Florida Gateway College Celebrating 75 Years By Hayli Zuccola
On June 30, Florida Gateway College will begin celebrating its 75th Anniversary since its foundation—paying homage to over seven decades of educating, training and preparing tens of thousands of students for their next chapter in life. Along with the student success stories, the decades included academic advancements, physical expansion, and a few name changes along the way. In the same spirit of continued improvement, the grand opening ceremony of FGC’s Quinn and Keith Leibfried Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) building will be held on June 30, 2022, 75 years to the day since the College was established in 1947. 48 |
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This new two-story, 26,440 squarefoot structure will feature an all-new chemistry lab; microbiology lab; physics and earth science lab; and biology and botany lab all of which will contain new, state-of-the-art equipment as well as moveable lab workspaces. The facility, which overlooks the quad and offers an abundance of natural light with the addition of large window panes, will also house four math classrooms, 12 faculty offices and the office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs in addition to several multipurpose and collaboration spaces for students. The building, which will officially open to students this fall, is a substantial project on its own, but serves as just one of the countless aspects that have allowed Florida Gateway College to thrive for the last 75 years. Florida Gateway College was established in 1947 as the Columbia Forestry School with just 16 hopeful students. A few years later, in 1950, the
campus, which was now managed by the University of Florida, became known as the State Forestry School and in 1961, the Lake City Junior College formed on the grounds of the old forestry school with an enrollment of fewer than 400 students. In 1970, the Lake City Junior College became the Lake City Community College, and the most recent rebranding occurred in 2010 with the offering of bachelor degrees and the creation of the Florida Gateway College namesake. Today, the FGC campus has a district reach that serves five North Central Florida counties: Baker, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist and Union. Its physical size now encompasses two campuses, the main campus in Lake City and Public Safety Training Center in Olustee, and an outreach center in Dixie County. FGC’s enrollment numbers hover around 5,000 students annually. The academic options have also expanded to include 2-year and 4-year degrees, as well as certificate
