State College of Florida, Manateeâ€"Sarasota is a state college with campuses in Manatee and Sarasota counties, Florida. Part of the Florida College System, it is designated a "state college" because it offers a greater number of four-year bachelor's degrees than traditional two-year community colleges.
Founded in 1957 as Manatee Junior College, it was known as Manatee Community College from 1985 to 2009. Today it operates three campuses in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice. The Bradenton campus includes the Family Heritage House Museum.
History
State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota - http://www.LarrySellsSarasota.com Office Direct: 941-308-3845 State College of Florida - SCF - has been serving Sarasota and Manatee Counties since 1957. Previously Manatee Community College...
State College of Florida was established on September 17, 1957, by the Florida Board of Education as Manatee Junior College. The college came into existence under a plan of the state Board of Education for providing accessible higher education to Florida's population.
The first classes were held on September 2, 1958, in what was formerly a senior high school; enrollment in the first term was 502. The college began administering classes in its own facilities in 1959, where the Bradenton campus stands today.
The Venice center was opened in 1977 by MCC's Board of Trustees. During this period, the center's functions were funded by donations by residents of the surrounding communities, which include Venice, North Port, and Englewood. It was not until 1983 that the college received an appropriation from the Florida legislature to expand the Venice center into what is now the full-service Venice campus. It was dedicated on March 30, 1985. The name was changed that year to Manatee Community College.
In the beginning of 2003, SCF opened the Lakewood Ranch campus. The land appropriated for this was donated by the Schroeder-Manatee Ranch. The Lakewood Ranch campus offers credit and non-credit programs of study, and technical and workforce development courses. In 2007, the Schroeder-Manatee Ranch donated an additional 5 acres (20,000Â m2) to the college. SCF obtained supplementary funding from the Florida legislature, which was allocated for the construction of a new classroom/laboratory building.
In 2009, MCC changed its name to the State College of Florida, Manateeâ€"Sarasota. SCF also started offering bachelor's degrees. The first bachelor's degree was a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, started in January 2010. Other bachelor's degrees are now available.
Campus
Students attend classes at campuses in Bradenton, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch; many business and public-sector sites throughout the community; and from their homes via eLearning opportunities.
Organization and administration
The college president is Carol Probstfeld.
Academic profile
State College of Florida, Manateeâ€"Sarasota is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Noncredit education is offered under SCF's Corporate & Community Development programs. More than 50 percent of the college-bound high school students in Manatee and Sarasota counties attend SCF each year, with current enrollment of over 30,000 students. SCF is among the top 100 producers of associate degrees in the country.
Student life
Athletics
College athletic teams are nicknamed the Manatees. They participate in the Suncoast Conference of the Florida State College Activities Association (FSCAA) in Division I of NJCAA Region VIII.
Drama
The theatre and musical theatre department at State College of Florida does a total of four productions per year, or two per semester. The Theatre faculty includes Dean Anthony, Craig Smith, James Thaggard (he is also the Box Office Manager), and Melodie Dickerson. Most theatre graduates have gone on to four-year universities to receive B.A. or B.F.A. degrees in Theatre and Performing Arts.
Brain Bowl
The Brain Bowl team at State College of Florida, currently coached by Christina Dwyer, has achieved state and national recognition for being one of the top quiz bowl programs in the country. In the 2014-2015 competition season, SCF's "Fire Team" compiled a record of 58-2 against other two-year schools, going on to win championships at tournaments such as the 2014 Delta Burke Invitational, 2015 FCSAA West Central Regional, 2015 FCSAA Brain Bowl State Championship, 2015 NAQT South Florida Community College Sectionals, and the 2015 NAQT Community College Championship Tournament. The team was also invited to compete in NAQT's Intercollegiate Championship Tournament (DII) where the team placed 25th with a record of 7-6, notably defeating four-year schools such as UC Berkeley, Duke University, University of Alabama, and Claremont Colleges in the process.
The 2015 State and National Championship teams consisted of team captain and club president Michael Moore Jr. and players Naimul Chowdhury, Leon Hostetler, Austin Goode, Carlyle Styer, Kara Stevens and Christopher Medrano. In individual competition, Moore and Chowdhury placed third and seventh in the nation respectively. Former coaches include Dr. Hyun Kim (co-coach with Christina Dwyer during 2014-2015 season) and Dr. Carole Cole. The 2016 State and National Championship teams consisted of team captain and club president Michael Friedman and players David Espinal, former championship winner Austin Goode, Paul Forester, and Haley Miller. They won first place at State and Second at Nationals. SCF Player David Espinal would lead the 2017 team to Championships and States with players Lacey Anderson, Damien Bobrek, and Nathanael Havlik. The team went on to win first place at Erik Korray, third in State, and third at Nationals.. The current 2018 team is lead by David Espinal and Austin Goode with fellow players Ariel Rodriguez, Lacey Anderson, Justin Reitwiesner, and Sierra Beeson.
Family Heritage House Museum
The Bradenton Campus is home to the Family Heritage House Museum, a gallery and resource center for the study of African-American achievements. Exhibits include a timeline of significant events in African-American history, including slavery, fights for freedom, community building and education, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights movement, Kwanzaa, and the modern era in South Africa. There are also displays about the Underground Railroad and a collection of African masks. Admission is free.
Notable alumni
Alumni status is open to all graduates of State College of Florida, Manateeâ€"Sarasota (formerly Manatee Community College), all former students of SCF who regularly matriculated and left SCF in good standing.
See also
- State College of Florida Collegiate School - school on the SCF Bradenton campus, based on a Swedish model.
References
External links
- http://www.scf.edu/
- http://www.scf.edu/SCFCS/