Biden, who has been a community college teacher for 18 years, participated in a roundtable discussion with UCF student Pamela Garcia and Provost and Executive Vice President Tony Waldrop, as well as Central Florida employers and Valencia students and administrators.

Biden 麻豆精品 S檚 visit was part of a national 麻豆精品 S淐ommunity College to Career 麻豆精品 S� tour, highlighting successful workforce partnerships between community colleges and employers.

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Sandy Shugart, the president of Valencia College, moderated the discussion.聽 He noted that students use college to achieve their goals 麻豆精品 S� including finding good jobs. 麻豆精品 S淣either Valencia nor UCF are destinations; we 麻豆精品 S檙e just bridges, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淪tudents want to go somewhere, they have a goal in their minds, and we 麻豆精品 S檙e here to help them reach that goal. 麻豆精品 S�

Through the DirectConnect to UCF partnership, UCF guarantees admission to graduates of Valencia College, as well as Brevard Community College, Lake-Sumter Community College and Seminole State College of Florida. UCF academic advisers work closely with students to help them make a smooth transition to the university.

Garcia earned two A.S. degrees in electronics and engineering聽at Valencia and an A.A. degree before enrolling at UCF. She is a senior majoring in electrical engineering.

麻豆精品 S淎fter I got an A.S., I got a job with a defense contractor, which offered educational reimbursement, so I thought I should take advantage of that, 麻豆精品 S� Garcia told Biden. 麻豆精品 S淚 came back and got my A.A. and, thanks to DirectConnect to UCF, I 麻豆精品 S檓 over there now, and I love it. They 麻豆精品 S檙e both really good colleges. 麻豆精品 S�

Forty-one students are enrolled in the 2+2+2 partnership program. Students take two years of architecture classes at Valencia 麻豆精品 S檚 West Campus and receive an associate 麻豆精品 S檚 degree before completing the Bachelor of Design in Architecture program at UCF Valencia West.

Graduates can then remain in Central Florida to pursue a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in Architecture by enrolling in the University of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Design research center, Citylab-Orlando, in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 downtown Center for Emerging Media.

UCF Provost Tony Waldrop, College of Arts and Humanities Dean Jos茅 Fernandez and Architecture Program Director John Maudlin-Jeronimo also attended Friday 麻豆精品 S檚 celebration. They recognized the region 麻豆精品 S檚 growing architecture community in addition to the Valencia-UCF-UF partnership.

The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects has worked closely with Valencia, UCF and UF to develop the program, which will prepare students for a variety of careers, including professional architecture, construction management and industrial design.

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