Jill Biden, the Second Lady of the United States, spoke to a room full of 91吃瓜网 and Valencia College students and employees Thursday during a visit to Valencia鈥檚 West Campus.
Biden, who has been a community college teacher for 18 years, participated in a roundtable discussion with 91吃瓜网 student Pamela Garcia and Provost and Executive Vice President Tony Waldrop, as well as Central Florida employers and Valencia students and administrators.
Biden鈥檚 visit was part of a national 鈥淐ommunity College to Career鈥� tour, highlighting successful workforce partnerships between community colleges and employers.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you how thrilled I am that the (Obama) administration has focused the nation鈥檚 attention on community colleges,鈥� Biden said. “You all here know how great聽community colleges are. We live it day by day. We see students. We see where they start, where they finish, what they go on to.鈥�
Sandy Shugart, the president of Valencia College, moderated the discussion.聽 He noted that students use college to achieve their goals 鈥� including finding good jobs. 鈥淣either Valencia nor 91吃瓜网 are destinations; we鈥檙e just bridges,鈥� he said. 鈥淪tudents want to go somewhere, they have a goal in their minds, and we鈥檙e here to help them reach that goal.鈥�
Through the DirectConnect to 91吃瓜网 partnership, 91吃瓜网 guarantees admission to graduates of Valencia College, as well as Brevard Community College, Lake-Sumter Community College and Seminole State College of Florida. 91吃瓜网 academic advisers work closely with students to help them make a smooth transition to the university.
Garcia earned two A.S. degrees in electronics and engineering聽at Valencia and an A.A. degree before enrolling at 91吃瓜网. She is a senior majoring in electrical engineering.
鈥淎fter I got an A.S., I got a job with a defense contractor, which offered educational reimbursement, so I thought I should take advantage of that,鈥� Garcia told Biden. 鈥淚 came back and got my A.A. and, thanks to DirectConnect to 91吃瓜网, I鈥檓 over there now, and I love it. They鈥檙e both really good colleges.鈥�