John Avendano, President, Florida State College at Jacksonville
John Avendano, president of Florida State College at Jacksonville, sat down with Invest: to discuss the long list of items making the community college such a staple in Jacksonville’s local economy, the importance of partnerships, how affordability and accessibility are prioritized even in times of economic uncertainty and more.
As a first-generation college student with English as your second language, has this foundation given you a different perspective in relating to your diverse student body?
Absolutely, it does. Quite honestly, this is why I have committed almost 40 years to my career. I saw what the mission of a community college did for me personally, speaking to that from the standpoint of an undergraduate community college student who attended a private institution for a year and public university for a few years, as well. I had the opportunity to experience all three. While they each contributed to my personal success and ambitions, my most memorable experiences were at the community college because I was a first-generation college student. My parents are from Mexico and did not know how to help me as much as they wanted to. They came here with limited English skills, if any, not to mention educational experiences. For me to be successful in this country, they knew I had to first learn the language and second, get an education. Then I had to continue my education to reach my goals. I believed in the mission of the community college so much that I have dedicated 40 years to it. All three of my children are community college graduates, while academically they could have gone anywhere. What the community college offers in a smaller and more intimate environment with faculty, instruction and learning benefited them well.
What does Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) contribute to the community?
We are the “community’s college” with a category of being a community college offering baccalaureate degrees. FSCJ calls itself this because FSCJ and our brand of institutions were designed to respond to the community’s needs. We have a broad, expansive and comprehensive set of offerings and programs. FSCJ is the economic engine of Jacksonville. Our graduates at any and all levels live, work and contribute in our community. By design, they are not as mobile. They are not looking to go far. They become woven into the fabric of what our community is. Rarely does a day go by when I do not meet someone who is an alum. We have touched every sector.
How do you incentivize students to choose FSCJ?
There will always be a connotation to what community college is like. Our programs and graduates are able to represent a qualitative measure of being an excellent institution of higher education that happens to be a community college. Our students know they are not settling for anything. At FSCJ, students are coming into a progressive, effective, recognized, academically rigorous and respected educational experience. When they enter their industry, employers know they are getting a quality graduate.
What key partnerships are you leveraging today?
There is not a major health organization in the area that we do not have a partnership with. We have a close partnership with Mayo Clinic, Baptist Health, UF Health, Brooks Rehabilitation, Ascension and more. Our graduates are working in nursing, fintech, radiology, phlebotomy, surgical tech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, medical coding and more. As an economic engine, FSCJ and our sister institutions are providing the majority of the workforce in those specialty healthcare fields. The same can be found in the areas of finance, business, advanced manufacturing and education.
How have market factors impacted your college, if at all?
A few points come to mind. The first is with the rising cost of everything. The cost of living increase impacts everybody at every level. We take great pride in the fact that we have not raised tuition in 12 years, which is our contribution to the community in ensuring there is equitable access to quality education at an affordable price. At FSCJ, a full-time student is paying $3,500 for everything out of pocket, books, tuition and fees, not to mention hundreds of financial aid and scholarship opportunities in different career fields for different types of students. We are helping bridge the gap and have found a way to get even closer to closing it altogether. FSCJ has amazing friends and donors who want to see their community and our students succeed while having access to everything they need. Our foundation has been successful over the years and will be even more successful in the near future. FSCJ has also participated in each state and federal financial aid program available to us in order to make an education here even more affordable to attend our college. While the economy is watching gas, food and what seems to be everything else go up, FSCJ is doing everything it can to help you continue your education. Ultimately, I honestly believe that getting that education is the best investment you can make in yourself personally. That will provide tremendous returns over the years.
