Local News
SFCC to SFSC brings new look
Special to Highlands
Published: June 29, 2012
AVON PARK - South Florida Community College will don a new name, new look and an expanded mission on July 1 when it officially becomes South Florida State College.Published: June 29, 2012
The South Florida Community College District Board of Trustees, by resolution on Wednesday, instructed the college to carry out the necessary changes and modifications to implement the name change.
"We are excited to begin this new step," said Dr. Norm Stephens, president, SFSC. "So far, 22 of the 28 Florida colleges have or are in the process of adding bachelor's degree programs and changing their names. In addition to our new bachelor's degree, we will maintain our current mission."
The name change will benefit students who graduate from SFSC, Stephens said.
"Institutions that offer bachelor's degrees are not typically called community colleges," he said. "In Florida, colleges can only use 'state college' in their title if they are authorized to offer bachelor's degrees. The new name will be included on students' transcripts, indicating the student has graduated from such an institution.
"The opportunity to have access to bachelor's degrees in their community benefits our local students. It's convenient and affordable. It also benefits area businesses and organizations that have a need for workers with that level of education."
With its new name and new status as a state college, SFSC launches a new brand identity on July 1.
The college logo and seal have been transformed.
A college committee was charged with creating a fresh evolution of the South Florida Community College logo, reflecting a unique identity and expressing ideas engrained in past logos, but in the context of its expanded mission as a state college. It is a symbolic representation of the college's mission and its seven core values and purposes.
Seven orange and blue segments of the logo represent the college's seven core values and purposes outlined in the college mission statement.
"The four blue lines represent the Highlands, DeSoto, and Hardee campuses and Lake Placid Center and the three orange lines represent the three counties SFSC serves—Highlands, DeSoto, and Hardee," Stephens said. "The white pathways between them represent the journeys our students make along the way to achieving their educational goals."
The shape of the logo forms the letter 'S' representing both 'south' and 'state.'" Curved lines project energy and movement while representing lines of latitude.
The logo was also developed to accommodate the demands of the electronic age - for the Internet, for smartphone and tablet app buttons and as social media profile pictures.
Official college colors will remain a deep, almost burnt orange and white, with the addition of a dark blue accent.
A new college seal was designed by artist and SFSC alumnus Keith Goodson.
It will be the first seal designed for the college since its inception as South Florida Junior College in 1965.
College seals are traditionally used for formal and official documents such as diplomas, legal and official records, transcripts, programs for formal academic ceremonies and any other legal agreements binding an educational institution.
SFCC Community Relations and Marketing Director Deborah Bell Latter said some months ago that the college did an inventory of all the ways its name and images are used.
"Internally, we've already begun adding the new logo to forms, stationery and official documents. The first changes the public will notice will be a fresh, new college website and Facebook page.
Over the coming weeks, signage, printed publications and much more will be updated.
To celebrate its new name, a college-wide celebration is being planned for September.
South Florida Community College was established as South Florida Junior College in 1965 by the Florida Legislature and became South Florida Community College in 1984.