Edison State College evolves to meet new demands

COURTESY PHOTO The campus of Edison State College in Fort Myers. Like the five counties it serves, Edison State College is evolving. The college now offers four-year bachelor's degree programs at its Lee County campus, with similar programs planned for Collier and Charlotte counties. Edison College also changed its name to Edison State College to reflect the expanded curriculum as part of the state university system.

Edison District President Kenneth P. Walker says this development will greatly benefit Edison students and the community. When college officials first considered offering four-year baccalaureate degrees, they polled students on the proposed changed. Students overwhelmingly supported the move, with 89 percent of those surveyed saying they would remain at Edison to complete a bachelor's degree if given the opportunity.

Now Edison State College has joined eight other community colleges in a statewide initiative to introduce baccalaureate curricula. In January, Edison State will offer bachelor's degrees in Elementary Education, Supervision and Management, Public Safety and Nursing. Through this pilot program, Florida legislators hope a more educated work force will help ease the state economy's reliance on tourism.

COURTESY PHOTO The campus of Edison State College. By adding bachelor's degree programs, Edison joins other educational institutions in the area, such as Florida Gulf Coast University and Hodges University.

Dr. Walker isn't worried about whether the region will be over-saturated by the addition of another four-year institution.

"The more educational institutions you have in an area, the more students will take advantage of those opportunities," he says.

He points to North Carolina's Golden Triangle — where Duke, the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University exist within a 30-mile radius — and the university-rich Northeast. "Where there are more opportunities and more choices available," he says, "the demand from students becomes greater."

Since Florida Gulf Coast University opened in 1997, Edison's enrollment has increased every year, he says.

Even as Edison begins offering fouryear degree programs, the college maintains a unique niche in the community. Evening classes remain core components of the college's programming, with half of students enrolled in night classes. And the college continues to cater to working professionals.

Compared to other colleges in the area, Edison also offers more affordable degree programs, with tuition rates at half those of nearby public universities and a quarter of those of local private colleges. Fees are set by the state.

Edison State College will continue to offer two-year associate's degree programs in addition to bachelor's degrees. As part of its community college mandate, Edison must maintain its open-door policy, meaning any student with a highschool diploma or equivalent is guaranteed admission.

"We still see ourselves as a community based institution," says Dr. Jeffery Allbritten, president of Edison State's Collier County campus. "We're not losing that focus at all."

Edison State's Collier campus is currently evaluating which baccalaureate programs would most benefit Collier County. Dr. Allbritten points to the area's need for more teachers, health-care workers and firefighters. It's difficult to recruit an adequate number of out-ofstate workers to fill these positions, he says, mainly because of the high cost of living in Southwest Florida. The solution is to educate area residents for these jobs. With the new bachelor's degree programs, Edison State College is helping to fill that gap.

"It opens myriad possibilities," he says.

Dr. Robert R. Jones, president of Edison's Lee County campus, says offering four-year degrees is the natural next step in the college's development.

"The unique thing about the Lee County campus is that we've been here for 45 years," he says. "Generations of students have watched this evolution and are excited to be part of it."

Changes in Edison's educational program are evolving student life as well.

"As a four-year institution, there are more opportunities to engage students in extracurriculars," says Dr. Jones. He points to new clubs on campus, more musical events and additional cultural opportunities. The college is even exploring the concept of student housing.

Dr. Walker says the changes in the community college system reflect the more advanced needs of society.

"The two-year degree that was adequate in the 20th century is no longer adequate for the competitive, global world in the 21st century," he says. "Students need a baccalaureate degree to be competitive."