Florida College Chancellor Visits BCC


September 17, 2012


September 17, 2012 - Randall W. Hanna, Chancellor of the Division of Florida Colleges, toured Brevard Community College鈥檚 Melbourne Campus on Monday to both tout the robustness of the 28-institution Florida College System and to present three checks for student scholarships.

Hanna, who took the reins of the system last November, presented checks totaling $26,617. They came from Florida Blue, formerly Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, $9,634 for students in the allied health area; the Helios Education Foundation, $13,205; and the Bank of America Educational Endowment $3,778. The latter two are for first-generation students.

The BCC students who will benefit from the scholarships are part of the 855,000 students served by the Florida College System. The system can count 67 percent of Florida high school graduates who pursue higher education and 82 percent of all minorities in higher education in Florida among its attendees. The BCC Foundation is working to secure a local match for the Florida Blue contribution.

BCC is successful in educating those students, ranking first among community colleges in Florida in awarding associate degrees and 19th in the United States. It is 68th in the United States for awarding associate degrees to African-Americans and 76th in the United States for awarding associate degrees to all minorities. BCC also has the highest graduation rate in the Florida College System.

Hanna was welcomed by BCC President Dr. Jim Richey who credited the chancellor鈥檚 鈥渟trong belief in the importance of providing educational opportunities to enrich the lives of our students and indeed improve our communities.鈥�

Hanna cited the system鈥檚 effectiveness, saying the education it provides students is the best in the country.

鈥淵ou have a lot to be proud of here at Brevard Community College and we have a lot to be proud of in the entire state of Florida,鈥� Hanna said.

鈥淲e probably don鈥檛 think a lot about what we have. But when I visit with my colleagues from around the country they鈥檙e amazed, they鈥檙e absolutely amazed that we have something called Common Course Numbering with our universities and they鈥檙e amazed about the guaranteed articulation that we have with the universities and the fact that our students are able to move on to a university and guaranteed a spot in a university.鈥�

Hanna also cited the system鈥檚 strength of providing both access and job training.

鈥淪ome people go 鈥榯hose things are inconsistent.鈥� They鈥檙e not inconsistent at all. That鈥檚 really what our goal is, is to meet the needs of our community.

鈥淎nd it鈥檚 why here at Brevard you鈥檝e begun to look at things: a new A.S. program in cyber security, a new A.S. program in information technology, a certificate program in 911 and other certificate programs where you are meeting the needs of the community while still at the same time focusing on the general education requirements in the A.A. program which is so critical to the future of this state.鈥�

After his meeting with students, faculty and staff, Hanna, Dr. Richey and college officials toured the renovation work in Building 2, the installation of a new wood floor in the gym, the renovated Dr. Joe Lee Smith Teaching Center, the Police Academy and the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts.