intramural sports In addition to athletics, intramural sports were an important element in Valencia’s early campus life. Tennis, bowling, golf, and softball were the initial Valencia intramural sports. In 2006, intramural sports activities continued on Valencia campuses. music programs By 1968, in the College’s second year, Robert Partridge of the original music faculty had assembled a pop band, a concert band, and a stage band. He and the student officers were busy planning musical tours for the new groups even as they were organizing their first practices. In 2006, Valencia’s very active choral and instrumental music programs continued, with both an academic base and community performance component. student government association (sga) Valencia’s campus life in its early years also stressed the importance of service as much as it concentrated on social events for its students. Eugene Simmons and Ronald Reinighaus were the early advisors for the Student Government Association (SGA). Beginning with the College’s initial student leaders, Presidents Craig and Gollattscheck emphasized the importance of two-way communication and understanding between administration and students. One of the first Valencia students to serve as SGA President was Bill Castellano. After graduation, Castellano went on to serve the College in a number of roles for 35 years, retiring in 2005.
Newly elected Student Government Association leaders (left to right) Pat Baggett, Bill Castellano, and Pam Ott shared congratulations on their 1968 SGA election victories.
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In the 21st century, SGA and other student organizations continue to be valuable incubators for student leadership training. The College’s transition from “student activities” to “student development” over the past three decades has been more than a name change. While traditional student activities programs are still available, increasingly, Valencia students are provided with numerous opportunities designed to develop and enhance leadership skills. service learning: valencia volunteers Social, political, and cultural activities and intramural sports still play a strong role on the various campuses, but today’s student activities and campus life have integrated service and learning for students in ways that the early years did not. Along with leadership development among students, academic competition, and volunteerism have moved to the forefront. Service learning creates experiences through which students discover what leadership means in helping a community. Service learning at Valencia most commonly involves the placement of student volunteers into social service agencies that perform diverse services. Through its Valencia Volunteers, the College connects to Central Florida’s elderly, its troubled youth, tutorial services in the public schools, and individuals with disabilities. Civic responsibility, a sense of caring for others, the opportunity to use classroom-acquired skills, and to make a difference in their community are among the major student learning outcomes that the Valencia Volunteers Program inspires.
Valencia Brain Bowl teams have a tradition of bringing home championships from state and national competitions.