Valencia College News

Eyewitness to History: International Expert to Teach Course That Explores Causes of Genocide

Linda Beaty — Tue, 29 May 2012 17:17:41 +0000

What does 1940s Germany have in common with Iraq of the 1990s, when Saddam Hussein attached the Kurdish people with mustard gas? Or with Cambodia of the 1970s, when the Khmer Rouge killed 1.7 million people? Or modern-day Afghanistan?

Students at Valencia can find out this fall by taking “A History of Genocide,” a special-topics course that will be taught by an expert in genocide studies and a witness to the atrocities in Rwanda and Bosnia.

Michael Savage, a former British military officer, has traveled the world as an expert on genocide and has lectured at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Yale University and consulted with the United Nations on genocide prevention. Currently an instructor of U.S. and European History, Dr. Savage has created a special topics course on genocide.

The three-credit history course (HIS 2935, CRN 14527) will provide an overview of instances of genocide in the 20^th century — from the Holocaust, to Armenia, to Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

The goal, says Savage, is not to simply teach students about the horrors of genocide — but to teach them how to recognize the kinds of conflicts that lead to genocide.

Born in England, Savage studied mechanical engineering and joined the British Army as a junior officer after graduation. In the Army, he was one of the officers chosen to study for a master’s degree. But rather than earn his master’s in military studies — as all officers do — Savage convinced his superiors that he ought to pursue Holocaust and genocide studies, so that he could serve as a consultant to the army in regions ripe for genocide.

During his 35 years with the British military, Savage served in Rwanda and Bosnia.”Because I was in both those places, (the students) will get a witness’s perspective, as well as a scholastic one.”

In the early 1990s, Savage reported that the situation in Rwanda could lead to genocide. Sent back to Rwanda in the spring of 1994 to re-appraise the situation, Savage and two colleagues were in the country for the assassination of the country’s president and saw the killing escalate. “The killing rate in Rwanda was far in excess of the Holocaust,” he said. “They killed 800,000 with farm implements in 100 days, but in actual fact, most of the deaths occurred in the first 30 days — something like 27,000 people being killed a day.”

He has also taught courses and lectured in Israel, Germany, Canada and England. In the United States, he has taught a Holocaust course at Yale University, given presentations at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and consulted with the United Nations on genocide and genocide prevention.

Frustrated by the way the Holocaust is taught, Savage decided to offer a class that focuses less on emotion and more on facts, causes and ways to prevent genocide.

He notes that in U.S. schools — even in states where Holocaust studies are mandatory — most of the Holocaust curriculum take place in English classes. “Students read ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ and that’s it,” he said.

“It’s very victim-centered,” says Savage. “We’ve got to get students to stop crying and start thinking.”

To illustrate, consider how Savage teaches about the Holocaust. His students do not study what happened at Auschwitz. Instead, they will begin their study of the Holocaust in the 1750s. “We look at the establishment of nation-states and we’ll get serious about the establishment of Germany in 1873 — and how that development pretty much made Hitler inevitable.” He then turns to the formation of the Nazi government and its planning of the Holocaust.

In the course, students will analyze the roles of leaders in promoting or limiting violence. They’ll also develop understanding of basic moral issues relevant to the study of group conflict. And they will suggest genocide prevention and reduction measures for western societies.

Because the study of genocide is a constantly evolving subject, Savage stays current by reading most of the 150 books published each year on the topic. He’s excited that Valencia’s East Campus Library has accumulated a collection of “the most up-to-date books on genocide that you can buy.” The library’s collection of genocide books is impressive — and not available at many colleges and universities, he added.

For a textbook, the course will use Ben Kiernan’s “Blood and Soil: The World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur.” In addition to students who take the course, Savage hopes that faculty members will read some of the books in the library and ponder the questions of genocide.

“We might ask ourselves: Why haven’t Holocaust studies been successful? We haven’t made better people, we haven’t made better societies. We haven’t developed an understanding from the reams and reams of Holocaust education,” Savage said. Since the end of World War II, he says, 183 million people around the world have died as a result of ethnic cleansing, genocide or intentional starvation.

Instead of focusing on the causes of genocide, he says, the world has instead looked for boogeymen. Added Savage: “We have spent 70 years looking for bad people and bad regimes, which is shallow and meaningless.”

Shugart: Focus on Completion is Good, But Learning Should Be a College’s First Priority

Linda Beaty — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:27:02 +0000

Valencia College President Sandy Shugart was quoted in an article in Inside Higher Education about the current focus on students completing college and earning their degrees. Dr. Shugart participated in a panel discussion on completion at the annual meeting of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). The meeting is being held in Austin, Tex., through May 30.

Sentinel Publishes Column on Tuition Hikes by Valencia’s Board Chair

Linda Beaty — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:15:14 +0000

Bertica Cabrera Morris, the chair of Valencia College’s Board of Trustees, wrote an op-ed for the Orlando Sentinel about college tuition and the need for Florida to re-examine the way it funds the state’s two-year colleges.

To read her article, click here.

Valencia to Freeze Student Tuition for the Fall

Carol Traynor — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:06:34 +0000

During a visit to Tallahassee last February, Valencia President Sanford Shugart told lawmakers it would be a mistake to raise college tuition rates at a time when federal financial aid is constrained by the budget problems in Washington. Today he made good on those intentions, when he presented Valencia trustees with a budget overview for the coming year that holds tuition at current levels. While trustees approved the plan, they will still need to formally approve the college’s operating budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year when they meet on June 19. At $99.06 per credit hour for Florida residents, Valencia’s tuition is currently less than five other Central Florida community colleges, including Seminole State College and Polk and Brevard community colleges, and is about half the cost of a state university. “Valencia has held the line on student costs, even at some pain to the college,” said Shugart. While good news for students, employees of Valencia will not see a salary increase under the new proposal. The college also plans to cut $3.8 million in expenses through reductions to travel, supplies and the number of adjunct faculty and part-time staff. Valencia leaders have declined to raise tuition although authorized to do so by the Florida Legislature, which gave colleges in the Florida College System—including Valencia—the option of implementing a 5 percent tuition hike. Valencia’s trustees applauded the administration’s budget outline. “I think it is a thoughtful and considered approach to trying to solve a number of problems,” said trustee Lew Oliver. Shugart said that the budget scenario presented is a short-term solution and cannot be sustained indefinitely. “We really need to start moderating tuition and investing in the system again,” said Shugart. In the past, state dollars funded about 65 percent of a student’s education at Valencia, with students funding the rest. But in recent years that model has shifted. The state now pays about 38 percent of the cost with students paying 62 percent. At Tuesday’s board meeting, trustees expressed frustration with the way the state funds two-year colleges. Over the last decade lawmakers have cut financing or not allocated enough to keep pace with growing enrollment, while expecting colleges to make up the difference by increasing tuition. In 2011-2012, Valencia was next to last in state funding per full-time student – and yet the college leads the nation in the number of associate degrees awarded. Not only is the college committed to keeping tuition as low as possible, it is also looking at other ways to hold down costs for students, including discounting textbooks and exploring textbook alternatives. In the last two years, students took advantage of a 20 percent discount on textbooks sold through the college’s bookstores. The total savings to students fell just shy of $2 million at $1,975,000.

What’s the Future Hold? A Lot of Amazing Changes, Says Physicist

Linda Beaty — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:36:44 +0000

Predicting the future is difficult -- but not impossible, says Dr. Michio Kaku. It helps, the renowned physicist told a crowd of more than 500 people at Valencia College, to know what scientific advances are right around the corner. For instance, Kaku -- host of several science TV series and documentaries -- predicts that laptop computers and personal computers will eventually be found only in museums. That's because in coming years, most of us will use our cell phones and disposable computers that we'll toss out after a few uses, thanks to microchips that will cost about one cent. In addition, we're not far from a future in which we'll wear special eyeglasses that will allow us to view the world with computerized information laid on top of what we're looking at. Much like the scene in "The Terminator," in which Arnold Schwarzenegger sees John Conner and his computerized eye lays John's biographical information. That kind of technology would prove useful, he said with a laugh, "when you're looking for a job and you're at a cocktail party and you want to know which bigwig to suck up to." How does Kaku know that these inventions are on the way? Thanks to his work for British Broadcasting Company and the Science Channel, Kaku gets to interview leading scientists around the country -- and uses his books and TV shows to share their work. The U.S. Army, for instance, has already developed an "intelligent eyepiece" that flips down from a soldier's helmet and feeds him information on the battlefield. Likewise, he has interviewed a scientist who is using tissue engineering to "grow" replacement heart valves for kids who have defective heart valves. In his latest book, Physics of the Future: How Science will Change Daily Life by 2100, Kaku explores this territory. And at his speech, he painted a picture of a dramatically different world. Within eight years, he says, Google executives believe they'll have "driver-less cars" available for the mass market. These cars, which navigate by GPS, could eliminate traffic accidents, he said. "This car does not fall asleep, it does not get distracted, and it does not experience road rage," Kaku said. Cell phones will change too, and will feature flexible, intelligent screens -- which are much bigger than current screens and will enable people with fat fingers to type better. Worried about accidents and your ability to call for help? Not a problem. The clothes of the future will be embedded with computer chips that will notify 911 if you are knocked unconscious -- and provide paramedics with your location and coordinates. Our homes will change too -- with walls that are covered with smart wallpaper, which can serve as a changeable background, or a movie screen and enormous interactive monitor for Internet surfing. "You'll go to the wallpaper and say, 'I want to talk to a doctor.' And it will produce a Robot Doctor who can answer most of your questions about 90 percent of the time," Kaku said. Want a date on a Saturday night? Talk to the wallpaper, Kaku says. "You'll say, 'Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's available?' And the wall will contact other people who are also staring at their walls. But the most profound revolution, he says, is bound to come in medicine and health care. Already doctors are exploring the uses of "smart pills," which could make the colonoscopy of the future as simple as swallowing a pill that contains a tiny video camera. Cancer treatment will change radically as doctors move away from chemotherapy and toward using nanoparticles that will hunt down and kill cancer cells in the body one by one. And even the toilets of the future will be smart enough to analyze a person's urine and feces regularly -- and will likely catch signs of disease long before symptoms appear. Scientists are already using people's tissues to grow skin for them, but in the future, if you need an organ transplant, doctors will grow a new one for you, using your own cells. "When people get arthritis in the future, we'll grow new joints for them." The technique is already being used for some organs and, next up, he said, is the liver. And at some point, MRI machines will become so miniaturized that we'll all own one the size of a cell phone -- and keep it in our medicine cabinets! Kaku, who appeared as part of Valencia's Humanities Speakers Series, signed autographs after his speech -- and more than 300 people waited in line for his autograph. "I read his book, 'Hyperspace," when I was about 16 and it inspired me to study math," said Valencia pre-engineering student Levar Burton. "So this was very exciting for me -- to get a chance ot meet someone who inspired me as a kid." Julio Gonzalez-Zuluaga, another pre-engineering student at Valencia, said he was more pessimistic about the future than Kaku, but still found his speech inspiring. "You need big ideas that are related to your coursework to help inspire you," said Gonzalez-Zuluago. "There are times when you wonder if you're going to be nothing more than a grunt engineer, but these 'big ideas' inspire you to hope that you may help develop some of this revolutionary technology."

Valencia Holds Recruitment Fair to Hire New Adjunct Instructors

Linda Beaty — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:18:05 +0000

Valencia College is currently looking for adjunct instructors to fill more than 50 teaching positions at the East, West and Osceola campuses. Adjuncts are needed to teach a variety of subjects, including English, Spanish, economics, political science and biology

To fill those positions, the college is holding several Adjunct Recruitment Fairs.

To participate in the recruitment fairs, applicants must first visit the college’s jobs website at www.valenciacollege.edu/hr/join-us/ and click on the red “Adjunct Recruitment Fair” button. After the positions close later this month, the college’s human resources department will invite all candidates who meet the minimum qualifications to attend the recruitment fairs.

Valencia Professor Quoted in Inside Higher Ed on Textbook Costs

Linda Beaty — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:39:44 +0000

Across the country, colleges and universities are grappling with a thorny issue: How to reduce the cost of college textbooks, to help make college affordable for students. At Valencia, Professors Lisa Macon and Damion Hammock have spent the last academic year leading a task force of faculty members to study the options. So when a reporter from "Inside Higher Education" wanted to write about the challenges facing faculty selecting open-source textbooks --which are free and available on the Internet -- Macon volunteered to be interviewed. Here's a link to the article.

Chronicle of Higher Education Interviews Valencia Students

Linda Beaty — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:20:12 +0000

A reporter and editor from The Chronicle of Higher Education, Jeff Selingo, visited Valencia recently to interview students for a book he’s writing about the future of higher education.

He used some excerpts from his interviews with Valencia students in this blog post.

Valencia Boosts Local Economy by $1 Billion a Year, Study Finds

Carol Traynor — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:47:16 +0000

At a time when Florida’s unemployment rate is 9.4% and public funding for higher education is being cut, a new study finds that Valencia College boosts the economy of Orange and Osceola counties by $1.05 billion a year. The study, conducted by Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI) on behalf of the college, calculated the college’s total economic impact, based on the 70,000 students enrolled at Valencia, and includes alumni earnings, student spending and expenditures related to college operations. The impact study also examined the college’s return on investment, for both students and taxpayers.

For students, every dollar spent on tuition today increases a student’s future income by $5.60, according to the EMSI study.
For Florida taxpayers, the rate of return on their investment in the college is 8.9 percent, outperforming nearly all private investments’ return on the dollar.

Valencia, the 17^th largest employer in the region, has become an economic engine for Central Florida, generating close to 3,000 jobs and spending $231 million a year on buildings, salaries, services and supplies. In addition to the impact of students currently enrolled at the college, the study found that Valencia’s graduates contribute $781.7 million in earnings, spending and savings to the region’s economy each year. To understand Valencia’s economic impact on its two-county region, compare the college’s $1 billion impact to that of the University of Florida. In 2011, an economic impact study found that UF’s impact on the statewide economy was $8.76 billion – and $2.9 billion of that was attributed to the Shands Hospital system and UF physician practices. “Valencia is a billion dollar gem. We hope the independent study will help the community understand what an asset Valencia actually is to the region,” said Valencia Board of Trustees Chair Bertica Cabrera Morris. Trustees, along with Valencia President Sandy Shugart, are calling on business and community leaders to join the college’s efforts to increase public and private investment in Valencia. “We encourage business leaders to get involved with the college and become a part of its success. Seek Valencia interns. Hire the college’s graduates. Serve on industry boards. Support the foundation. It all fuels our local economy and makes a real difference,” added Cabrera Morris. Valencia stands out as a model of efficiency compared to its peer colleges around the state. Based on data gathered by the Florida Department of Education for the 2011-2012 school year, Valencia has lower funding per FTE (full-time equivalent) than its sister two-year colleges – and yet Valencia consistently produces more graduates and more students who are earning technical certificates. Valencia was named the best community college in America for 2011/12 when it won the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The Aspen Prize was the first national recognition of extraordinary accomplishments at a community college. Valencia won the honor for an overall graduation rate nearly three times that of similar, large urban public community colleges. In addition, Valencia had the highest job placement rates at 95 percent, and the most productive transfer program in the country, because of its partnership with UCF. Valencia plays a key role in educating the region. Of the graduating high school seniors in Orange and Osceola counties, almost twice as many start their college careers at Valencia as at all other state universities combined. And, today, that’s the new “normal” among college students. Only 25 percent of America’s college students are full-time students, living away from home. Seventy-five percent of current college students are part-time students, juggling families, jobs and school. At Valencia, 39 percent of the students are focused on learning specialized skills that prepare them for the workforce through the college’s Associate in Science (A.S) programs or Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees. To produce graduates who are ready to hit the ground running, the college works closely with 400 area businesses to tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of the workplace. In some technical areas, such as nursing and allied health, Valencia graduates make up a large percentage of the local workforce. Valencia’s RN program supplies many of the nurses to local hospitals and is highly regarded for its quality. In 2010, for example, 94 percent of Valencia’s nursing graduates passed the national registered nursing exam – a higher passing rate than the state and national average. That specialized training is reflected in the graduates’ earnings. Valencia’s Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degree graduates earn on average an annual salary of about $43,385 in their first year after graduation – more than double that of a high school graduate and $7,839 more than a bachelor’s degree graduate from UCF in their first year out of college, according to the latest data from the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP). In addition to preparing students for the workforce, Valencia offers a two-year A.A. program that prepares students to transfer to an upper-division college or university – at half the cost of tuition at the state’s four-year universities. And, thanks to DirectConnect to UCF, an innovative partnership between the University of Central Florida and area members of the Florida College System that began in 2007, Valencia students who earn an associate degree are guaranteed admission to UCF’s upper division. Through DirectConnect, Valencia has become an “on ramp” to a four-year degree. In 2011, 22 percent of all UCF graduates started their college careers at Valencia. Also helping the local economy is the fact that Valencia is attracting more students from outside Orange and Osceola counties. Since DirectConnect began, the number of students moving to the area grew from 14,967 to 21,134, a 34.5 percent increase. These students rent apartments, purchase goods and services, and stay in the area to attend UCF and build their lives here. Economic Impact Report - Overview Fact Sheet INVESTMENT ANALYSIS Student Perspective • Valencia served 64,319 students in the 2010-11 reporting year. • The average Valencia student’s income increases by $5.60 for every dollar invested in their Valencia education. Students enjoy an attractive 15.1% average rate of return on their Valencia educational investment, recovering all costs in 10.2 years. Social Perspective • Higher earnings of Valencia students and associated increases in state income expand the tax base in Florida by about $196.5 million each year. • Florida will see avoided social costs amounting to $11.3 million per year due to improved health, reduced crime, and reduced welfare and unemployment. Taxpayer Perspective • The state government allocated approximately $106 million in support of Valencia in FY 2010-11. • For every dollar of this support, taxpayers see a return of $2.80 (in the form of higher tax receipts and avoided costs). • State government sees an annual rate of return of 8.9% on their support for Valencia. ECONOMIC GROWTH ANALYSIS College Operations Effect • The Valencia College Service Area economy annually receives $122.9 million in income due to Valencia operations. Student Spending Effect • Valencia estimates that approximately 15% of its students come from outside the region. • The expenditures of Valencia‘s non-local students generate roughly $16.0 million in added income in the Valencia College Service Area each year. Productivity Effect • The Valencia College Service Area economy embodies an estimated 5.6 million credits that have accumulated over the past 30-year period as thousands of former Valencia students enter the workforce. • Valencia credits translate to higher earnings for students and increased output of businesses. The added income attributable to the accumulation of Valencia credits in the workforce amounts to around $781.7 million each year. Transfer Student Effect • The DirectConnect relationship between Valencia and the University of Central Florida (UCF) allows students to continue their post-secondary education. • The additional education of students that transfer to UCF generates an additional $126.4 million¹ in income to the region each year. • Added income attributable to the accumulation of Valencia skills amounts to $781.7 million each year Total Effect • The total annual impacts on the Valencia College Service Area sum to $1.047 billion. ¹This value is distinct from the other impact metrics in that it is the result of a cooperative agreement between Valencia and UCF. Both institutions might rightly claim this impact.

The full report, “Economic Contribution of Valencia College,” is available at http://news.valenciacollege.edu/impact

Dance Challenge to Benefit Nursing Students

Carol Traynor — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:18:08 +0000

Fans of MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” or “Dancing with the Stars” will have a chance to cheer on some non-celebrity dancers in support of nursing students at Valencia College. Femmes de Coeur is presenting “Let Us Entertain You” on May 20 from 4-9 p.m. in The Ballroom at Church Street in downtown Orlando. Proceeds will be used for nursing scholarships for Valencia, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, Seminole State College and UCF College of Nursing. Paula Pritchard, dean of nursing, will be competing in the Faculty Challenge against nursing faculty from the other schools. The event also includes silent and live auctions. Tickets are $75 each. You can purchase tickets in person at Valencia's Nursing Department (West Campus, Health Sciences Bldg., Room 200, ask for Angela Lawrence-Pusey) or order tickets from Femmes de Coeur by calling Judy Conrad at 407-620-3987 or visiting www.femmesdecoeur.org

Shardeh Berry, Single Mom and Honors Student, Will Address a Record Crowd at Commencement

Carol Traynor — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:03:49 +0000

On Saturday, May 5, an estimated 1,260 graduates will receive their associate degrees as Valencia College celebrates its 43^rd spring commencement at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. Twenty-four-year-old Shardeh Berry, who was named the 2011-12 Distinguished Graduate by the Valencia Alumni Association, will give this year’s commencement address. In addition to being a full-time honors student and single mom to two small children, Berry has found the time to serve her fellow students. She is vice president of the West Campus Student Government Association representing almost 20,000 students, and has held leadership roles with numerous clubs and organizations. “Valencia students are not people who have carefree lives,” says Shardeh, who will graduate with an honors certificate. “We have jobs, children or people who are depending on us. But I want all students to know that you can be involved and being involved will change your life. I’m a better speaker and I’m better at time management than I used to be. And I have made friendships that will last forever.” Berry plans to attend the University of Central Florida, where she wants to study international relations and ultimately work at the United Nations, focusing on human rights. This will be the college's first commencement as Valencia College, having changed its name from Valencia Community College last July. To honor the occasion and the graduates, the college posted the names of more than 8,000 students who graduated this school year on a Lynx bus with the message: “Congrats Class of 2012.” The bus will be parked just outside the arena for graduation photos of the students and their families. (For a photo of last year's bus, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myvalencia/5710557915/) Valencia is ranked first in the nation among all community colleges in the number of associate degrees awarded, second in the number of associate degrees awarded to Hispanics and third in the number awarded to African Americans. Valencia’s overall graduation rate is nearly three times that of similar, large urban public community colleges as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. In the last decade, graduation rates for college ready students increased at Valencia by almost ten percent to 44.8 percent from 35.9 percent after four years. Commencement exercises will take place at 10 a.m. at Silver Spurs Arena, Osceola Heritage Park, on U.S. Hwy. 192 in Kissimmee. The ceremony can be viewed live at http://valenciacollege.edu/graduation/live.cfm.

Valencia Launches New Honors College; Members of Inaugural Class Eligible for Full Scholarships

Linda Beaty — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:07:57 +0000

Valencia College will launch the new James M. and Dayle L. Seneff Honors College in the fall of 2012, providing new opportunities for students to excel at Valencia.

Funded by a $1 million donation from Orlando resident and CNL executive chairman James M. Seneff and his wife, Dayle, the new honors college will expand Valencia’s current honors program into a full-fledged honors college.

The James M. and Dayle L. Seneff Honors College will feature four different tracks, each of which will be housed on a separate Valencia campus.

East Campus will host a track for students interested in academic research and is especially for students who plan to go to graduate school or professional school. With the guidance of a professor, students will learn how to conduct undergraduate research and will complete a research project and paper by the end of their second year.
Osceola Campus will house the college’s leadership track, encouraging students to study different styles of leadership, and become agents of change in their communities. The track also has a service component, requiring students to perform community service with partner organizations in Osceola County.
West Campus will be home to the interdisciplinary honors track, a humanities-style, multicultural curriculum that features team-taught courses on a wide variety of subject matter, from history to science, from art to philosophy.
Winter Park Campus will be home to the “Jeffersonian” or general studies honors track. The track, which will offer students a well-rounded education and the opportunity to collaborate with college students in other countries, is still being developed. It will be available in 2013.

For a short time, students who apply to the honors college and are accepted will be offered full tuition scholarships. To qualify, students must apply for admission to the program by May 1. The regular deadline for fall admission to the James M. and Dayle L. Seneff Honors College is July 20.

For those who miss the May 1 deadline, there are still special scholarships available only to honors students.

The average class size for courses in the honors college will be about 15 students. In addition, honors students will receive individual attention and will have their own campus-based counselor. Honors students are also allowed to register for classes early, and have use of the Honors Resource Center.

Honors students also have the opportunity to travel abroad with their professors, and each month, students participate in events such as “pizza with the professors,” providing personal contact with their instructors.

Recent honors graduates from Valencia are finishing their undergraduate studies at Columbia University in New York, Emory University in Atlanta, Amherst College and Smith College in Massachusetts.

For more information on the new James M. and Dayle L. Seneff Honors College or to apply, go to http://valenciacollege.edu/honors/prospective-students/admission.cfm

Valencia Installs Five Electric Car Charging Stations on West Campus

Linda Beaty — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:26:30 +0000

At the 2012 Earth Day celebration, Valencia made a significant contribution to cleaning the air: The college began installing five electric vehicle charging stations on its West Campus. These chargers are being provided by Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) as part of a ChargePoint America grant. The publicly-owned utility is providing the chargers in an effort to study the impact electric vehicles (EVs) will have on its electric distribution system. At Valencia’s West Campus, each of the charging stations is capable of recharging two electric vehicles at a time. Two of these dual-mode stations have been installed near Valencia’s Allied Health Sciences Building, and the other three will be installed near the Valencia/UCF Joint Use Building (Building 11) by mid-May. EVs and PHEVs (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles) can be charged using a standard 120-volt outlet and an extension cord, which is called Level I charging. However, the chargers located on Valencia’s campus carry 240 volts, the power needed to operate a household dryer. This allows a faster charge and is called Level II charging. To use the charging stations, the driver pays for a few hours of charge at OUC’s current residential rate of 14 cents per kilowatt hour, or about 50 cents per hour, depending on the type of vehicle. Drivers can pay using either a ChargePoint Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card or a contactless credit card, such as VISA’s PayWave or MasterCard’s PayPass cards (which operate using the same “wave your credit card at the pump” technology used by Mobil’s Speedpass.) Drivers can also pay by calling the toll-free number on the charging station. Funding for the charging stations is part of a larger grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to Coulomb Technologies. Coulomb received a $15 million grant from the DOE to jump-start the electric transportation movement and unveiled its first public charging station Feb. 2, 2010, in front of Orlando City Hall. Through the ChargePoint America grant, public charging stations are being installed at shopping malls, libraries, parks, hotels, community centers, public buildings hotels, theme parks and parking garages. OUC has partnered with Coulomb and instituted its own sub-grant to subsidize the installation costs for Level II dual voltage (120/240V) public chargers within its service territory, including the new charging stations at Valencia College. There are about 300 public charging stations located within a 70-mile radius of downtown Orlando, and about 12 new stations coming on line each week. An electric charging station locator map is available on the Get Ready Central Florida website at www.plugandgonow.com. Drivers can also find all ChargePoint charging stations on their smart phones, using a mobile phone application available for iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Using the app, drivers can make a reservation at the ChargePoint station directly from their smart phones. Valencia’s West Campus is located at 1800 S. Kirkman Road, Orlando.

Don’t Miss the Spring Issue of Valencia’s Award-Winning Magazine

Carol Traynor — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:54:50 +0000

The new issue of Vitae includes an article on “The Brainy Bunch” (Valencia's stereotype-defying Brain Bowl team), a preview of the new Seneff Honors College, a behind-the-scenes look at the summer stage production of “The Laramie Project,” a story on a new class for app developers, and a cover story that takes a look at why Valencia beat out other colleges to win the first-ever Aspen Prize. To see a copy go to: http://valenciacollege.edu/alumni/vitae.cfm

Valencia Cleans Up in RecycleMania

Linda Beaty — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:17:10 +0000

At Valencia, we're not trashy. In fact, the college doesn't throw away much trash -- at least not for a place with more than 60,000 students. We're so lean and green that Valencia won a first-place prize in this year's RecycleMania competition. The competition, which extended from Feb. 5 through March 31, included eight categories. The colleges and universities that took home top prizes in the three primary categories were:

"Grand Champion" (determined by the percentage of overall waste recycled): American University- (85.16 percent) - Washington, D.C.

"Per Capita Classic" (determined by total pounds of recyclables collected per person): Union College- (61.79 lbs.) - Schenectady, N.Y.

"Waste Minimization" (determined by the lowest overall amount of recyclables and trash per person): Valencia College - (2.75 lbs.) - Orlando, Fla.

In the waste minimization category, schools compete to see which produces the least amount of both recyclables and trash on a per person basis. To encourage employees to reduce waste, Valencia has urged employees to make double-sided copies when using a copier, or to send emails, rather than making copies of documents to share. Likewise, the college recycles cardboard boxes in which textbooks and paper are shipped. The college also has begun installing water fountains where students and employees can refill water containers, rather than purchasing disposable bottles of water. During the eight-week competition, Valencia processed 44,085 pounds of recyclables. The amount of greenhouse gases reduced by Valencia during the contest was the equivalent of pulling 18 cars off the road during that time. This is the third year that Valencia has competed in RecycleMania. In 2010, Valencia finished in fourth place in the waste minimization category. Last year, Valencia took second place in that category. But this year, the college won first place. And that, said recycling coordinator Jerry Cochran, feels good. "Second place isn’t bad, but it’s nothing like first," said Cochran, who has led Valencia's recycling efforts since 2007. RecycleMania began in January 2001 as a challenge between Ohio University and Miami University of Ohio, when the two recycling coordinators at the schools were looking for a way to motive their student bodies to recycling more. This year, 92 million pounds of recyclables and organic materials were recovered, which prevented the release of nearly 150,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E). This reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to the annual emissions from more than 25,840 passenger cars; electricity use of more than nearly 16,406 homes; or the burning of nearly 705 railcars' worth of coal. Equally impressive, the average recycling rate for participating schools increased from 27.61 percent to 28.49 percent over the course of the tournament. Valencia implemented recycling and waste reduction programs to help reduce the college's carbon footprint. In 2009, Valencia President Sandy Shugart signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), a high-visibility effort to address global climate disruption. More than 600 colleges and universities have made institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations.

Golf Tournament Helps Underserved Youth Get to College

Carol Traynor — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:08:32 +0000

Helping underserved Orlando-area youth graduate high school and achieve their college dreams is the main goal of Take Stock in Children of Orange County. Major support for that effort comes from the Take Stock in Children Golf Tournament, scheduled this year for Monday, April 23, at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club. Valencia College, Full Sail University and Tavistock Foundation are principal sponsors of the tournament. Valencia administers Take Stock in Children, a statewide program, in the Orlando area in collaboration with Orange County Public Schools. The idea: Get students in the seventh grade to sign contracts in which they promise to get good grades, behave positively and remain drug- and crime-free. In exchange they get mentors who help them stay in high school and graduate. The students' reward for graduating: a 2+2 scholarship that pays two years of tuition at any state college and the following two years of tuition at a state university. To register, go to www.valenciacollege.edu/golf or call 407-582-3336 or email takestockinchildren@valenciacollege.edu. For more about Take Stock in Children: http://valenciacollege.edu/tsic/ or www.takestockinchildren.org/

Valencia Gallery to Display Student Artwork Starting April 13

Linda Beaty — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:56:23 +0000

The Anita S. Wooten Gallery at Valencia College’s East Campus will host a display of juried student artwork, including fine art, graphic design and digital media from April 13 through May 18.

The 2012 Annual Juried Student Fine Art, Graphic Design and Digital Media Exhibition will kick off with an opening night reception on April 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. An awards ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m.

The exhibition of student work will be on display at the gallery through May 18. The gallery is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. During Valencia’s summer sessions (May 7-July 31), the gallery will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon.

Admission to the gallery is free.

For more information, please call 407-582-2268 or 407-582-2298.

Students Stage Rally, Debate on Trayvon Martin Case on West Campus

Linda Beaty — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:33:52 +0000

The debate about the Trayvon Martin shooting has stirred up debate on college campuses around the country -- and Valencia is no exception. On Monday, April 9, members of Valencia College’s African-American Cultural Society were joined by more than 100 students and members of the community as they marched across Valencia's West Campus, calling on other Valencia students and members of the community to join them. More than 150 people joined the march. The student organizers said they hoped the "Justice for Trayvon Martin march" would inspire Valencia students to make their voices heard, by registering to vote, signing petitions, and by contacting their state legislators and voice their opinions on the state's "Stand Your Ground" law. During a rally following the march, Rep. Geraldine Thompson (D-Orlando) told the crowd that her top priority during the upcoming year will be to repeal or amend Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law." "George Zimmerman may have gotten a bloody nose, but the state of Florida got a black eye," Thompson told the crowd. "The only remedy the state of Florida has is to amend or repeal this bad law." On Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m., students and members of the public are invited to Valencia's West Campus to hear a debate on the state's "Stand Your Ground Law." Rollins College's debate team, which is ranked nationally, will take on the renowned Cambridge Union Debating Society to discuss the law. There will be an opportunity for audience members to ask questions or make statements. The debate will be held in Building 4, Room 120. Valencia’s West Campus is located at 1800 S. Kirkman Road, Orlando, FL 32811.

No Money? Check Out Valencia’s Free Spring Concerts

Linda Beaty — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:53:21 +0000

Looking for free entertainment? Check out the lineup of free concerts coming up at Valencia College.

Spring Choral Concert Showcases Young Voices on April 10

The Valencia Singers will perform works from a variety of composers, including Mozart’s “Requiem” and another “Requiem” composed shortly after the Asian tsunami of 2004, plus the premieres of two works by Valencia instructors Troy Gifford and Antonio Brett. In addition, Valencia’s Contemporary Ensemble, the college’s version of the “Glee” TV singers, will sing and dance to music from three eras, including the songs of Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin, followed by Stevie Wonder, and contemporary songs by Adele, Cee Lo Green and Lady Gaga. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Valencia College’s Performing Arts Center on East Campus, 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando.

Evening of Rock and Soul on April 12

Come enjoy music by Valencia’s own house band – the college’s Commercial Music Ensemble – as they perform music by Bob Marley, Muse, Disturbed, Hall and Oates, Fall Of Troy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Blink 182, plus hits such as “California Dreaming,” “My Girl” and “Drive.” The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the East Campus Performing Arts Center.

Valencia Ensembles Concert at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, April 15

This Sunday program will include Valencia Singers and the String Ensemble performing a variety of classical works, including Mozart’s “Requiem” and a modern version composed after the 2004 Asian tsunami, plus Dvorak’s “American Rondo,” “I Dreamed A Dream” from the musical “Les Miserables” and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. The concert begins at 4 p.m. at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, 1021 Palm Springs Drive, Altamonte Springs.

Strings Concert on East Campus on April 17^th

The string ensemble will perform a variety of classical works from Tchaikovsky, Smetana, Dvorak and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, featuring Arturo Pasalagua on violin, Suzan Pezzone Andrews on flute, and Alan Gerber on harpsichord. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Building 3 atrium on Valencia’s East Campus.

Opera and Musical Theater Favorites on April 20-21

Opera and musical-theater students will perform a delightful double bill, devoting the first half of the program to Puccini’s comic opera, “Gianni Schicchi,” followed by “Starting Here, Starting Now,” a musical revue of the work of Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night at the East Campus Performing Arts Center.

Florida Tech Creates New Scholarships for Valencia Grads; Application Deadline is May 1

Linda Beaty — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:29:43 +0000

Orlando, FL — Florida Institute of Technology, a private university located in Melbourne that has been named one of the top technological colleges in the Southeast, has established two new scholarship programs that will award up to $1 million in scholarships each year to Valencia College graduates who elect to attend Florida Tech.

The first scholarship program, known as the Florida Tech Presidential Scholarship for Valencia College Transfer Students, will provide full tuition to 10 Valencia graduates each year. In addition to that program, Florida Tech has set up a second scholarship program that will allow Valencia College President Sandy Shugart to award 10 Valencia graduates scholarships that are valued at $15,000 a year.

The Florida Tech Presidential Scholarship for Valencia College Transfer Students is open to Valencia students who are applying for admission to Florida Tech in fall 2012. The scholarship amount will vary, depending on the recipient, but Florida Tech guarantees that the winners will receive a combination of federal and state grants and scholarships equal to Florida Tech’s full tuition.

Tuition for one year at Florida Tech costs $34,150.

The Florida Tech Presidential Scholarships will be renewable for two years of full-time study.

To be considered for the scholarships, students:

must be currently enrolled at Valencia College and must graduate with an A.A. degree in the spring or by the end of the summer session, so they can enroll at Florida Tech for the fall 2012 semester. (Students who have completed their A.A. degrees in the previous December are also eligible.)
must apply to Florida Tech for admission by May 1
must have a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher
must be a Bright Futures student
must file an updated Free Application for Federal Student Assistance before they graduate from Valencia.

Florida Tech’s financial aid office will notify the winners. Recipients of the scholarships must enroll as full-time undergraduate students at Florida Tech, but they can enroll in any bachelor’s program for which they are qualified.

In addition to the Florida Tech Presidential Scholarships, the Melbourne-based university has established another new scholarship program for Valencia grads. The Florida Institute of Technology/Valencia College Presidents’ Scholarships will be given to 10 Valencia graduates each year. Each of the Florida Tech/Valencia College Presidents’ Scholarships will be worth at least $15,000 a year.

The students who will receive the scholarships will be selected by Valencia President Sandy Shugart. The recipients may enroll in any bachelor’s program at Florida Tech for which they are eligible.

For more information about the scholarships, contact Florida Tech’s financial aid office at 321-674-8070.

For more information about Florida Tech, go to http://www.fit.edu/ugrad/transfer/