Jan. 30, 2018
Good afternoon, CF Team,
It looks a bit chilly based on the picture above. I am so thankful for the students and employees who braved the cold weather for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March and Day in the Park. It was a great event and a great turnout of the community in support of Dr. King’s vision and work. Special thanks to our CF Men’s basketball team and coaching staff!
It is also that time of year when we rally around the CF Family Campaign. This annual effort means so much to our students and makes a huge difference to the programs, scholarships and endowed chairs that benefit. This year, we ask you to celebrate CF Reaching Higher, the College of Central Florida Campaign, which is built around four core priorities, reflecting the breadth of CF’s mission and the depth of our commitment to making a difference. These core priorities are Scholarships, Health Sciences, Equine and Agribusiness, and the Appleton Museum of Art. Campaign T-shirts are available for $15 each. I support managers allowing their employees who purchase these T-shirts, or who have their blue campaign ribbons, to wear jeans on Fridays through the end of the campaign on Feb. 16. Make a donation here or contact Elvie Tyler at ext. 1726 for a contribution form. Thank you for your consideration!
Professional Development Day is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 13, and the day will begin with breakfast for all college employees at 8 a.m. in the Patriot Café. Breakfast will be provided at Citrus and Levy for employees who do not travel to Ocala. Faculty and a number of CF departments will participate in sessions throughout the day. All campuses will remain open. More information will be provided by your supervisor as we get closer to the date.
Just a reminder to refresh your signature with our standardized format, which now includes the College Choice icon. College Choice has ranked CF No. 17 in its list of 50 Best Community Colleges in the Nation,” as well as No. 22 Best Online Community College. The rankings are based on data from Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program, Payscale, and individual community colleges. You can access the signature information here.
The legislative session is underway, and I will be continuing to advocate for CF’s priorities in Tallahassee. Our priorities for 2018 include additional operational funding to support program expansion in critical workforce areas, funding for a new Health Sciences Technology building, and restored funding for the Appleton Museum of Art. I will be traveling tomorrow to lobby on our behalf of CF so please send your positive thoughts!
I can’t believe we are almost to February as the term seems to fly by too quickly. One way I try to “slow” down time is by taking a moment each day to reflect on the positives that occurred and to express gratitude for those who helped make them happen. In fact, I am going to express one right now. Thanks to our great facilities team who keeps our campuses looking so beautiful. I was driving in this morning and the beauty of our campus was accentuated by the morning sun. I encourage you to take a moment out of your day to do the same. I am always amazed at what can be accomplished when we express gratitude and focus on the positives that we are doing every day! Thanks for all that you do to transform lives at CF. Your efforts are helping us to become the first choice for quality higher education in our community. Here’s to another great year!
Jim