Formerly known as Florida Junior College, Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) was founded in 1965 to serve the Northeast Florida region as the first integrated public, postsecondary educational institution in Duval and Nassau counties. The College is comprised of four campuses and three centers, providing necessary accessibility for our expansive service area.
FSCJ has served the First Coast for more than 50 years and continues to rank among the top colleges and universities in Florida. From an initial enrollment of 2,610 students in fall 1966, to the current enrollment of 42,000-plus, the College has grown to offer 13 bachelor’s degrees, 49 associate degrees and more than 100 technical certificates and workforce certifications. As a matter of fact, FSCJ awards more than 6,000 degrees and certificates on an annual basis.
As we build upon the past and look ahead to the future, FSCJ’s driving force is student success. We strive to fulfill our mission to provide high value, relevant lifelong education that enhances the intellectual, social, cultural and economic development of our diverse community.
FSCJ delivers on this mission in the following ways:
- We exist to serve anyone who wishes to bolster themselves through higher education. FSCJ is proud to welcome students from more than 154 countries around the world and at all stages of life, from age 12 to 106.
- We offer various workforce continuing education programs, corporate training, active military and veteran support services, adult education, English language programs and college readiness services.
- FSCJ is committed to embedding our aid and abilities into the neighborhoods we serve. Service learning, volunteerism and mentorship initiatives allow students the opportunity to give back and connect with the community in unique ways while they gain vital life skills that leave a lasting impression and shape their perspective and trajectory.
- Additionally, the College is supporting Downtown Jacksonville’s revitalization efforts through the complete conversion of a long-abandoned historic property into student housing. Inspired to provide a more inclusive and comprehensive college experience for our students, 20West Housing has changed the landscape of the urban core.
- In the spirit of ongoing education, the College emphasizes the importance of community-based programming that facilitates and encourages transformative learning through cultural and social enrichment. Examples include:
- FSCJ Artist Series is Northeast Florida’s major presenter of national and international touring attractions. Originally developed 54 years ago as a vehicle for making the arts more accessible to students, the FSCJ Artist Series presents more than 100 performances per year reaching an estimated 300,000 people.
- TEDxFSCJ is a convener of conversations whose mission is to place before the community the most engaging ideas possible that help attendees, partners and volunteers grow both personally and professionally.
- The annual FSCJ Author Series engages students in a learning community focused on a published memoir and the accompanying social issues that promote academic discourse in higher education. Discussions on the text and immersion through volunteerism and civic engagement create permanent and positive impact within the College and community.
- FSCJ is proud of the significant role we play in creating stability and progress for local business and infrastructure, working to supply a highly skilled, educated workforce that is both proactive and responsive to the unique needs of the population we serve. Recent program enhancements include:
- Instrumentation and Controls Technology Center (ICTC) featuring the state-of-the-art instrumentation and controls that are utilized in the leading manufacturing systems throughout the world.
- STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) Rooms offering opportunities for students to learn through creating and collaborating with other innovators.
- Medical Simulation Center allowing students in health programs access to hands-on learning experiences through realistic patient care scenarios.
- Fire Academy of the South providing a wide range of training and educational opportunities to emergency responders, from basic skills and certification, all the way to specialized technical training including shipboard and aircraft rescue firefighting.
The College seeks and stewards strategic partnerships to enhance the community’s workforce pool, leading to more productive, efficient and profitable industry output. These partnerships contribute to a higher level of social and civic engagement, generate the attraction of new industries and corporations and propel the overall economic and social development of the community forward.
