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Press Release

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

DOE Press Office
(850) 245-0413

Florida Colleges Chancellor Presents Best Practice Awards

~ Award winning programs highlight importance of math and science ~

Jacksonville – A Three Florida colleges received a significant honor today by earning Best Practice Awards from Florida College System Chancellor Dr. Will Holcombe during the 61st Annual Florida Association of Community Colleges Convention (FACC) in Jacksonville. Miami Dade College, Palm Beach State College and St. Petersburg College were each recognized for their outstanding work in the areas of academic affairs, student affairs and workforce education, with a particular emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

“Our colleges continue to play a critical role in helping our students remain competitive in a rapidly changing global economy,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “Courses that grow student knowledge in math and science have a tremendous impact on the quality of our workforce and my congratulations go out to each of these fine institutions for creating such valuable programs.”

College program directors submitted detailed descriptions of their programs to the Division of Florida Colleges during a rigorous nomination process earlier this year. The nominees were evaluated and ranked based on academic affairs, student affairs and workforce education. The award winners are as follows:

  • Academic Affairs
    Project V-Coach Summer STEM Academy
    Miami Dade College
  • Student Affairs
    Math Science Summer Institute
    Palm Beach State College
  • Workforce Education
    Engineering Technology
    St. Petersburg College

“This year’s winners exemplify the importance our colleges have placed on training students in math and the sciences. STEM education plays a critical role in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace for the 21st century,” said Chancellor Holcombe. “The Best Practice Awards give much-deserved recognition to these exceptional programs and allow each of our colleges to learn from proven strategies that will raise the level of performance for the entire college system.”

In addition to the recognition at the event, the Florida College System also includes the award winners’ strategies on the Department’s Best Practices website at www.fldoe.org/cc/retention. The site offers information to assist other college leaders in developing and implementing innovative solutions to challenges facing their institutions. It also enables users to learn new techniques, improve processes, and offers assistance in creating new programs and making current programs more effective. To learn more about the Best Practices program, visit www.fldoe.org/cc/retention or contact Division of Florida Colleges Assistant Chancellor Kasongo Butler at .

About The Florida College System
Florida’s colleges remain the primary point of access to higher education in Florida, with 66 percent of the state’s high school graduates pursuing postsecondary education beginning at a Florida college, and 81 percent of freshman and sophomore minority students in public higher education attending one of Florida’s 28 colleges. To learn more about The Florida College System, visit http://www.fldoe.org/cc/.