Tallahassee Community College is adding three new degree programs for careers in high-demand fields. The programs were approved by the State Board of Education in March.
The move comes after Flagler College, a private institution based in St. Augustine, decided to close the three satellite programs it offered on the TCC campus.
“When they made the decision to do that, I reached out to their president,” says TCC President Jim Murdaugh, “and asked if he would support TCC stepping in to continue those programs because they were meeting an important need in our community, and he said, absolutely.”
The new Bachelor of Science degrees are in Business Administration, Elementary Education, and Exceptional Student Education. Applications are being accepted now for the fall 2023 semester.
TCC also announced $150,000 in donations that will fund scholarships for students in the new programs.
Click “listen” to hear the announcement.
Here's more from TCC about the new degree programs:
Tallahassee Community College has announced the addition of three new bachelor's degree programs to prepare students for careers in high-demand fields. The Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and Bachelor of Science in Exceptional Student Education will launch in August 2023 and are accepting applications now. The three programs were approved by the State Board of Education in March.
“This is an exciting new chapter for TCC,” said Dr. Jim Murdaugh, President of TCC. “When Flagler College announced that they would close their Tallahassee campus, we were pleased to be able to step up to continue the programs in these critical areas. We are thankful to the State Board of Education, both Florida State and Florida A&M universities for lending their support, and the generosity of the donors who came forward to provide scholarships. We look forward to welcoming students this fall.”
“We know that there is a demand both in the community and among students for these programs,” said Dr. Calandra Stringer, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at TCC. “The need for teachers both locally and across the state is clear and we have thousands of students each year who want to earn a degree in business. At just $128.51 per credit hour, these bachelor’s degrees are an extremely affordable option.”
Heather Mitchell, executive director of the TCC Foundation, announced donations totaling $150,000 to establish three new scholarships – the Amazon Business Degree Scholarship, the Donna Callaway Elementary Education Scholarship, and the President’s Circle Exceptional Education Scholarship.
“Today we thank Amazon, Donna Callaway, the members of the TCC Foundation President’s Circle for their donations of $50,000 each to establish scholarships specifically for these three bachelor’s degree programs,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil, president of the TCC Foundation. “The generosity of these donors will allow more students to graduate with a debt-free college degree.”
"At Amazon, it's our mission to strengthen communities by being a good employer and a good neighbor," said Amazon Regional Public Policy Lead Cristal Cole. "We're proud to work side-by-side with community partners like TCC in taking an active approach to student success, and we look forward to working together in continuing our commitment to making a lasting and positive impact on students."
“The two bachelor’s degree programs in education are needed to fill critical teacher shortages right here in our community,” said Donna Callaway, a former member of the TCC District Board of Trustees and career educator, having served as a classroom teacher, media specialist, assistant principal, and principal. “I am so pleased to establish the very first scholarship for elementary education at TCC to help future teachers who will positively impact the lives of so many young children in their careers."
“The President’s Circle Exceptional Education Scholarship is the first-ever scholarship funded by the President’s Circle. said Kevin Vaughn, immediate past president of the TCC Foundation and President’s Circle member. “We know that many children struggle in school due to a mismatch between their unique needs and the regular education system which is why special education programs are so important in ensuring that each special child gets an equal opportunity to succeed. This scholarship will help clear pathways to earning a degree in Exceptional Student Education to ensure that all children in our community can receive a quality education.”
The TCC Foundation President’s Circle is a group of donors who give an annual gift of $1,000 or more to the College. Their gifts are unrestricted, allowing the TCC Foundation to respond quickly to student needs and invest in transformational projects across the campus.
The Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration prepares graduates for roles in sales, human resources, administrative services, and more. Labor market projections from DEO indicate an increase in demand of 880 annual job openings in TCC’s service area. With a five-year average supply of approximately 200 qualified candidates, the program will help supply talent to bridge the gap.
Labor market projections from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) indicate an increase in demand of 89 annual job openings for elementary education teachers in TCC’s service area. The five-year average supply has been approximately 42, which brings the annual workforce unmet need to 47. Additionally, the unmet need for exceptional education teachers, based on the trends in the education field equates to 89 annual job openings in TCC’s service district. Regarding the five-year average supply, FSU’s similar degree program produces an average supply of approximately 22, which brings the annual workforce unmet need in the area to 57.
All three programs are accepting applications now. Students can apply for the new scholarships at tcc.fl.edu/scholarships.
The full press conference can be viewed here.
