Students returned to classrooms across St. Johns River State College’s three campuses Monday, marking the start of a new academic year.
At the Palatka campus, the mood was one of energy and anticipation, a reflection of the college’s record growth and its recent transformation, which includes new bachelor’s programs, major building projects and on-campus housing.
President Joe Pickens, now in his 17th year leading the institution, said the first day of class always feels like a milestone.
“Even though it’s the middle of August, for us, it’s happy New Year,” Pickens said. “The new year has started, and things are going really, really well.”
College-wide, SJR State has grown by more than 30% over the last three years, including a rise of more than 10% this fall alone. Across its campuses in Palatka, Orange Park and St. Augustine, the college now serves 8,571 students.
Legislative support has fueled growth. Pickens credited former Republican state Rep. Bobby Payne with helping secure $28 million in state funding dedicated to the Palatka campus. That money is being used for major upgrades, including a new science, technology, engineering and math building and technology center renovations.
While community colleges traditionally focus on two-year associate degrees, SJR State, which was a community college before 2011, has expanded to become a “full-service state college.”
“We’re reaching in both directions,” Pickens said. “On one hand, we now offer 10 bachelor’s degrees, and on the other, we’re expanding workforce and technical programs in areas like agriculture technology, automotive, plumbing and electrical trades.”
A St. Johns River State College student finds her way around the Palatka campus Monday, the first day of the fall semester. (Photo courtesy of St. Johns River State College)
Those bachelor’s programs include biological sciences, exceptional student education K-12, social and human services, and digital art and media, among other programs. Pickens said the expansion allows students to remain at SJR State rather than transfer immediately after completing their associate degree.
“When I started in 2008, all of our students seeking bachelor’s degrees went somewhere else,” Pickens said. “Now, they have the opportunity to stay with us.”
At the same time, SJR State continues to emphasize its core mission: the associate degree that allows students to transfer to universities. The college has forged partnerships with the University of North Florida, University of Central Florida, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, St. Leo University, and Savannah College of Art and Design, among others.
The most dramatic shift in recent years, Pickens said, has been the increase in dual enrollment. More than one-third of SJR State’s enrollment comes from high school students taking college courses.
“They can take classes on our campus, at their high schools with qualified teachers or online,” Pickens said. “When they graduate, many already have a significant portion of their college credit. That’s a remarkable change from when I began as president.”
Online education, too, has continued to grow, a trend Pickens expects to accelerate.
For students, the first day brought excitement and nerves. Antonia Francis, a first-year student from Palatka, said she is working toward her associate degree in radiology.
“Today was cool,” she said Monday. “I met some of my friends I haven’t seen in a while. Our first teacher was cool. It’s close by and around shopping areas, so it’s not that bad.”
Cynthia Castelan, who graduated from Crescent City Junior-Senior High School in the spring, said she was nervous but encouraged by a welcoming atmosphere.
“I got to school a little late because I couldn’t find any parking, but the teacher was very nice,” said Castelan, who is pursuing a nursing degree. “She was very talkative.”
Isyss Cole, a Palatka Junior-Senior High School graduate who is studying sonography, echoed the excitement.
“It was pretty cool. My first day here, the teacher was actually pretty cool,” she said. “I’m pretty excited for the year.”
For Pickens, the investments in new facilities, academic programs and housing all point to the same goal: securing the long-term strength of the Palatka campus.
“With the renovations to the Florida School of the Arts, the technology building, the addition of the STEM building and now housing, we’re creating a nucleus of facilities that will serve students for decades,” he said. “For Putnam County and Palatka, the future of the college has never been more bright.”
Pickens, who has seen the college through economic downturns and statewide shifts in higher education policy, said the momentum this year feels especially meaningful.
“We’ve added programs, enrollment is up, and now we’ve added housing,” he said. “This week is the beginning of a new year, and I think the community can be proud of what’s happening here.”