South Florida State College facts for kids

South Florida State College is a public college located in Florida, United States. It has campuses in Highlands, DeSoto, and Hardee counties. The college is part of the Florida College System. It was started in 1965 and helps about 5,000 students each year.

The main Highlands Campus is quite large, covering about 228 acres. It is located near Avon Park, Florida. This campus is special because it sits between two lakes, Lake Lelia and Lake Glenada. South Florida State College offers many different programs. These include College Credit Certificates, Career Certificates, and associate degrees in over 60 subjects. They also offer three bachelor's degrees.

The college works with other four-year colleges and universities. This helps students easily transfer their credits to continue their education. They can then earn bachelor's or even master's degrees. The college also has classes for adults who want to learn new skills. You can take classes in person or online through distance learning. The college also has sports teams for women's volleyball, softball, and cross country, and men's baseball.

College History

Efforts to open a college in Avon Park began in 1960. The college officially started in 1965 as South Florida Junior College. Dr. William A. Stallard was the first president. The first classes began on August 22, 1966, in temporary buildings. There were 14 teachers and 164 full-time students.

The college quickly grew and even had a basketball team in its first year. By 1968, it was fully approved by the state. This was very fast for a new junior college. That same year, they started a program for job skills. Construction also began on the current Highlands Campus site.

In January 1970, the college staff moved into their new permanent buildings. More buildings were added over the years. These included vocational buildings, a bookstore, and a student center in 1974. An auditorium was finished in 1978, and a gymnasium in 1982.

In January 1984, Dr. Stallard retired. The college's name changed to South Florida Community College in March 1984. A group called the South Florida Community College Foundation was also created. This group helps students by offering financial aid. In July 1984, Dr. Catherine Cornelius became the second president.

Later in 1984, new centers opened in DeSoto and Lake Placid. The DeSoto Center started small but now has a large, modern building built in 2003. The Lake Placid Center opened in a former public school.

The historic Hotel Jacaranda

In 1988, the college bought the historic Hotel Jacaranda. This hotel was built in the 1920s and was very famous. Well-known people like Babe Ruth and George Burns stayed there. Today, the hotel is a place for student-athletes to live. It also offers hotel rooms and a restaurant for the public.

In 1992, the college started offering telecourses, which are classes taught through television. In 1993, the Public Service Academy opened. This academy trains people for jobs in criminal justice, emergency services, and law enforcement.

The Crews Center opened in 1999. In 2002, the Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) and the University Center opened. Dr. Norman L. Stephens Jr. became the third president that year.

In 2003, a Dental Education Center opened. New campuses in Hardee and DeSoto also opened.

On July 1, 2012, the college officially changed its name again to South Florida State College.

Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel became the fourth president on July 1, 2013. In 2023, Fred Hawkins became the fifth president of South Florida State College.

College Campuses and Centers

South Florida State College has several locations:

• The Highlands Campus: This is the main campus, located between Avon Park and Sebring, Florida.
• The Lake Placid Center: Found in Lake Placid, Florida.
• The Hardee Campus: Located in Bowling Green, Florida.
• The DeSoto Campus: Situated in Arcadia, Florida.
• The Hotel Jacaranda: In downtown Avon Park.
• The Crews Center: Also in Avon Park.

The Highlands, Hardee, and DeSoto campuses, along with the Lake Placid Center, offer many different job training and academic programs.

The Hotel Jacaranda serves several purposes. It has dorms for students and hotel rooms for visitors. The hotel's dining room is a restaurant where students learn cooking and food management skills. Some offices and shops also rent space in the hotel.

The Crews Center has special facilities. These are used for students learning commercial driving and construction skills.

Cultural Performances

U.S. Navy Band performs a concert at South Florida State College, 2015

South Florida State College is an important place for culture in the area. It has offered great entertainment since 1984.

Performances take place on the Highlands Campus. There is the Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts, which seats 1,460 people. There is also the University Center Auditorium, which seats 245. Famous performers like Engelbert Humperdinck and Bob Newhart have performed there.

Museum of Florida Art and Culture

South Florida State College Museum of Florida Art and Culture

Since 2002, the Highlands Campus has been home to the SFSC Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC). The museum is open from October to May, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. It shows art from Florida artists. It also helps to save Florida's history and heritage through art. MOFAC also keeps important discoveries found by local archaeological groups.

The Museum also looks after the Wildflower Wayside Shrine Trail. This is a walking trail where you can see art and nature together. It goes through natural scrubland on the Highlands Campus. Along the trail, there are six special boxes created by artist Mollie Doctrow. These boxes honor endangered plants found on the Lake Wales Ridge, which is a very old ecosystem in the southeastern United States.

College Academics

South Florida State College helps about 5,000 students every year. It is a public college that offers many types of programs. These include College Credit Certificates, Career Certificates, and associate degrees in over 60 different subjects. The college also offers some bachelor's degrees.

They have agreements with other four-year colleges and universities. This allows students to easily continue their education and earn bachelor's, master's, or even doctoral degrees. The college also has special classes for adults who want to learn new things. You can take classes in a traditional classroom or learn online. The college is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Student Life

Athletics

The college has several sports teams. They have women's volleyball, women's cross country, and women's softball teams. They also have a men's baseball team. Their teams are called the Panthers.

Notable People

Ryan Raburn