The College of Central Florida Foundation can provide financial assistance to college students who may not quality for other financial aid, thanks to a $70,000 grant from the Edward K. Roberts Community College Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The scholarship criteria prioritize students who are parents and are working to better themselves and their families through education.

Roberts’ legacy with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County reflects his values and life story. He established a field of interest fund — the Edward K. Roberts Community College Fund — to support underfunded community colleges in Florida and also created funds to address new and emerging charitable needs and (as a nod to his mother, Kathryn) to help single mothers.

“We are honored to receive this grant for the sixth year in a row from the Community Foundation,” said Chris Knife, vice president for Institutional Advancement and CEO of the CF Foundation. “Since 2020, the Edward K. Roberts Scholarship has helped 183 CF students overcome financial obstacles on their journey to a degree. This is a transformational scholarship – especially for part-time students and student-parents, helping cover both academic costs and essential living expenses that can be the biggest barriers to graduation.”

The CF Foundation, founded in 1959, is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that enhances the college’s programs and services through the development and management of private contributions and community partnerships. To learn more, visit CF.edu/Foundation.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $544 million in more than 1,590 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $56 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $500 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit CFSarasota.org.

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, is pleased to announce “Under the Cover of Knowledge: Betty Ford-Smith’s Pinecone Quilts,” on view September 6, 2025-February 22, 2026. This marks the first major solo exhibition of Ford-Smith’s work. Her quilts have been collected nationwide and by major institutions like the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Ford-Smith’s quilts are striking, contemporary interpretations of the traditional pinecone quilt — a form rooted in African American quilting practices dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Created entirely by hand, each piece can take more than six months to complete and can weigh more than 30 pounds. Beginning with a small square at the center, Ford-Smith builds outward in hypnotic spirals using more than 4,000 hand-cut, folded cotton triangles, a process that evokes celestial orbits and the rhythms of nature. Beyond the studio, she continues to deepen her practice by sharing knowledge, mentoring beginners and connecting with fellow quilters across the Southeast and beyond.

“The Appleton is honored to highlight such an amazing Florida artist. Betty is as vibrant and life affirming as the pinecone quilts she creates,” said Jason Steuber, museum director. “The artistic pinecone quilts draw you in while you become spellbound by their colors and fine handmade craft.”

In “Under the Cover of Knowledge,” Ford-Smith’s dazzling quilts will be presented alongside antique examples, Gee’s Bend quilts, and related artworks, celebrating the power of tradition, the complexity of craft and the resilience of stories stitched through time.

Appleton Director’s Circle members will be invited to a private reception on Friday, September 5; additional details will be announced soon.

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.

Topics and concepts presented at this event are for discussion purposes only and are not intended to espouse, promote, advance, inculcate, or compel individuals to believe the topics or concepts presented therein. Nor do they constitute endorsement of such topics or concepts by the College of Central Florida, its Board of Trustees, or any of their officers, employees, or agents.

The College of Central Florida Webber Gallery presents “The Gap Between Art and Life” on view Sept. 1-Oct. 16. This innovative, immersive biennial is a competitive exhibition of installation art.

After reviewing 97 entries from artists across the southeastern United States, the jury panel selected eight standout artworks by seven artists. These pieces each offer something truly unexpected, breaking from tradition and challenging the typical gallery experience. The jury panel was made up of Leslie Hammond, president of Artistic Eye Fine Art Services, and Victoria Billig, assistant director of the Appleton Museum of Art.

“Installation art has the power to reshape how we experience both space and meaning,” Billig said. “In that spirit, ‘The Gap Between Art and Life’ presents a wide spectrum of materials, methods and conceptual frameworks, with each artist offering a distinct invitation to engage on many different levels. As jurors, we looked for work that transforms the gallery environment and offers viewers something unexpected: the chance to enter a constructed world that presents new perspectives and questions assumptions.”

Webber Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and admission is free. The Webber Gallery is located at the CF Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road. An opening reception, yet to be scheduled, will be announced at CF.edu/Webber. For more information, call 352-854-2322, ext. 1664.

Topics and concepts presented at this event are for discussion purposes only and are not intended to espouse, promote, advance, inculcate, or compel individuals to believe the topics or concepts presented therein. Nor do they constitute endorsement of such topics or concepts by the College of Central Florida, its Board of Trustees, or any of their officers, employees, or agents.

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, is pleased to announce “Deconstructing Self: Work by Seth P. Benzel,” on view August 30, 2025-January 4, 2026.

Opening on the second-floor Preview Gallery, “Deconstructing Self” debuts new works by Ocala-based artist Seth Benzel in the form of two- and three-dimensional paintings and is a compelling exploration of transformation and identity through the lens of abstract painting.

Benzel considers himself a process painter. Through his work, he is continuously seeking out different ways to express his fundamental and authentic artistic voice. Whether that is expressed through paper, canvas, mixed media, or most recently, wooden pallets, he feels it all flows from the same source.

Known for his dynamic, layered compositions and deconstructive approach, Benzel invites the viewer to see the work in the context of their own unique human experience.

“Every viewer brings their own story to the artwork, and abstract painting allows us to have a different kind of conversation, leading to unforeseen discoveries,” Benzel said. “When we allow ourselves the space to be open, artwork can challenge us to look at our own lives differently.”

Each painting begins intuitively, with layers of information or emotion. The work is then deconstructed and revised, revealing new possibilities through the process.

“Through this technique I am able to show multiple levels of experience … whether it is spiritual, emotional or transcendent,” Benzel wrote. “From a technical standpoint, this means a process that values mistakes and creates work that is fundamentally resolved but still open for interpretation. Aesthetically this means an experience that is transformative and never stagnant. The work keeps changing within the unchanging. This is where art becomes provocative, challenging, and timeless … when a painting never represents an ending, just another beginning.”

Regular admission fees apply to visit. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month as part of the Free First Saturday program.

Gallery Tour and Meet-and-Greet
Saturday, September 6, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Join artist Seth P. Benzel on Free First Saturday at 11 a.m. in the auditorium for a talk about his solo exhibition, “Deconstructing Self.” Following the talk, guests are invited to view the exhibition with the artist and participate in a Q&A. At 2 p.m., Benzel will return to the “Deconstructing Self” gallery for an informal meet-and-greet, offering another opportunity to engage with the artist and ask questions about his work. Events are free as part of Free First Saturday, and no reservations are required.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.

Topics and concepts presented at this event are for discussion purposes only and are not intended to espouse, promote, advance, inculcate, or compel individuals to believe the topics or concepts presented therein. Nor do they constitute endorsement of such topics or concepts by the College of Central Florida, its Board of Trustees, or any of their officers, employees, or agents.

Florida native and prolific author Eliot Kleinberg will share a Florida-centric look back at World War II at the College of Central Florida Stearns Speaker Series on Monday, Sept 22.

“War in Paradise: World War II in Florida” will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Stearns Learning Resources Center on the Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road, and the community is invited to this free event.

The author of the original “Weird Florida” books spent nearly a half-century reporting on local news and writing about Florida history and now lectures on Florida topics. Kleinberg produced two history columns and wrote 14 books – plus co-writing and contributing to several more – all about Florida.

In “War in Paradise: World War II in Florida,” he will offer an up-close-and-personal look at the war that seemed a world away, with stories of how U-boat sinkings off Florida’s coast and the state’s sprawling military bases would change a small corner of America into one of its most populous states.

“The annual speaker series brings distinguished Americans to the CF Ocala Campus, providing an opportunity for both the college community and citizens from Marion County and the surrounding areas to learn from and meet these individuals,” said Cliff Stearns, who established the Friends of Cliff Stearns Endowed Chair through a gift to the CF Foundation in December 2020. The series aims to bring national and regional speakers on history, political science and technology to CF to benefit both students and the community.

Registration is encouraged at CF.edu/Stearns.

Topics and concepts presented at this event are for discussion purposes only and are not intended to espouse, promote, advance, inculcate, or compel individuals to believe the topics or concepts presented therein. Nor do they constitute endorsement of such topics or concepts by the College of Central Florida, its Board of Trustees, or any of their officers, employees, or agents.

The College of Central Florida (CF) will present the 2025 Careers and Colleges Expo on Monday, Aug. 25, 5:30-7 p.m., at the CF Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, 15390 N.W. Highway 19, Chiefland.

This free event offers high school seniors, transfer students, current college students and their families the opportunity to explore career paths and talk with more than 20 vendors representing colleges and universities, trade schools and local career opportunities. CF admissions, academic and financial aid advisors will be available to assist prospective students. The expo is part of the Florida School and College Relations Tour.

For more information about this CF event, visit CF.edu/Events.

The College of Central Florida will present the 2025 Careers and Colleges Expo on Thursday, Aug. 28, 5:30-7 p.m., at the CF Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus, Charles S. Dean Sr. Educational Center, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto.

This free event offers high school seniors, transfer students, current college students and their families the opportunity to explore career paths and talk with dozens of vendors representing colleges and universities, trade schools and local career opportunities. CF admissions, academic and financial aid advisors will be available to assist prospective students. The expo is part of the Florida School and College Relations Tour.

For more information about this CF event, visit CF.edu/Events.

The College of Central Florida congratulates the 2026 Florida Teacher of the Year, Mark Harrison. He received the honor on July 17 from Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas at the 2026 Florida Teacher of the Year Gala in Orlando.

Harrison, who teaches economics and American government at Union County High School, earned an Associate in Arts degree, with honors, from CF in 2002. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Florida. He earned the Civics Seal of Excellence, has served as a sponsor for the civics and debate team and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and also drives a school bus.

“Mark sets the example of how a talented and dedicated teacher makes all the difference for his students,” Kamoutsas said.

Dr. Mark Paugh, CF vice president of Academic Affairs, said it is an honor for the college to have an alumnus win such a prestigious award.

“We are so proud of Mr. Harrison and the meaningful work he does every day with students,” Paugh said. “It is always rewarding to see graduates of our Associate in Arts program continue their education and have access to a wide array of career options that positively impact our communities.”

As the 2026 Florida Teacher of the Year, Harrison will serve as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education for one year, advocating for students and representing Florida’ remarkable teaching community. He will receive a $50,000 award and a tuition waiver to pursue a graduate degree from the Florida State University College of Education plus a two-year scholarship from the Florida Prepaid College Savings plan to present to a student of his choice.

For more information about the Florida Teacher of the Year program, visit www.fldoe.org.