Day: November 1, 2017

Gulf Coast Community Foundation has awarded the State College of Florida Foundation $10,000 for Gator Engineering at SCF and its Gator Den at SCF Venice. The Gator Den is a dedicated space for engineering students to study, collaborate and seek the guidance of an SCF advisor as needed.

Gator Engineering, a signature SCF Venice program, develops pathways for students to be admitted to the University of Florida’s (UF) Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering while starting their education at SCF. The students take their coursework at SCF until they complete their necessary math and science classes and then move to the UF campus to continue their engineering education. The program, with its smaller class sizes and supportive cohort of fellow students, offers advantages to ensure student success. As part of the concierge services, students receive dedicated support with an SCF advisor and access to UF departmental advisors.

The signature program wouldn’t be successful without community support. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s grant award allows SCF to help students excel in this rigorous coursework. The Gator Den includes real-time video conferencing space which allows for frequent access to UF resources.

To learn about additional opportunities to support SCF’s signature programs, visit SCF-Foundation.org or contact Barbara Bourgoin at bourgob@SCF.edu or 941-752-5398.

The Frank E. Duckwall Foundation has issued a challenge grant to raise money to build a Visualization Theatre classroom in the new Library & Learning Center at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF). For every $1 donated to the project through March 31, 2018 the Duckwall Foundation will donate $1 up to $100,000. The donation qualifies for another match of $200,000 from the SCF Board of Trustees and the SCF Foundation’s Board of Directors, bringing the total donation to $400,000.

The Visualization Theatre classroom, which can seat 40 students or visitors at a time, is designed to provide library users with a contemporary digital learning environment. It offers 270-degree immersive projection on three walls for 80-linear feet of display surface, zoned audio systems, cameras for real-time video capture and collaboration spaces. Students and community members who use the space can project images on all screens simultaneously or on to separate screens for small groups or individual projects. The technology will allow for high impact presentation and immersive interactive learning.

The Library & Learning Center is expected to be completed in 2018. The first installment of the grant, based on matching funds, will be distributed in March 2018. The match will apply to all new pledges, cash or securities contributions from individuals or businesses received during the challenge period.

For information or to donate to this campaign, contact Barbara Bourgoin, director of development for the State College of Florida Foundation, at bourgob@SCF.edu or call 941-752-5398.