Welcome to fall semester 2018! Whether you are a new or returning student, rest assured that you are part of a college community dedicated to your success and personal growth. Here, you belong to a diverse body of students whose background, academic interests and goals range far and wide. At Daytona State College, every student matters.
Moving into the new academic year, we’ve made some changes in a variety of areas — all intended to help you achieve your academic goals, provide you more choices and convenience, and enhance your overall college experience:
■ Our new L. Gale Lemerand Student Center on the Daytona Beach Campus is taking on a commanding presence as it rises along International Speedway Boulevard. This 84,000-sq.-ft. facility will open in spring 2019, housing the Library and Writing Center, Career Services, a major event space, dining services, study and meeting rooms and space to serve 30 or more student clubs and their activities. I hope to see you there for the grand opening.
■ Homecoming is coming up Oct. 11-13, with three days of great activities on campus for students, alumni and the community. Come join us and celebrate your DSC Falcon pride. Check out our website and social media for a full slate of events, as this year’s family-friendly Homecoming event promises to be the most memorable yet.
■ On the academic front, our School of Business Administration now features a hospitality concentration in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision & Management degree. This program specifically prepares graduates for management positions in our hospitality and tourism industry. This summer, we also launched a Hospitality Beverage Science program in the Hosseini Center on the Daytona Beach Campus. Our new Beverage Sciences Lab is the only one of its kind in the state, and this in-demand certificate program is helping to support the area’s growing craft-brewing industry and hospitality beverage markets.
■ Our Broadcast Television Production programs (see this month’s story in News), offered as a certificate and a more in-depth associate of science degree, provide our students with a unique, hands-on experience broadcasting some of our athletic events live on WDSC TV. The television and multimedia industry sector has been identified by Team Volusia as one of the top target industries to attract to our area, and this credential is preparing our graduates with job-ready skills.
■ To help address the area’s urgent workforce needs, DSC is expanding course offerings in multiple areas. We’ve begun offering Building and Construction classes to meet a historic need for skilled housing workers, including short-term classes in areas like Fibrous Glass Duct Construction; Exterior Window, Door and Skylight Installation; Shingle and Siding Installation and more that can be completed in just a few weeks. We’ve also expanded our Welding Technology courses to both day and evening classes in order to accommodate demand.
■ DSC also is part of a Florida Job Growth Grant to help build a workforce pipeline in areas of Advanced Welding, Mechatronics and Industrial Technology Maintenance. Students with proficiency in these areas can apply their skills to careers in manufacturing, construction, aerospace, shipbuilding, pipefitting, automotive and more.
■ Other new programs include a Project Management Advanced Certificate, a credential that is in demand across industries, an Associate of Science in Database Technology, and an Associate of Science in Engineering Technology – Additive Manufacturing .
Of course, this year we’ve also claimed a few bragging rights:
■ For the sixth straight year, U.S. News & World Report placed Daytona State in the top tier of the nation’s
Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. In a separate U.S. News survey, the college topped the list of least expensive public online bachelor’s degree programs for in-state students.
■ We continue to hold the line on tuition, with no increase for the past eight years. Daytona State continues to be among the nation’s best values in higher education.
■ On the sports front, our Lady Falcons, under the direction of head coach Laura Brown, this spring claimed their tenth title in 16 seasons at the National Junior College Athletic Association Women’s Golf National Championships. The Falcons scored 1,152, setting a new NJCAA national championship four-round event record.
■ The DSC Baseball program, under coach Tim Touma, earned its 12th straight NJCAA Academic Team of the Year award for having the highest cumulative team grade point average in the sport. The team’s 3.81 GPA is the highest ever for an NJCAA member college in baseball.
■ This fall, we will kick off our inaugural season of Men’s and Women’s Cross Country. And you won’t want to miss the action when DSC hosts the NJCAA’s Division 1 Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament in November.
College is a time for exploration and growth. Have fun. Get involved! Enjoy our outstanding athletic and cultural programs. Join a club or student organization and make new friends. I hope your time at Daytona State sparks a passion to commit to a lifetime of learning, to strive toward new challenges and goals, and to claim your career.
Best regards,
Dr. Tom LoBasso
President, Daytona State College