After a 45-year hiatus form collegiate sports, The College of the Florida Keys dove back into athletics this past weekend with the debut of its first-ever women’s and men’s swim teams competing at their first meet. Five student athletes, four female and one male, traveled to Fort Pierce to compete in the 2021 Stanton C. Craigie Memorial Swim Invitational Meet, hosted by Indian River State College, February 5 through 7.

Waiting time is not down time. While anticipation grows for sufficient, steady flow of COVID-19 vaccine to the Keys, The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) has initiated collaboration among multiple organizations in Monroe County to prepare for a future rollout. The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County (DOH-Monroe), the Medical Center at Ocean Reef, the Ocean Reef Community Foundation, Monroe County Emergency Management, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Key West, Monroe County School District, Lower Keys Medical Center, Curative, and Community Health of South Florida (CHI) are among the stakeholders working diligently and creatively together with the College.

Six diving students from The College of the Florida Keys have advanced from the role of student to instructor. Each successfully passed the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) Instructor Examination (IE) in December, certifying them as open water scuba instructors.

The College of the Florida Keys collected dozens of stuffed animals, games, puzzles, and other toys as well as $2,330 in donations from CFK employees and friends for children’s holiday gifts. The donations were given to Samuel’s House, a Keys-based non-profit organization that offers housing and supportive services for homeless women and intact families.

The College of the Florida Keys held its sixty-first Commencement Exercises for the graduating Class of 2020 in an outdoor ceremony beside the Gulf of Mexico on the Key West Campus on Friday, December 11. Graduates donned face masks with their caps and gowns to walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Some of the graduates participating in the ceremony completed their studies earlier this year but were not able to formally celebrate their achievement as the College’s spring graduation exercises were cancelled. The College awarded more than 200 bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, and certificates in 2020.

The Association of Florida Colleges awarded Lana Gaspari, The College of the Florida Keys’ Director of Marine Science and Technology, with the 2020 Career and Professional Employee of the Year award. Gaspari was selected from dozens of nominated employees from the 28 state colleges in Florida.

Recognizing the serious financial challenges facing many students, The College of the Florida Keys is extending its deadline for spring tuition and fees from December 1 to January 4. The additional period will allow students time to formalize their academic plans by registering for spring classes without having to pay their bill until after the holidays. Applications to begin classes in the spring semester are due on December 7 and classes begin January 8.

The College of the Florida Keys is offering “Fast Track to Spring” personal appointments, Monday, November 30 through Friday, December 4, to help prospective students quickly get on a pathway toward their academic and career training goals this spring semester. New student applications are due December 7 and classes begin January 8. New students who participate in Fast Track to Spring will have their application fee waived, a savings of $30, and receive a $100 Kick-Starter Scholarship.

"This is a time to honor our country’s finest and bravest. Happy birthday to the U.S. Marine Corps for 245 years of service and happy Veterans Day to all veterans. I encourage each of us to take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices that our service members bear for all Americans and for the principles of democracy. Our heroes continue to serve in a variety of ways that benefit our communities. I salute all veterans as well as current servicemen and women. I express my sincerest thanks to them and their families for their dedication and commitment, and for their continued service to protect our freedom. The Florida Keys and the College have indeed benefitted from the contributions of many veterans over the years. Each one deserves special recognition. Today, I salute one veteran who leads the College’s growing and increasingly valuable Nursing and Health Sciences programs: U.S. Army Sergeant Dr. Carla Fry."

The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites prospective students to learn more about the various academic and career training opportunities available locally at CFK through a virtual information session on Tuesday, November 10 at 5:30 p.m. CFK’s spring semester begins January 8 and will include on-campus and online classes.