Florida College Welcomes Students, Offers New Programs

From Florida College:

Following decades of tradition, the faculty donned their academic regalia Aug. 19 and joined students and parents for an afternoon of welcoming and fellowship in the College’s opening ceremonies.

The theme for this year is “Growing In Him,” a reminder of the Christian’s calling to mature in the knowledge and likeness of God, following in the footsteps of His Son, Jesus.

President Buddy Payne introduced the theme, reminding us of the incredible potential of a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31) and encouraging students, faculty and staff to “move their own mountains” (Matthew 17:20).

Drs. Tim Moore and Jon Bassett led the audience in “I’m Not Ashamed to Own My Lord” and the Alma Mater respectively, a longstanding tradition of the College’s commencement.

The Honorable Mayor Joseph Affronti, Sr., who is entering his final term in office this year, received recognition for his venerable service to the Temple Terrace community.

This year, Florida College is continuing to develop its list of degree programs, adding majors and areas of concentration in History, Communication and Biblical Studies. The college has steadily expanded over the years in order to accommodate the academic needs of students who seek academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment.

The most recent major to be added is the bachelor of Arts in History, which gives students the opportunity to study the political, cultural, intellectual and religious aspects of history. The program allows for students to design a course of study that includes a minor based on their personal interests, and offers American Civilization as an alternate area of concentration.

The Communication program launched in the fall of 2011 and is undergoing its first phase of expansion. The most recent course track, Corporate and Organizational Communication, began this semester and combines communication and business components to accommodate students interested in communication-oriented jobs in the business field.

The Biblical Studies department now offers majors in New Testament (bachelor of Arts) and Biblical Education (bachelor of Science) to accompany their longstanding Biblical Studies degree.

The bachelor’s in New Testament focuses on the literary and historical background of the New Testament and includes a minimum two-year study of New Testament Greek. The bachelor’s in Biblical Education is designed for those interested in incorporating their biblical knowledge with teaching skills.