Edison State College Sees Major Progress in one year at New Location
Jan 19, 2011
Hendry/Glades Center – January 19, 2011
Edison State College Sees Major Progress in one year at New Location
Just one year in operation and the new Edison State College center serving Hendry and Glades county students has seen big changes.
This Center now has its first college library and librarian, five student life clubs including a Student Government Association (SGA), a new computer lab, and a huge growth in student enrollment.
“We are so thankful to our communities for embracing our new location,” said Dr. Robert Jones, Provost of the Hendry/Glades Center. “With the support of our community we have been able to expand and grow in so many ways in just a little more than a year.”
625 students were enrolled at the center last year and this year’s enrollment will likely exceed 700 students, with many additional Hendry and Glades county residents taking courses through Edison Online.
“As the area’s largest school of higher education Edison State College is dedicated to making access to quality education more accessible to all of Southwest Florida,” said Dr. Kenneth Walker, District President, Edison State College. “Together we strive to be considerate of our students, efficient in our processes and flexible in our services.”
Student Life Opportunity Expands
Student John Marotti has figured out how to balance quite a work load! He is the Center’s first Student Government president, a dual enrolled senior at LaBelle School and a junior at Edison State College where he takes some of his college classes on line.
"A leader is the person who steps up before anyone else," explained Marotti.
The star student earned his associate in arts degree in 2010, graduating with high honors, and now is an early admissions student with Edison State College. More recently, John was nominated by United States Senator Bill Nelson to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where he intends on majoring in Civil Engineering with a minor in Political Science.
In addition to SGA, students can also join several other student clubs including a Recreational Club, Photography Club, HOPE Scholarship Club and the Gay Straight Alliance.
Save time and money
To cut down on the long drive to Edison State’s Lee or Charlotte Campus to buy books, the College implemented an online book-buying option with free shipping for all students.
“The Hendry/Glades Center has grown substantially and we recognized that these students would often times have to drive 80 or more miles to pick up their textbooks at the Lee Campus location,” said Judy Pultro, Director of Auxiliary Services at Edison State College. “Because the Center does not have a full on-site bookstore we did implement was free shipping for students who buy their books online.”
Also new this semester, the Edison State Bookstore held its first ever “BOOK BUY BACK” at the Center. Book Buy Back Week is the time when students can sell their books back to the College Bookstore. Hendry/Glades students took home more than $10,000 by selling back their used books!
Check Out the New Library
The new Hendry/Glades Center Library at Edison State College is conveniently located next to the state-of-the-art computer lab. The library has several computers for student use and offers a quiet place to work. Librarian Cody Aune was hired in the fall, and is available to assist students with their research and show them how to use the library's catalog and databases.
“The goal for the library at the Hendry/Glades Center is to provide our students with the benefits of full access to library services,” explained Aune. “Research assistance is a large part of what I do, and I'm looking forward to seeing more students drop in this semester for research workshops. We'll also be working in the next few months to add more books and periodicals to our collection.”
Students in the Hendry/Glades Center Library have access to research materials from all of the Edison State College campuses. Books can be requested from any of the campuses through the library website and be delivered to the Center within a day or two.
Dr. Jones invites the entire community to see what is new at the Edison State College Hendry/Glades Center. If you would like more information or would like to take a tour please call (863) 674-0408 or visit www.edison.edu/hendryglades.
For media inquiries contact Meg Hawthorne, Public Information Specialist at Edison State College - 239-489-9306 or mahawthorne@edison.edu.
Celebrating nearly 50 years of excellence, Edison State College is Southwest Florida’s largest, most established, accessible and affordable institution of higher education. Proud to be tobacco-free, Edison State serves more than 20,000 students per year in five counties and through the Edison Online. For more information please visit www.edison.edu.
Last Updated: January 19, 2011
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