SF College to host East Gainesville forum

Aida Mallard, The Gainesville Sun
·2 min read

Information about how programs and efforts underway to help East Gainesville residents obtain skills to improve their lives will be discussed at the 20th annual Santa Fe College East Gainesville Instruction Community Forum.

Karen Cole-Smith, Ph.D., executive director of special projects in the Office of Student Affairs at Santa Fe College, speaks during one of the annual SF College's East Gainesville Instruction Community Forums.
Karen Cole-Smith, Ph.D., executive director of special projects in the Office of Student Affairs at Santa Fe College, speaks during one of the annual SF College's East Gainesville Instruction Community Forums.

The forum will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at the new SF College Blount Center at 401 NW Sixth St.

SF East Gainesville Initiative: SF College continues to meet the needs of East Gainesville

The annual forum is designed to inform the community about the progress the college is making toward equity and diversity goals. The keynote speakers will be SF College President Paul Broadie II, Ph.D., and SF College Vice President of Student Affairs Naima Brown, P.h.D.

The annual forum, which due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years was held via Zoom, returns this year in person.

“We’re so excited about the vision our new president brings to the college and the community,” said Karen Cole-Smith, Ph.D., executive director of special projects in the Office of Student Affairs. “This will be the first time our president will have a face to face with the community at the EGI forum.”

To attend the forum, registration is required by visiting https://bit.ly/3pwOpfC.

Cole-Smith said new and ongoing programs will be discussed and  EGI officials will deliver an annual report to let the community know what has been accomplished  through the collaboration with community partners.

“EGI, with more than 150 partners, continues to partner with local faith-based  organizations to achieve outcomes in the area of education empowerment,” Cole-Smith said.

At the forum, residents will have an opportunity to voice their opinions, and light refreshments will be served.

Broadie said SF College has a commitment to helping the many part-time students attending the school and to expanding career and technical education (CTE) programs that provide opportunities for high wage jobs.

“A key priority for Dr. Broadie is workforce development,” Cole-Smith said.

Brown will highlight student issues that are a priority, and she will discuss such topics as helping students succeed and removing barriers to education.

“We have consistently kept our commitment to the community since 2002 when Dr. Jackson N. Sasser planted the seed of community outreach,” said Cole-Smith, adding back then an East Gainesville focus group identified the following focus areas: education outreach, parent empowerment, literacy initiatives, technology outreach, workforce development and partnership with the faith-based community.

Those attending will have an opportunity to tour the new Blount Center that will be led by SF College Ambassadors.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: SF College to host East Gainesville forum