Santa Fe College


Santa Fe College is a public college based in Gainesville, Florida, with satellite campuses in Alachua and Bradford counties. Established in 1965 as "Santa Fe Junior College" by the Florida Legislature, the school began offering classes in September 1966. As of 2020, the school had an enrollment of 18,487 students, and offers associate and baccalaureate degree programs.

History

Santa Fe Community College was established by the Florida Legislature in 1965 in response to a request from the Alachua and Bradford County Boards of Public Instruction, which had canvassed the area and learned that the community would be well served if all citizens have the opportunity for an education. In 2008, Santa Fe Community College officially changed its name to Santa Fe College to emphasize the bachelor's degree programs that it began offering.

Locations

Campuses

The college has more than 50 accredited technology and applied sciences programs, most which are two-year degrees.

Arts and Sciences Program

Offering an Associate in Arts Degree, the Arts and Sciences Program consists primarily of liberal arts and sciences courses. This program culminates in a two-year liberal arts degree that can be transferred to a university which offers a bachelor's degree. The descriptions, course numbers and content of classes at Santa Fe College are the same as those in the first two years at Florida's public universities.
Santa Fe College's liberal arts courses are also transferable to most public and private four-year schools in the US.

Technology and Applied Sciences Program

Offering the Associate in Science degree or certificate, the Associate in Science program consists of technology and applied sciences courses designed to prepare students for careers in skilled professions. Some of these programs enable them to transfer to a four-year college or university. Programs offered include Dental Assisting, Air Conditioning Repair, Automotive Technology, Child Development, Construction, Public Safety, Zoo Animal Technology, Information Technology, Cardiovascular Technology, Aviation Safety and Nursing.

Bachelor's degrees

Santa Fe College offers nine bachelor's degrees: Accounting, Clinical Laboratory Science, Early Childhood Education, Health Services Administration, Industrial Biotechnology, Information Systems Technology, Multimedia and Video Production Technology, Nursing, and Organizational Management.

Library

Santa Fe College is supported by the Lawrence W. Tyree Library, which is located in Building Y on the main Northwest Campus. Opened in January 2002, the $10 million building includes a coffee shop, multiple group study rooms of varying sizes, DVD and video viewing stations, computerized classrooms, a conference room and two reference desks. Additional technology and services available to Santa Fe College students and faculty through the Tyree Library include printers and copiers, multiple charging stations, and 87 computers distributed throughout the library's ample study areas, as well as a thorough online library catalog through which patrons can also request books and other media from library collections throughout the state.
The library is named in honor of former Santa Fe Community College president, Lawrence W. Tyree.

Athletics

Fight Song

In 2009, Santa Fe College adopted a fight song. "Saints Forever" was performed for the first time on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 between softball games in Gainesville. The song was a collaboration between Chris Sharp, the college's director of bands, and Ryan B. Leverone, a Santa Fe College student.

Awards and recognition

In 2009, Santa Fe College was listed 6th in the nation in awarding A.A. degrees by Community College Week.
In 2012 and 2014, the college was named as one of the ten best community colleges in the United States by the Aspen Institute.
In 2015, the Aspen Institute gave the school the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence as top-rated community college in the United States.
In 2015, Santa Fe College's Lawrence W. Tyree Library received the 2015 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award from the Association of College & Research Libraries.

Notable alumni