South Florida State College facts for kids

South Florida State College is a public college in Florida. It has campuses in Highlands, DeSoto, and Hardee counties. This college is part of the Florida College System.

South Florida State College started in 1965. It helps thousands of students each year. The main Highlands Campus is about 228 acres (0.92 km2) big. It is located near Avon Park, Florida. The campus is surrounded by lakes and a highway. The college offers many types of learning. You can earn certificates, associate degrees, and even some bachelor's degrees here.

The college also works with other universities. This allows students to earn more advanced degrees. They offer classes in traditional classrooms and online. The college also has sports teams. These include women's volleyball, softball, cross country, and men's baseball.

College History

How the College Started

People began working to open a college in Avon Park in 1960. In 1965, the college officially opened. It was first called South Florida Junior College. Dr. William A. Stallard was the first president.

The first classes began on August 22, 1966. There were 14 full-time teachers. They taught 164 full-time students and 119 part-time students. The college quickly grew. It even had a basketball team in its first year!

Growing and Changing

By 1968, the college was fully approved by the state. It was the first junior college to get this approval so quickly. That same year, they started a program for job skills. They also began building on the current Highlands Campus site.

New buildings were finished in the early 1970s. These included offices, a bookstore, and a student center. An auditorium was built in 1978, and a gym in 1982.

In 1984, Dr. Stallard retired. Dr. Catherine Cornelius became the second president. The college's name changed to South Florida Community College. A group called the South Florida Community College Foundation was also started. They help students with grants and scholarships.

New Campuses and Programs

Later in 1984, new centers opened in DeSoto and Lake Placid. The DeSoto Center started small. Today, the DeSoto Campus has a large, modern building. The Lake Placid Center grew to five buildings.

The historic Hotel Jacaranda

In 1988, the college bought the Hotel Jacaranda. This hotel was built in the 1920s. Famous people like Babe Ruth used to stay there. Now, it's a place for college students to live. It also has hotel rooms and a restaurant for the public.

The college started offering online classes in 1992. In 1993, the Public Service Academy opened. This academy trains people for jobs in criminal justice and emergency services.

More new centers opened in the early 2000s. The Crews Center opened in 1999. In 2002, the Museum of Florida Art and Culture opened. The University Center also opened. This center offers bachelor's and advanced degrees. Dr. Norman L. Stephens Jr. became the third president in 2002.

In 2003, a Dental Education Center opened. The Hardee and DeSoto campuses also opened new buildings. On July 1, 2012, the college changed its name again. It became South Florida State College. Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel became the fourth president in 2013. In 2023, Fred Hawkins became the fifth president.

College Locations

South Florida State College has several locations:

• The Highlands Campus: This is the main campus. It is located between Avon Park and Sebring, Florida.
• The Lake Placid Center: This center is in Lake Placid, Florida.
• The Hardee Campus: You can find this campus in Bowling Green, Florida.
• The DeSoto Campus: This campus is in Arcadia, Florida.
• The Hotel Jacaranda: This historic hotel is in downtown Avon Park.
• The Crews Center: This center is also in Avon Park.

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

Hotel Jacaranda's Role

The Hotel Jacaranda is used for many things. It has dorms where students can live. It also has hotel rooms for visitors. The Hotel Jacaranda Dining Room is a restaurant. Here, students learning about food service practice their cooking and management skills. Some college offices are also in the hotel.

Crews Center Training

The Crews Center has special areas for training. Students can learn to get their commercial driving license. It also offers training for plumbing and electrical jobs.

Cultural Performances

The United States Navy Band performs at South Florida State College in 2015.

South Florida State College is more than just a school. It is also a center for culture and entertainment. It has been offering great shows since 1984.

The college hosts six different performance series. These include Artist, Matinee, Jazz, Kaleidoscope, Summer, and Young People's Theatre. Shows are held on the Highlands Campus. They take place in the Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts, which seats 1,460 people. Smaller shows are in the University Center Auditorium, which seats 245. Famous performers like Engelbert Humperdinck and Bob Newhart have performed here.

Museum of Florida Art and Culture

The 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. It is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The museum shows art from Florida artists. It also helps save Florida's history and culture through art. MOFAC also keeps important discoveries. These are found by people who study old sites in the Kissimmee Valley.

The museum also looks after the Wildflower Wayside Shrine Trail. This is a special outdoor exhibit. It combines science, art, and nature. It is a walking trail on the Highlands Campus. Along the trail, you can see six shrine boxes. Artist Mollie Doctrow made these boxes. They honor rare plants found on the Lake Wales Ridge. This ridge is a very old natural area in the southeastern United States.

What Students Learn

South Florida State College helps about 5,000 students each year. It is a public college. It offers college credit certificates and career certificates. Students can also earn associate degrees in over 73 different areas.

The college also offers some bachelor's degrees. It has agreements with other four-year colleges. This helps students continue their education. They can go on to earn bachelor's, master's, and even doctoral degrees. The college also has classes for adult education. You can take classes in person or online. The college is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Student Life

College Sports

The college has sports teams called the Panthers. They include:

• Women's volleyball
• Women's cross country
• Women's softball
• Men's baseball

Notable People

Ryan Raburn.