FSCJ kicks off 50th anniversary celebrations with Thursday Kent Campus event

Times-Union

Mon, Feb 9, 2015 @ 4:19 pm

Florida State College at Jacksonville is honoring its 50th anniversary with events at all of its campuses and centers this month, beginning with the Kent Campus’s “50 Years of Delivering the American Dream.”

The campus at 3939 Roosevelt Blvd. will combine the anniversary celebration with the closing of the traveling exhibit, “Lincoln: The Constitution and Civil War,” beginning with campus and exhibit guided tours at 4 p.m., then a 5:30 p.m. flag ceremony with color guards from local high schools, the armed forces and others as part of a “transfer of custody” ceremony There will also be a cannon salute, vocal performance and flyover by the college’s aviation program as the “Lincoln Exhibit” is transferred to the college’s South Campus at 11901 Beach Blvd. The event ends with a 6:30 p.m. reception.

The college held the official investiture of new president Cynthia A. Bioteau, in conjunction with the commemoration of the College’s 50th anniversary.

Faculty, staff, students and honorary guests from across the country gathered at FSCJ Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts to participate in the formal investiture ceremony and the launch of the year-long celebration to honor five decades of educational excellence, promote the present state of the College and plan for the future growth of FSCJ.

Today’s ceremony was led by Pat Geraghty, chairman and CEO of Florida Blue and Gary Chartrand, chair of the State Board of Education, and was attended by esteemed community, governmental and educational leaders. Guests included Pam Stewart, commissioner of education for the state of Florida, FSCJ’s Board of Trustees, the Honorable Alvin Brown, mayor of the City of Jacksonville, fellow presidents and district leaders from Jacksonville’s colleges, universities and school districts, and family, friends and colleagues of Dr. Bioteau from across the country.

“To be recognized by my colleagues, educational partners, community leaders, friends and family is a true honor and I am humbled to be a part of such an integral institution,” said Florida State College at Jacksonville President Cynthia Bioteau. “This past year, we have worked strategically to redefine the College’s mission and advance our program offerings as we provide more access to our high-value degree options in support of the workforce and economic development of Northeast Florida. I look forward to continuing this mission and propelling FSCJ into the future.”

President Bioteau brings more than 35 years of experience in education, mental health and business, along with strong leadership skills across a multitude of disciplines. She holds a doctorate from Lesley University; a master’s degree from Assumption College; and a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire.

Dr. Bioteau has been an advocate for public higher education at the local, regional, state and national levels and maintains that a strong college is critical for constant renewal and progress of the local, regional and state economies.

Immediately following the investiture ceremony, Dr. Bioteau launched the College’s 50th anniversary celebration with a look back at 50 years of FSCJ and the unveiling of the honorary 50th anniversary logo looking forward to the next 50 years. This logo will be used to acknowledge the rich history of the institution as it has grown its reputation as the largest, most dynamic and most influential higher education institution on the First Coast.

Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), first known as Florida Junior College (FJC), was established in 1965 during the height of the nation’s community college movement to proudly serve the Northeast Florida region as the first integrated public, postsecondary educational institution in Duval or Nassau County.

From an initial enrollment of 2,610 students in Fall 1966 to the current enrollment of 57,000 students, the College has grown to offer 13 bachelor’s degrees, 45 associate degrees and 101 technical and workforce certificates.

Florida State College at Jacksonville’s mission is to provide high value, relevant life-long education that enhances the intellectual, social, cultural and economic development of our diverse community.

About FSCJ
Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is a public, nonprofit higher education institution that offers more than 150 degree and certificate programs to meet the education and training needs of more than 57,000 students per year.