College of Central Florida, formerly known as Central Florida Community College, is a public state college in Ocala, Florida. The College of Central Florida is a member institution of the Florida College System.
The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, Associate in Arts, Associate in Science degrees as well as Certificate program offerings. The college started offering bachelor degree programs in Business and Organizational Management in 2010, followed by Early Childhood Education in 2011, and Nursing in 2014.
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History
Central Florida Junior College was established in 1957 serving Citrus, Levy and Marion counties in Florida. In 1958, instruction began, with only 320 students using temporary facilities at the Marion County Vocational School. In 1966, the school merged with Hampton Junior College. Hampton Junior College was originally opened in 1958 as well, as one of the first black, two-year colleges in the state. In 1971, the school changed its name to Central Florida Community College. On May 25, 2010, CFCC officially changed its name to College of Central Florida.
Locations
The original 60 acres (240,000 m2) Ocala campus was donated to the school by Atlantic Realty and Investment Company and the City of Ocala. In 1974, an additional 60 acres (240,000 m2) were added to the property, and in 1994, the school purchased another 37 acres (150,000 m2) adjacent to the property. In 1995, the school began renovating the abandoned College Park Elementary School (located adjacent to the property), and later that year, the Public Service Division and Criminal Justice Institute were moved onto this property. In 1996, Health and Human Services programs and college support operation also relocated to the new site. In 2002, CF opened a University Center. In 2004, the Enterprise and Ewers Century Centers were opened, and the campus Library was named in honor of Cliff Stearns. In 2007, the first building at the Ocala Campus was renovated and renamed Founders Hall.
The 20 acres (81,000 m2) Bronson Center opened in 1982 in Levy County. In 1993, this location was moved to the new Levy Center in Chiefland. The Levy Center has 7 classrooms, 2 computer labs, and offers both college credit noncredit programs, including a GED program. In 2008, CFCC announced plans to build a new $8 million to $9 million facility on land previously donated. The new 15.4 acres (62,000 m2) property is located about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Chiefland. In 2014, the college received $4.3 million in funding to begin construction of the campus.
The Citrus Campus, located in Lecanto, was opened in 1984. It was originally located on the Lecanto Educational Complex property, using part of the Lecanto High School building. In 1996, the Citrus Campus moved to its own 88 acres (360,000 m2) property located a short distance away from the Lecanto Educational Complex. In 2003, the Citrus campus had 1,100 students enrolled.
The Hampton Center was originally opened in 1996. In 2004, the center moved to the former Florida State Fire College in Ocala. This location specializes in Community Outreach and Preventive Health programs.
Athletics
College of Central Florida fields intercollegiate athletics teams in men's and women's basketball, baseball, fast-pitch softball and women's volleyball. The Patriots compete in the Mid-Florida Conference of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region VIII and the Florida State College Activities Association.
CF's tennis programs produced three of the program's NJCAA national championships. The men's program won national titles in 1963 and 1981; the women's team won the NJCAA Division II championship in 2001. The men's basketball team won the NJCAA championship in 2013.
The Patriots won five state championships across three sports in the 1990s, including women's basketball titles in 1992 and in 1997, a men's basketball title in 1996, and consecutive baseball championships in 1997 and 1998.
The CF athletics program annually produces NCAA student-athletes and has started the careers of several professional athletes. Its prominent athletic alumni include former Major League Baseball players Brian Buscher, Mike Figga, and Bill Hurst. Clinton Hart, a seven-year veteran of the National Football League, began his collegiate athletic career as an outfielder for the Patriots baseball team.
Since 2006, three CF alumni have celebrated national championships at the NCAA level. Alberta Auguste won consecutive NCAA women's basketball titles at the University of Tennessee in 2006 and 2007; Nick Ebert won a College World Series title at the University of South Carolina in 2010; and Breanna Fort won an NCAA Division II national championship at Clayton State University in 2011.
In the spring of 2010, men's basketball standout Ricardo Ratliffe capped an historic two-year career at CF by winning the 2010 NJCAA Male Student-Athlete of the Year Award. The honor, selected from among all male student-athletes in all sports across the NJCAA's 525 member schools, marked the first national player of the year award won by a CF student-athlete.
In June 2010, the CF District Board of Trustees voted to add women's volleyball to the school's athletics program, with its inaugural season scheduled for the fall of 2011.
Notable alumni and attendees
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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