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

Biden鈥檚 visit was part of a national 鈥淐ommunity College to Career鈥� tour, highlighting successful workforce partnerships between community colleges and employers.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you how thrilled I am that the (Obama) administration has focused the nation鈥檚 attention on community colleges,鈥� Biden said. “You all here know how great聽community colleges are. We live it day by day. We see students. We see where they start, where they finish, what they go on to.鈥�

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

Through the DirectConnect to 麻豆原创 partnership, 麻豆原创 guarantees admission to graduates of Valencia College, as well as Brevard Community College, Lake-Sumter Community College and Seminole State College of Florida. 麻豆原创 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 麻豆原创. She is a senior majoring in electrical engineering.

鈥淎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,鈥� Garcia told Biden. 鈥淚 came back and got my A.A. and, thanks to DirectConnect to 麻豆原创, I鈥檓 over there now, and I love it. They鈥檙e both really good colleges.鈥�

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

Graduates can then remain in Central Florida to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in Architecture by enrolling in the University of Florida鈥檚 College of Design research center, Citylab-Orlando, in 麻豆原创鈥檚 downtown Center for Emerging Media.

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

The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects has worked closely with Valencia, 麻豆原创 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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