BlueWave News

September 2022

Thank you for joining us for Convocation 2022, Reflect. Refresh. Renew. We look forward to this annual opportunity to come together as a family to kick off the beginning of the new academic year!

We were excited to have approximately 500 in-person attendees and an additional 200-plus tuned in online. In case you missed it, the event highlighted faculty, staff, program and student achievements, updates on the Five-Year Master Plan, and how lessons learned during tough times will help us succeed in the future.

Benefits Open Enrollment

Benefits Open Enrollment will be Monday, October 17 through Friday, October 28. All three medical plans will be changing and employees will be required to make a medical insurance election for 2023 during this time.

The Benefits team will be on campus multiple days during the Open Enrollment window to provide assistance with enrollment elections. Watch for more information in the coming weeks.

Student Climate Survey

The 2022 Student Climate Survey kicks off on September 22. Student responses will help us measure campus experiences and services and provide a safer, more equitable and inclusive learning environment for everyone.

You can help by encouraging student participation. Share the digital flier with your class or with any students you work with. For questions about the survey, please email bridgesresearch@fscj.edu.

The survey will run through November 3. Responses will be anonymous and confidential. Students who complete the survey may be eligible to win one of the 40 cash prizes provided by the FSCJ Foundation.

Science Symposium: Call for Presenters

FSCJ Root2STEM Science Symposium invites presenters to submit abstracts for the Fifth Annual Science Symposium, which will be held on Friday, October 14, online and in person at the Advanced Technology Center. Workshops, demonstrations and poster presentations will be on-site, while speakers may be live-remote. Short, pre-recorded videos are welcome to be hosted on the Symposium website.

Presenters who would like to share creative teaching topics and methodologies, laboratory activities or field studies are encouraged to participate.  Any science-related topic is welcome. The deadline for abstract submission is September 16 at 5 p.m. Email Nancy Mullins, nmullins@fscj.edu, or Heather Wilson, hwilson@fscj.edu, with questions.

We are pleased to welcome Jerry Thor as our new athletic director. He will provide leadership and oversight for the BlueWave Athletics Department which consists of seven competitive collegiate teams, five fitness centers, intramural events and the Outdoor Education Center.

Mr. Thor has been a well-respected athletics administrator for 10 years, guiding teams and athletic departments to national success. He brings expertise in financial management, event management, NJCAA rules and regulations and data-informed strategic planning.

Dual Enrollment Faculty Awards celebrate the teaching and scholarly work of our FSCJ faculty who teach on high and middle school campuses. Students, faculty and staff submitted their nominations and this year, twelve faculty applied to be considered for the award. The Award Committee reviewed all applicants and picked one winner from Duval County Public Schools, Nassau County School District and our private/charter schools to each receive a $500 award sponsored by the FSCJ Foundation.

Nassau County Winner - Jennifer Henderson, West Nassau High School

Duval County Winner - Patrick Nolan, Sandalwood High School

Private School Winner - Getachew Wendim, Trinity Christian Academy

The Center for International Education (CIE) is hosting the first annual International Education Mini-Conference on November 3-4. This professional development mini-conference will take place as part of International Education Week and faculty and staff participation is encouraged.

The CIE is seeking faculty and staff who wish to share their knowledge on topics such as engaging with other cultures, addressing diversity and bias in education, fostering cultural equity, globalizing courses, facilitating virtual exchanges, promoting international engagement and more. The committee is seeking proposals for in-person sessions that cover a range of topics. For a complete list of topics, session details and to submit your proposal by October 5, click here.

For questions, email global@fscj.edu.

The STEM Success through Scholarships, Support and Service (STEM S-5) scholarship, created from a grant funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), helps students majoring in eligible STEM fields by connecting them with peer networking, enhanced academic and non-academic support and career development opportunities. This scholarship provides up to $6,500 for full-time students and $3,250 for part-time students per academic year, along with faculty mentors, peer support, travel and internship opportunities and post-graduation support.

FSCJ students enrolled in an eligible degree program who meet additional criteria may apply. Please mention this opportunity when working with students who might be eligible. For more information, email stem-scholars@fscj.edu or reach out to Professor Christopher Lee.

Congratulations to FSCJ Student Maryam Bint-Hakim-Muhammad, a sophomore in the Network Systems Technology Associate in Science program. She was one of 25 recipients of the Trustmark Workforce Development Scholarship.

Trustmark Corporation, a diversified financial services company headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, gave this award to Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society Members that plan to enter the workforce upon the completion of an associate degree or certification.

It is officially fall, and with the rainy afternoons and delicious pumpkin-spiced lattes comes a new recruitment season for FSCJ! Our recruitment team is already busy visiting high schools and community organizations, sharing all the incredible programs we offer. You can follow along with our outreach efforts by visiting the FSCJ Outreach Calendar. In addition to seeing what we are up to, you can add your own outreach efforts.

We are also excited to be updating our online orientation. We have some amazing new videos coming soon! You can view our orientation by visiting orientation.fscj.edu.

Know someone who is interested in attending FSCJ? Looking for an opportunity to share more about your program with future students? Join us at our upcoming Imagine Your Future Events. They are a great way for students and their families to explore programs at FSCJ and apply early. Each event will be held from 5-7 p.m. on the following days:

FSCJ.edu Redesign Update

The all-new FSCJ.edu is coming soon. The majority of the site design, programming and landing page setup is complete. The web committee is reviewing a preview beta site and providing feedback for improvements and alterations.

Work continues on the search module, program 360 tours like the example above, layout and content migration from the current site to the new. The final Six Sigma Gate Review will be held in October leading up to the full launch. Stay tuned for more details and how you can participate.

Facilities Updates

The Facilities Team has been hard at work, updating and upgrading spaces across the College. Check out some highlights below:

Recently completed projects

Projects in progress

Ongoing Collegewide:

Cecil Center:

Deerwood Center:

Kent Campus:

Nassau Center:

North Campus:

South Campus:

Projects in planning

Collegewide:

Deerwood Center:

Downtown Campus:

Kent Campus:

Nassau Center:

North Campus:

South Campus:

Faculty and Staff Accomplishments

Congratulations to the following employees for completing FSCJ Certificate programs!

Diversity at FSCJ Certificate

Technology Certificate

September's Administrative & Professional Collaborative (APC) spotlight shines on Associate Director of the Center for International Education (CIE) Dr. Cynthia Robinson. Dr. Robinson provides faculty, staff and students opportunities to participate in cultural activities and exchanges, teach and learn through globally focused coursework, support educational goals for study and service abroad, and develop engagement with the international community represented both in Jacksonville and abroad. Through her leadership, the CIE is expanding its programs and opening its borders to a wider range of cultural opportunities and experiences.

The FSCJ women's basketball team volunteered at Jacksonville's Sanctuary on 8th Street. They spent time with the children involved in the after-school program, teaching them skills and having fun on the court.

"This was a great opportunity for our new group of young ladies to learn what FSCJ women's basketball program is about," said Head Coach Diana Couch. "They aren't just here to play ball, but to get an education and to serve the community. It was nice to see them embrace our mission and share their talents with the youth of Sanctuary on 8th Street."

Thanks to all who joined and supported us for this year's American Heart Association (AHA) Heart Walk, which was held on Saturday, September 10. Team FSCJ raised close to $10,000 and had 184 registered participants, with additional walkers, many of which were students, joining us on the day of the event. We appreciate everyone's support!

Our Library and Learning Commons team has been working hard to create a digital archive for BlueWave Newsletters and press releases. Press releases date back to 1979! The archive files are searchable by text so you can find specific information you may be looking for or if you just want to take a stroll down memory lane.

Review the highlights of the September 13, 2022, meeting of the FSCJ District Board of Trustees:

You can find more information on the Board of Trustees meeting on our website.

Who's New

This list includes those individuals who are filling the newly appointed Faculty full-time positions, full-time A&P positions and full-time Career Employee positions.

Faculty Full-Time

A&P Full-Time

Career Full-Time

Who's Retiring?

The following employees have recently retired, or will soon be retiring, from FSCJ:

FSCJ's faculty, staff, students, programs and leadership are often highlighted by local and regional media outlets - online, on air and in print. Read articles featuring important updates and activities happening within the College by clicking here.

Upcoming Events

Test your knowledge. To ensure all faculty and staff have an opportunity to submit answers, the quiz winners will be selected at random from entries with all questions answered correctly. You have until 6 p.m. on the day the newsletter is distributed to email your answers to bluewavenews@fscj.edu. The three winners will receive a BlueWave prize pack! Please note: Previous quiz winners, while eligible to submit answers, are not eligible for additional prizes for six months.

1) When is the International Education Mini-Conference?

    a. October 5

    b. September 16

    c. November 3-4

    d. October 14

2) About how many in-person attendees were at Convocation 2022?

    a. 500

    b. 200

    c. 700

    d. 350

3) Where did FSCJ's women's basketball team recently volunteer?

    a. Feeding Northeast Florida

    b. Big Brothers Big Sisters

    c. Sanctuary on 8th Street

    d. Jacksonville Humane Society

4) When does Benefits Open Enrollment start?

    a. October 5

    b. October 17

    c. October 28

    d. January 1

5) What is the name of the scholarship FSCJ Student Maryam Bint-Hakim-Muhammad received?

    a. Power of Possible Scholarship

    b. STEM Success through Scholarships, Support and Service (STEM S-5)

    c. Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship

    d. Trustmark Workforce Development Scholarship

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