Santa Fe College (SF) is currently celebrating 60 years of providing essential liberal arts education, university preparation, career and technical education, and a ticket to upward mobility for students in nearby counties. With a $425.8 million impact on the regional economy in fiscal year 2024 (Lightcast, 2025), the college is strategically poised to have even greater reach by (1) finding innovative ways to meet students from all backgrounds where they are, academically or geographically, and (2) using novel methods to accelerate their success and prepare them to satisfy Florida's high demand for a skilled workforce. Along with enrollment increases at all of its campuses and centers, SF is growing its footprint with new facilities, such as the state-of-the-art Ralph W. Cellon, Jr. Institute for skilled trades and advanced manufacturing, and through partnerships with Alachua and Bradford counties, which have provided existing space for students pursuing careers in diesel systems technology and nursing.

Winner of the Aspen Institute Award for Community College Excellence in 2015, SF bolstered its reputation as one of the nation's most accomplished state colleges in 2025 with two more prestigious accolades. In April, SF was one of only two Florida public colleges to earn the Opportunity Colleges and Universities for higher access and higher wages designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, with graduates earning 35 percent more than the comparison group (Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, 2025). Additionally, SF became the inaugural recipient of the 2025 Association of Community College Trustees Impact and Success Award for the Southern Region in August.

SF boasts one of the highest graduation rates for Florida College System schools (Florida Department of Education, 2025); high rates of admission for transfers to four-year institutions, including more transfers to the state’s flagship institution, the University of Florida (UF), than any other college (Santa Fe College, n.d.-b); and top-percentile job placement among graduates in vocational/trades, nursing, and several disciplines in allied health. For example, according to post-graduation survey responses, 96.6 percent of 2024 Associate in Science in Nursing graduates were employed in nursing six months after completing the program (Santa Fe College, n.d.-c). SF has also been recognized consistently as a Best for Vets and Military Friendly institution.

Staying true to its commitment to being a student-centered institution that seeks to broaden access and opportunity for every sector of the community, SF has been proactive about creating initiatives and programs that meet the needs of potential student populations, including those who want to reengage in the workplace after a significant life change, upskill for career advancement, or reimagine their productivity in older age or post-incarceration. Programs are also thoughtfully crafted to serve the needs of working parents.  

Healthcare Partnerships

Leveraging Florida’s Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) grant funding, SF and UF Health have forged a partnership leading to a state-of-the-art nurse training program in which students are instructed on the latest technology and, thanks to industry-supported scholarships, don’t face the typical financial barriers of many nursing students. As a result, SF has consistently surpassed state and national averages for first-time pass rates on the NCLEX certification exam (Santa Fe College, n.d.-c). Funding also supported the creation of the Associate in Science in Nursing Evening and Weekend program for working adults, which continues to grow.

“LINE funding provided by the State of Florida is a powerful example of what can happen when institutions come together under a shared vision,” said Shakira Henderson, UF Health Chief Nurse Executive and UF College of Nursing Dean and Chief Administrative Officer. “It is not a financial invest­ment—it is a vote of confidence in programs like those at Santa Fe, which continue to set the bar when it comes to nursing excellence.”

Dr. Paul Broadie, SF President, speaks with students and parents
at Gainesville High School on SF Achieve signing day.

SF Achieve

SF is the preferred choice for students who want to transfer to UF, drawing students from every Florida county and internationally due to seamless transfer programs. About 61 percent of SF students come from out-of-district, with 6 percent from out-of-state and 4 percent from outside of the United States (Santa Fe College, n.d.-a). Thanks to a new program called SF Achieve, however, in-district enrollment is on the rise. SF Achieve places college representatives in high schools to provide college coaching, career exploration, mentoring, and parent workshops. Eligible students qualify for full-tuition last-dollar scholarships and textbook support. Since 2021, in-district enrollment has climbed by 15 percent, outpacing out-of-district enrollment growth (Santa Fe College, n.d.-a). Even more significantly, enrollment of recent graduates from three rural high schools increased by 95 percent.

“SF Achieve was designed to move our community to be a college-going culture,” said Dan Rodkin, Ph.D, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, who developed the program. “It’s about helping students see how their lives and the lives of their families could be improved by going to college right after high school.” Removing barriers to attending college, such as the cost and enrollment process, is part of that effort.

ACB Excel

Achieve, Conquer, Believe, Excel (ACB Excel) is a multigenerational program that puts unemployed or underemployed parents through a rigorous career-track program, while also providing childcare, educational programming, and meals to their school-aged children. The program is offered at no cost to families—thanks to private donors and engaged business, education, and nonprofit partners—and supports completers in finding employment or continuing their education at SF. This two-generational approach improves economic stability and strengthens individual families. Students have prepared for careers in phlebotomy, often using it as a step to a nursing program or facility maintenance. Future programs are planned in CNA/EKG technician, paraprofessional, medical billing and coding, and sterile processing technician programs.

Since launching in 2022, ACB Excel has held nine cohorts. Twenty-four students will earn certificates in phlebotomy or facility maintenance in May 2026. Moreover, about 80 percent of program completers choose employment in their field of study or to continue their education at SF, according to data tracked by the program coordinator (V. White, personal communication, March 25, 2026).

Leah, who has two children, embraced the opportunity to grow her career. After completing a medical assistant certificate program, she trained as a phlebotomist to get hands-on experience before enrolling in the LPN program. “Our students’ dedication and resilience are at the heart of ACB Excel,” said Program Coordinator Valerie White. “We are pleased to provide career training and to support parents in building brighter futures for their families.”

Apprenticeships

When SF’s apprenticeship program completers cross the graduation stage, they typically do so debt-free and with a job in a high-wage, high-growth field, thanks to a 19-year partnership with Builders Association of North Central Florida (BANCF). The college currently has apprenticeship programs in carpentry, electrical construction, plumbing, HVAC, and building maintenance. Students work full-time in their trade while attending class in the evening. The four-year program currently serves 327 students. In 2025, the apprenticeship program celebrated record graduation numbers.

“BANCF brings the employers and the workforce demand; Santa Fe College brings the education and infrastructure. Together, we turn local talent into skilled professionals with paychecks, not debt,” said Sara Emmanuel, BANCF Executive Officer and Apprenticeship Director. BANCF’s advocacy for hands-on education extends to community service through the construction of a house for Alachua Habitat for Humanity. For the past 15 years, SF students have participated in building a house for the program, helping to change the lives of area families.

References

Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. (2025). Santa Fe College. American Council on Education. https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/institution/santa-fe-college

Florida Department of Education. (2025). Florida College System graduation rates. https://edudata.fldoe.org/AdvancedReports_Tableau.html?FCSGraduationRates=true

Lightcast. (2025, November). The economic value of Santa Fe College.

Santa Fe College. (n.d.-a). Facts. https://www.sfcollege.edu/ir/facts.html  

Santa Fe College. (n.d.-b). Getting into UF. https://www.sfcollege.edu/transfer/uf

Santa Fe College. (n.d.-c). Nursing, A.S.N. https://www.sfcollege.edu/academics/programs/3303.html

Lead image: Dr. Broadie congratulates an apprenticeship graduate from the Builders Association of North Central Florida.

Lisa Brosky is Associate Vice President, Marketing and Communications, at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida.

Opinions expressed in Member Spotlight are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the League for Innovation in the Community College.