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Valencia College

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Valencia College
Former names
Valencia Junior College (1967–1971)
Valencia Community College (1971–2010)
TypePublic college
Established1967; 57 years ago (1967)
Parent institution
Florida College System
AccreditationSACS
Endowment$88.7 million (2024)[1]
PresidentKathleen Plinske[2]
Academic staff
638 (full-time)[3]
1413 (part-time)[3]
Undergraduates43,370 (all undergraduate)
(Fall 2022)[3]
Location
Orlando
,
Florida
,
United States
CampusLarge city[3]
ColorsRed, yellow, black, and gray
       
MascotThe Puma[4]
Websitevalenciacollege.edu

Valencia College is a public college located in Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1967, it is part of the Florida College System.

History

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Valencia was established in 1967 as Valencia Junior College, with its first campus located in eastern Orlando. The college was created to address the growing demand for higher education in Central Florida. It was renamed Valencia Community College in 1971 and, in 2010, adopted its current name, “Valencia College,” to better reflect its expanded role and offering of both associate and baccalaureate degree programs.[5]

Campuses

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Valencia operates seven campuses across the Orlando area, each offering diverse academic and vocational programs.[6] East Campus, near the Little Econlockhatchee River, focuses on arts and general education, while West Campus, located in MetroWest, specializes in high-tech fields like engineering and health sciences. Poinciana Campus, situated in Kissimmee near Poinciana, provides classrooms, labs, and a culinary kitchen, as well as accelerated training programs. Lake Nona Campus, located in Medical City, emphasizes medical and biotechnology education, while Osceola Campus, also in Kissimmee, offers advanced science labs and baccalaureate degrees from the University of Central Florida. Downtown Campus, the only location with on-campus housing, offers a central urban learning experience in Downtown Orlando. Winter Park Campus, located in Winter Park, hosts the Jeffersonian Honors Program.

Academics

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Valencia offers a variety of associate- and baccalaureate-level degrees.[7] The college also provides short-term certificate programs and workforce training designed to equip students with specific skills and certifications. Valencia is recognized for its transfer programs, particularly its "DirectConnect" partnership with the University of Central Florida (UCF), which facilitates seamless transfers from Valencia to UCF.[8]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ Marra, Andrew (February 12, 2024). "Two Florida universities have more than $1 billion in endowments to invest on campus". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  2. ^ Harry, Donasia (August 17, 2022). “Valencia president Plinske describes first year, future vision”. ‘’Osceola News-Gazette’’. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Valencia College. College Navigator, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 7, 2024.
  4. ^ Jackson, Ken (April 19, 2022). "Pumas on the loose in Osceola! — just at Valencia". Osceola News-Gazette. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Default Prevention - Valencia College, archived from the original on July 28, 2024, retrieved September 8, 2024
  6. ^ Valencia College - International Student Services, archived from the original on April 20, 2024, retrieved September 8, 2024
  7. ^ Quesinberry, Amy (July 28, 2023). "Register for fall classes at Valencia College". Orange Observer. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Sorrells, Analisa (December 3, 2019). "Student success shouldn’t be territorial — Valencia, UCF paving the way in transfer partnership". EducationNC. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
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