The College of Central Florida has earned Tree Campus Higher Education recognition for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship. This is the 14th year that CF has been recognized.

Tree Campus Higher Education is a national program of the Arbor Day Foundation that honors colleges, universities and their leaders for promoting healthy management of their campus forests and for engaging the community in environmental stewardship.

“Trees not only play a vital role in the environment but also in our daily lives,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Having trees on college and university campuses is a great way to show a commitment to students and faculty’s overall well-being.”

CF met the five core standards of tree care and community engagement: establishing a campus tree advisory committee; providing a campus tree-care plan; dedicating annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; participating in an Arbor Day observance; and instituting a service-learning project to engage students.

“Trees on campus provide shaded green areas for studying and gathering, improving students’ mental and cognitive health and creating an appealing aesthetic,” said Elena Amesbury, CF associate professor of biological sciences. “Trees help lower energy costs and provide cleaner air and water.”

The Arbor Day Foundation launched the Tree Campus Higher Education program in 2008 and continues to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and engaging students and staff in conservation goals. Currently, there are 411 campuses across the United States with this recognition.

To learn more about the Tree Campus Higher Education program, visit treecampushighered.org.

Located outside the Dassance Fine Arts Center, the mural depicts the different visual and performing arts courses offered at CF.

Carla Gonzalez, the mural’s artist, is a 2022 CF Associate in Arts graduate who has been painting for more than 12 years. She won Best in Show in the 2021 CF Student Art Exhibition and two Honorable Mentions in the 2022 CF Student Art Exhibition. After “growing up in Cuba but surrounded by Mexican culture,” Gonzalez said her work is influenced by many Latin American artists.

“While it may not be accurate to say artists rule the world, it is certainly true that art and artists have the power to shape our perception, challenge our assumptions and inspire us to think and act differently,” Gonzalez said. “With this mural, I wanted to celebrate the power of art, bring people together and create a sense of community.”

The mural was funded by a College of Central Florida Foundation New Initiative Grant submitted by Rachel Cote, manager of web communications and new media. The grant’s purpose was to create an art installation that would permanently enhance the beauty of a CF campus and become a part of CF’s brand identity, providing a new way for students and campus visitors to engage.

The new initiative grant started with an open call to artists for mural proposals. All proposals were reviewed by a committee made up of CF faculty and staff, and Gonzalez’s art proposal was selected as the winning piece.

“We had a fantastic selection of art submissions, which is a testament to the great talent of our local artists,” said Cote. “The committee unanimously agreed that Carla’s piece best represented CF’s mission, vision and commitment to the arts. We’re so pleased with the mural’s vibrancy and creativity.”

The mural is open to the public and is located on the exterior wall of the Dassance Fine Arts Center east stairwell. For more information about CF’s Visual and Performing Arts Department, visit CF.edu/VPA. To learn more about the CF Foundation’s New Initiative Grant, visit CF.edu/Foundation.

The College of Central Florida has renamed its award-winning nursing program the CF Debbie Ressler Nursing Program. The name was announced at the CF District Board of Trustees meeting on April 26.

Ressler, a retired registered nurse, served for many years as a leader on the Citrus County Hospital Board and Citrus County Community Charitable Foundation board and has been actively dedicated to community service in Citrus County.

The CF nursing program offers Associate Degree Nursing (RN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs as well as bridge programs for LPNs and paramedics to become nurses. The CF Associate Degree Nursing program was recognized as the 2023 Best RN Program in Florida by RegisteredNursing.org, reflecting the top exam pass rates in the region on the national licensure exam.

To learn more about CF Nursing, visit CF.edu/Nursing.

On April 21, Dr. Jim Henningsen, president of the College of Central Florida, presented Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods with a check for $38,557.84 to help support Marion County Sheriff’s Office in accordance with the Open Door Grant Program.

The Open Door Grant Program was created by the Florida Legislature in 2021 to create and sustain a demand-driven supply of credentialed workers for high-demand occupations and expand the affordability of workforce training and credentialing.

CF was the recipient of $267,453 in Open Door funding and has disbursed funds by partnering with law enforcement agencies including the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocala Police Department, which are experiencing an increased need for qualified, well-trained law enforcement personnel. The grant funds support law enforcement recruits attaining certification through the Criminal Justice Institute at CF by helping to reduce expenses and barriers to completion and increase the number of qualified graduates to fill open law enforcement jobs.

“We strive to do our best to support our local agencies in the important mission of public safety,” said Dr. Charles McIntosh, CF dean of Criminal Justice. “I am extremely proud that we were able to support some of them through the Open Door initiative.”

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, is one of 40 institutions to be awarded reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums. Initially awarded to the Appleton in 2013, accreditation is held by just 1,103 of the more than 33,000 museums in the United States. The AAM is the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum community.

“This recognition places the College of Central Florida’s Appleton Museum of Art among approximately 3% of the country’s museums,” said Dr. Jim Henningsen, CF president. “Our museum underwent a rigorous peer review and was awarded a status shared with the Smithsonian. We’re proud to serve as an education and cultural arts hub for our community.”

Appleton Museum Director Jason Steuber credited the hard work of the museum team.

“Thanks to CF’s leadership and support, the Appleton team delivered outstanding professional best practices and services when welcoming visitors to our one-of-a-kind iconic building to enjoy world-class collections and exhibitions in person,” Steuber said. “National recognition of the Appleton team’s hard work reaffirms the museum as an exceptional arts center and an unrivaled state educational resource for CF students and staff, north central Florida residents and the entire Sunshine State.”

Laura L. Lott, president and CEO of AAM, explained the significance of accreditation.

“Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” Lott said. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.”

Every 10 years, museums must undergo a reaccreditation review to maintain accreditation status. Over the course of 2022, the Appleton engaged in a rigorous process of self-assessment and peer review to demonstrate that standards and best practices continue to be met, and that the museum serves as an excellent steward of the collection and a place for education and learning.

About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. For more information, visit http://www.aam-us.org.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and Store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month. 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.

Adults who want to earn their high school diploma are invited to learn more about the College of Central Florida’s Adult Education/GED program offered at the Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus in Chiefland. An information session will be held Thursday, May 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at We Soar Inc., 120 N.E. First St., Williston.

CF Adult Education staff will provide information about opportunities to help adults prepare for the GED exam to earn their high school equivalency diploma. Offered at CF’s Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, the Adult Education program provides instruction for adult students in a caring and academically nurturing environment with courses designed to ensure that students are prepared to enter the workforce or postsecondary education programs after earning their diploma.

To learn more about CF Adult Education, visit www.CF.edu/GED.

The College of Central Florida will celebrate National Administrative Professionals Day by hosting the fourth annual Administrative Professionals Event on Friday, April 21, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Ewers Century Center, 3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala.

Attendees are invited to get inspired to succeed in our ever-changing business environment with keynote speaker Lisa Lombardo, chief culture and strategy officer for Hotel Development and Management Group, and featured speaker Sonda Eunus, founder and CEO of Leading Marketing Solutions. Breakout session topics will include effective communication and presentation skills, nutrition tricks for health and energy, and how administrative support roles can advance your career.

The $35 registration fee includes, breakfast, sessions, lunch, gifts and more. Registration is required at CF.edu/BusTechEvents. For more information, contact Bonnie Hays haysb@cf.edu.

The College of Central Florida Foundation will host a free estate planning seminar Wednesday, April 19, from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Webber Center at the CF Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road.

Attorney Samantha Shealy Rauba of McGraw, Rauba & Mutarelli will discuss how to protect your assets and maintain control of your estate and will cover strategies to fulfill your philanthropic desires.

Reservations are required. Please email Traci Mason at the CF Foundation at masont@cf.edu to reserve your seat. To learn more about the CF Foundation, visit CF.edu/foundation.