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SFCC Students Will See Lots Of Changes

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GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: August 15, 2008

AVON PARK - College students are there to study. But hey, they can't bury their noses in the books every minute.

So this year, South Florida Community College is making campus life more fun.

"We are working on a new student activity center, a space where they can watch TV, play games, and socialize between classes," said Leana Revell, SFCC's vice president of Education and Student Services. "It's a nice place for students to go between classes. It's in the mezzanine area of the gym."

"We're also setting up a game room in the cafeteria," said Revell. "But it won't be ready on day one. Probably within the first month or two."

Those are two of the new projects on campus.

"As we speak, we're landscaping a new amphitheatre near the lake," Revell said. "It's going to have a sidewalk near the lake, benches and tables and a recreational space. I think it will be a pleasing environment."

Lake Placid campus students will see extensive renovations in Building 100. "We're upgrading the air conditioning and heating. It will have new tile, a coat of paint, and it will be modernized."

There are also major two-way TV upgrades for students at Hardee, DeSoto and Lake Placid. "We've moved to high-definition TV," Revell said. "It's a much higher caliber of video production. That's a major upgrade for us."

There's also new technology in the language lab, Revell said. Students can listen to CDs and pronounce words as the instructor listens. There's also a new testing lab.

In the administrative complex, the board room has been renovated.

After this year's concert series, major renovations start on the large auditorium. It will bet new seats and a balcony. "We're excited about that, because this is the 25th year of our cultural series."

And finally, there are two new baccalaureate programs - colleges which offer bachelor's degrees on the SFCC campus. But, Revell says, the agreements haven't been finalized, so mum's the word for now.

Campus Welcomes Two New Faculty Members

The college has a new teacher and a new administrator.

Dr. Christopher McConnell was hired to be a full-time instructor of anatomy and physiology.

He has been an adjunct instructor since April 2007.

He earned a bachelor's degree in life sciences from USF in 1967, and became a medical doctor in 1971 with a degree from Emory University in 1971.

He served a two-year residency in internal medicine and a hematology fellowship, both at Emory.

He was a hematologist and a medical oncologist at the Veteran's Administration facility in Bay Pines. Dr. McConnell retired from medicine in 2002.

SFCC phone: 784-7360

Dr. Christopher van der Kaay is the coordinator of adult basic education, GED and adult high school adult education, for students - some as young as 16, some in their 50s and 60s - who are pursuing a high school diploma or want to take the general equivalency diploma test.

He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in gerontology from the University of South Florida, and a doctorate from USF in curriculum and instruction higher education administration.

He served an internship in medical quality assurance, and USF in the Department of Gerontology as a graduate assistant.

SFCC phone: 784-7413

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