valencia offers trio of december concerts

String Ensemble Concert on Dec. 3
The Valencia Community College String Ensemble performs an intimate concert set in the atrium of Building 3, featuring an array of soloists on violin, viola, cello, guitar and string bass. Selected works include “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Mozart, “Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra in C Major” by Vivaldi featuring Vasily Yurin on guitar, “Church Sonata #6” by Mozart, and two baroque arias featuring soprano Rebekah Nath. The concert takes place on Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. on Valencia’s East Campus, located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail in Orlando.

Valencia Singers and String Ensemble Concert on Dec. 6
The Valencia Singers and String Ensemble will give a joint concert at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. The Valencia Singers program includes the following works: “Coronation Anthem #4” by Handel, “Estampie Natalis” by Nelhybel, “Lead Me Home” by Barnum, “Suo Gan” arranged by Morgan, “Quem Vidistis Pastores” by Deering, “Die Lotosblume” by Schumann, and two works by UCF composer David Brunner: “Song Of The Earth Spirit” and “Cantante Domino.” The String Ensemble program includes: “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by  Mozart, “Concerto for Guitar” and “Orchestra in C Major” by Vivaldi featuring Vasily Yurin on guitar, “Church Sonata #6” by Mozart, and two baroque arias featuring soprano Rebekah Nath. The concert takes place on Dec. 6 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, located at 2499 N. Westmoreland Drive in Orlando.

Student Recital on Dec. 9
Valencia’s music majors perform solo works including vocal performances, piano solos and other instrumental works. The concert takes place on Dec. 9 at 1:00 p.m. in Valencia’s East Campus Performing Arts Center, located at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail in Orlando.

All concerts are free and open to the public. For more information, please call 407-582-2900.

Source: Marketing and Media Relations, Valencia Community College, 407-582-1015
(News and Information, November 24, 2009)

new architecture program links valencia, ucf and uf

UCF will partner with Valencia Community College and the University of Florida to launch a new Bachelor of Design program in Architecture starting in fall 2010.

Approved Thursday by the UCF Board of Trustees, the program will prepare students for a variety of careers, including professional architecture, construction management and industrial design. The median annual salary for design professionals is about $72,000, according to Workforce Florida.

Students will take two years of classes as Valencia students and two years as UCF students. They then can move on to obtain their master’s degree, potentially by staying in Orlando and enrolling in a University of Florida College of Design program based in UCF’s Center for Emerging Media in downtown Orlando.

The Valencia and UCF classes will be taught at the new University Center building shared by the two schools at Valencia’s West Campus. The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects has worked closely with Valencia, UCF and UF to develop the program.

For more information, visit www.architecture.ucf.edu.

Source: UCF Today, Thursday, November 19, 2009
http://today.ucf.edu/blog/2009/11/19/new-architecture-program-links-valencia-ucf-uf/

commercial real estate

Valencia Foundation is proud to support CREW Orlando as it presents its
4th annual CREW CAREERS event!

Who:
Girls ages 16-18 interested in commercial real estate careers

When:
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Check-in: 8:30 to  9 a.m.
Program: 9 a.m to 3:30 p.m.

Where:
Law Office of Baker & Hostetler LLP
200 South Orange Avenue
SunTrust Towers Suite 2300
Orlando, FL 32801

What:  
The Orlando chapter of CREW Network (Commercial Real Estate Women) wants young women  to discover the many exciting careers in the commercial real estate industry through this FREE interactive program designed to introduce these young women to career opportunities such as environmental consultants, architects, surveyors, contractors, interior designers, attorneys, bankers, brokers and more! The program was developed by CREW Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CREW Network. Girls will join local leading businesswomen to learn the skills they will need to be successful in this dynamic industry and will have the opportunity to work within teams to create their own development project.

Cost: 
Free! Girls receive goodie bag and a delicious breakfast and lunch.

How: 
If you know someone who is interested in participating, it’s not too late. Please contact:

Anna Long
407.843.4600
anna.long@lowndes-law.com

Jessica Parker
407.649.4683
jmparker@bakerlaw.com

Valencia Foundation wishes CREW Orlando a successful event!!!

cfre designation

VALENCIA FOUNDATION STAFF MEMBER AWARDED
CERTIFIED FUND RAISING EXECUTIVE (CFRE) DESIGNATION

Orlando, FL – CFRE International has named Donna Marino, Valencia Foundation’s donor stewardship manager, a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Marino joins over 5,400 professionals around the world who hold the CFRE designation and has met a series of standards set by CFRE International which include tenure in the profession, education, demonstrated fundraising achievement and a commitment of service to Valencia Foundation and Valencia Community College. CFRE candidates must pass an exam which tests the knowledge, skills and abilities required of a fundraising executive.

“The CFRE process was developed as a way to identify for the public and employers those individuals who possess the knowledge, skills and commitment to perform fundraising duties in an effective, conscientious, ethical and professional manner,” states Susan Davies Goepp, CFRE, chair of CFRE International. “Achievement of the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential demonstrates the level of commitment on the part of Donna to herself and the profession as a whole.”

CFRE recipients are awarded certification for a three-year period. In order to maintain certification status, members must continue to demonstrate ongoing fundraising employment, fundraising results and continue with their professional education.

CFRE International is an independent organization whose sole mission is dedicated to the certification of fundraising executives by setting standards of philanthropy.

Valencia Foundation provides the margin of excellence for which Valencia Community College has long been known. The foundation is a separate, not-for-profit, IRS-approved 501(c)3 corporation chartered in 1974 with the objective of financially providing for the educational needs of students that cannot be met through state or federal assistance. Valencia Foundation’s mission 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.

a great valencia alumni blog

Please be sure to take a moment to check out this inspirational and insightful site:

http://willyoubemyhero.wordpress.com/

Here, in her own words, Laura (Valencia alumna, 2006) shares why she started her blog and the important goal she hopes to accomplish:

I’ve decided to write a blog that will chronicle my search for a spokesperson for people with the condition that I have, spina bifida. It is the #1 cause of paralysis in children in America. It is also more common than muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and cystic fibrosis combined.

But, why should you even care about this blog? Well, the fact of the matter is that while taking folic acid can help prevent having a child with spina bifida, there is no known cure for it, and my goal is to encourage people to get the conversation going about spina bifida, and how we can all help people through research and quality of life programs.

So, if you’re interested, please share this link with people you know. Spina bifida is a lot more common than you may think.

 Today Laura celebrates her 23^rd birthday – Happy birthday and we all wish you the very best!

“this building is about dreams”

Valencia/UCF Partnership Greatly Expands College Opportunity in West Orange County

On October 29, Valencia Community College and the University of Central Florida (UCF) hosted 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.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist welcomed a crowd of several hundred elected officials, dignitaries, college leaders and students, including Orange County Commissioner Bill Segal, Orlando City Council Commissioner Samuel Ings and former Florida senator Daniel Webster.

“This building is about dreams,” Governor Crist said. “It is about the dreams of future engineers, future nurses and future business leaders.”

Valencia President Sanford Shugart credited Senator Webster for having “authored the vision of what the two-plus-two partnership would mean back in the ’90s,” adding, “[he] aligned funding, support and the rationale for this kind of building.”

The $23 million, three-story, 100,000-square-foot building opened for classes in August, welcoming 775 UCF students to Valencia’s campus. The additional space 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 allows a smooth transfer to UCF and associate in science degrees in electronic engineering and computer engineering. The University Center is expected to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification at the gold level for its environmentally friendly design, construction and energy-saving features. “Green” features include rooftop solar panels along with energy saving lights, air conditioning and insulation that make the building 28 percent more efficient than a conventional building. C.T. Hsu + Associates was the architect for the project. PPI Construction Management Inc. was the builder.

“The opening of this new facility is an opportunity to celebrate a powerful and effective partnership, the long-standing partnership between UCF and Valencia Community College,” said UCF Provost and Executive Vice President Terry Hickey.

UCF has offered 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. It also provides familiar ground for Valencia students who transfer to UCF via DirectConnect to UCF, which guarantees Valencia graduates admission to UCF. Valencia students make up the largest number of UCF’s transfer students; one in five UCF graduates are Valencia transfers.

Reprinted from: Valencia Community College press release, Contact: Carol Traynor, Marketing & Media Relations, Orlando, FL, November 3, 2009.

visions…

and voices…

Please join Valencia Community College for the first artist in the 2009/2010 Visions and Voices series.

John Gorka will be performing at 1 p.m. on November 18, 2009 in the East Campus Performing Arts Center.

John Gorka is an honored icon of folk tradition. Energetic acoustic music that is not a trend, not a fad, but an expression of everyday life, is his trademark. His songs are multi-faceted – full of depth, beauty and emotion. John’s rich baritone voice and unique songcraft weave a magical spell that can only be described as “Gorka.”

His material is championed by many – to date more than a score of 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.

For more information please visit www.valenciacc.edu/visionsvoices/ or contact Nichole McPherson at nmcpherson@valenciacc.edu or 407-582-3121.

free concert nov. 12

The Valencia Commercial and Contemporary music ensembles will be performing various rock, pop, and show tunes tomorrow night (November 12, 2009).  The concert will feature music by artists such as Queen, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Aerosmith and selections from Mama Mia!.  This event is free and open to the public.  Please join us for an entertaining evening!

Valencia Contemporary Concert
Thursday, Nov. 12, 7:30 PM
Performing Arts Center, East

green issues update

Valencia Recycles

 To date, Valencia has reduced its carbon footprint by:

• Saving 2,805 trees.
• Saving 62,7000 gallons of oil.
• Saving 492 cubic yards landfill space.
• Saving 660,000 kilowatts of energy.
• Saving 1,155,000 gallons of water.

The recycling program was introduced in phases to ensure its success. Each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled paper/cardboard converts to a savings of approximately 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water. The 17 trees (per ton of recycled paper) absorb a total of 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year. Burning that same ton of paper creates 1500 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Phase One of Valencia’s recycling program started in February, 2007 and concentrated on the collection of mixed paper in cluster offices and student labs on the East, West, and Winter Park campuses. This phase removed over 43 tons of mixed paper from the college waste stream and produced a savings of $3,500.

Phase Two began in October, 2008. This phase introduced the collection of cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic bottles along with mixed paper on all campuses. Recycling containers have been distributed to all common areas on each campus for collection. Containers are clearly color coded and marked “Valencia Recycles.”

 

thank you

I want to thank you for sponsoring and funding scholarships at Valencia Community College. As one of this year’s recipients of your scholarship, I wish to express my thanks to your organization for your generosity and for looking out for students, such as me, who are in financial need.

I knew that by selecting Valencia I was already headed for a great future, supplemented with an inpsiring education. This scholarship award, thanks to the consideration of your organization, will only further assist in achieving my education and career goals, and increase my chances of success. Without a doubt, this award will prove to be extremely valuable to me, helping to reduce the financial burdens of pursuing a degree in Nursing.

Once again, I want to thank you Henry T. Simmons for your generosity in funding this scholarship, which has provided support and encouragement for both my family and me. I hope to become an individual that makes your organization proud.

B. Hernandez
2009/10 Henry T. Simmons
Scholarship Recipient

honors program distinguished speakers event

Meg Lowman

“Life in the Treetops — Adventures of a Woman in Science” 

 

Valencia Community College
East Campus
Performing Arts Center

701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail
Orlando, FL  32825

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Book signing and reception immediately following talk.
This event is open to the public.

Margaret D. Lowman, PhD
Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies
Director of Environmental Initiatives
New College of Florida, Sarasota FL 34243

Meg Lowman pioneered the science of canopy ecology. For 30 years, she has designed hot-air balloons and walkways for treetop exploration to solve mysteries in the world’s forests, with special expertise on the links between insect pests and ecosystem health. Meg is affectionately called the grandmother of canopy research as one of the first scientists to explore this “eighth continent”. She relentlessly works to “map” the canopy for biodiversity and to champion forest conservation in Florida as well as around the world. Her academic training included Williams College (BA, Biology); Aberdeen University (MSc, Ecology); Sydney University (PhD, Botany); and Tuck School of Business (Executive Management).

Meg facilitates policy solutions using science education as a tool, drawing upon a lifetime of research and conservation. Her international network and passion for science have led her into leadership roles where she seeks best practices to solve environmental challenges. She currently serves as vice president of The Explorers Club; vice president of the Ecological Society of America; treasurer of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation; executive director of Florida’s TREE Foundation; and Cluster Chair for the Sarasota Economic Development Corporation. She frequently speaks about her science adventures to groups ranging from elementary classes to corporate executives to international conferences. Her numerous awards include the Margaret Douglas Medal for Excellence in Conservation Education from the Garden Club of America; Girls Inc. Visionary Award; Mendel Medal for achievements in science and spirit; Lowell Thomas Medal for discoveries in the canopy; and election as a Kilby Laureate and an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow. Carolyn Shoemaker of the U.S. Department of Interior named an asteroid after her. Meg has authored over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and her first book, Life in the Treetops, received a cover review in the New York Times Sunday Book Review. Working tirelessly on sustainability initiatives at home and abroad, she recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Conservation from Sarasota County.

“Canopymeg” is currently Director of Environmental Initiatives and Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at New College of Florida. She also serves as the Science Advisor for Climate Change to Florida’s CFO, Alex Sink. Previously she has served as CEO of The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Williams College, and co-managed a sheep and cattle station in outback Australia. Meg is married to attorney Michael Brown. They are the proud parents of Eddie, research associate at Environmental Defense working on urban environmental policy; and James, applied math major at Princeton University who is modeling forests as global carbon sinks. Reflecting her love for linking kids to nature, Meg’s personal mantra is no child left indoors.

http://www.valenciacc.edu/honors/speakers.cfm

remembering evelyn louise breeze

As her daughter tells it, Evelyn Louise Breeze was a woman who tackled every task with efficiency and without trepidation. It didn’t matter whether she was hand-stitching a quilt, packing up the house when her Army pilot husband was transferred to a new city or running for the state Legislature.

Evelyn Louise Breeze

“Strong and independent,” said her daughter, Robin Breeze Basile of Maitland. “That carried her through almost every endeavor — that attention to detail, and efficiency and thoroughness. And no shirking.”

Breeze, who went by Louise, passed away October 26 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. She was 87.

Born in Kentucky in 1922, she graduated from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital School of Nursing in Ohio and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps duringWorld War II. While stationed in Denver, she met her future husband, pilot Robert Carey Breeze. They married in 1944 and had three children.

During the next 15 years, Breeze worked as a nurse and volunteered in various causes wherever her husband was stationed. But she was eager to get more involved in her community. After her husband retired from the service and the family moved to Winter Park in 1961, she rose in the ranks of the local Republican Party and was elected to the Orange County School Board in 1967.

Breeze served four years on the School Board, with two as chairwoman. She resigned for a week in 1970 to run for a state House seat. When she lost the race, then-Gov. Claude Kirk reappointed her to finish her School-Board term and she was re-elected chairwoman, according to Sentinel archives.

At the end of her life, Breeze would value her service on the School Board among her proudest accomplishments, Basile said. During her terms, the county desegregated the schools and created Valencia Community College, her daughter said.

Breeze gave up her nurse’s license in 1978 but stayed active in the community and in local politics, serving as a guardian ad litem in the Orange County Court System and as a court mediator for the Small Claims Court System. In 1987, she was chairwoman of a Winter Park residents group that protested the use of 95-gallon garbage carts because the bins violated their sense of aesthetics.

She also loved to sew, crochet, knit and make quilts, often setting quotas and time limits for herself just to see how quickly she could accomplish projects, her daughter said. When her oldest son was in high school, and already 6 feet tall, she made his oxford-cloth shirts with seven buttons instead of the usual six so they would stay tucked in.

After her husband’s death in 1989, she made a blue silk jacket for herself out of his patterned neckties.

Besides her husband, Breeze was preceded in death by her oldest child, Marshall Hall Breeze II. In addition to her daughter, she is survived by her sister, Mary Cox Sturgeon of Ohio, son, Philip Breeze of Kaneohe, Hawaii; six grandchildren; and three great-granddaughters.

Evelyn Louise Breeze served proudly on Orange County School Board — OrlandoSentinel.com

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valencia receives hispanic education award

Valencia Community College Osceola Campus

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.

Source:  Valencia receives Hispanic education award – Orlando Business Journal:

not a secret anymore

Valencia Community College’s distinguished artist series Visions & Voices is 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

friendly motivation

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!

our students give thanks

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

alas, alumni welcome!

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!

call for artists

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.

Source: Osceola festival looking for artistsposted by Elizabeth Maupin on Oct 30, 2009 10:49:27 AM