope evolve, little by little, into faith: faith that they can withstand challenges and not only survive but thrive; faith in their own abilities and intelligence; faith that allows them to accept help from others.
Among the knowledge gained at Valencia, perhaps the most important lesson a student can learn is to keep faith with himself. Read more »
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Valencia Community College’s distinguished artist series 
Please join Valencia Community College and the Valencia Volunteers at 
The Valencia Character Company will present the musical farce “Lucky Stiff,” with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, as the opening production for its 2009-2010 theater season.
I would most graciously like to take the time to thank you for your outstanding contribution. It was a pleasant surprise to see that The University Club of Orlando saw fit to assist me in my educational pursuits. While researching your organization I must say I was highly impressed with the phenomenal support you all have shown the Central Florida area for over the past 80 years. I am truly flattered to be supported by such an awesome organization, it definitely says a lot when professionals and pillars of the community take a stand to give back and uplift the surrounding communities wherever you may see a need.
Mitchell’s photographs of famous personalities in the arts, from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Alfred Hitchcock and Agnes de Mille, serve to map American popular culture during the second half of the twentieth century. He worked for the New York Times Arts & Leisure section from 1960 to 1995. In addition to the Times, his work has appeared in People, Newsweek, Vogue, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair magazines, as well as in several books. The collection is on loan from the Thrasher Horne Center for the Arts at St. Johns River Community College.
The attendees were invited to share their concerns and ideas on the issues facing Hispanics in attaining an education, including lack of parental involvement, language barriers, college affordability and funding constraints that limit access.
Thank you for your generous donation. Through your kindness, my next two semesters have been completely covered, including my textbooks, which we all know can be as expensive as tuition itself. As an independent, full time student, reaching the level of higher education becomes a challenge as we face everyday life. I will be forever grateful for what the foundation has done for me during my future endeavors.
Classes start today so welcome back everybody! Here is a look at what is happening on some of our campuses this week:
by Dr. Sanford Shugart
It’s wonderful to witness a group of individuals so dedicated to our students.
valencia foundation blog
geraldine gallagher
JillW
C. Cofield
A. Alvarez
megan miller
