August 20, 2021 – Santa Fe College opened the 2021-2022 academic year at Fall Convocation Friday morning. During the event, SF President Paul Broadie II, Ph.D. welcomed students, faculty and staff back to the college and encouraged the college community to excel academically, engage socially and to dream big and achieve. For those who were unable to watch convocation, a version of it is available here.
The president announced the expansion of several scholarships and the launch of several initiatives that will put our new strategic plan into action. SF Achieve will promote a college-going culture in our community. The program will work in all public high schools in the college’s service district to help students with the disciplines needed to be successful in a college environment. Students who complete the program will be eligible to receive SF Achieve scholarships, eliminating barriers for our local high school graduates who want to attend college.
The college is also working on a Center for Teaching and Learning, enabling faculty to work together as peers to promote best practices and devise methods to increase student success. Inspiration for the Center for Teaching and Learning has come from faculty participation in Achieving the Dream.
Convocation also included recognition of new employees, retirees and employees celebrating years-of-service milestones, including 30-year SF employee Sari Sanborn and 35-year employees Kim Johnson and Korona Skipper. For a complete list of new employees and milestones, read more.
The college recognized award winners, including the You Are Santa Fe Award Winner Sharon Whitcraft, Alan J. Robertson Medallion honoree Rhonda Morris and the Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Carol Thomas. For a complete list of award winners, read more.
The event featured keynote speaker Scott Burrows, an SF alumnus. Burrows talked about his personal history, going from a college athlete to a quadriplegic following a car accident at the age of 19. Burrows challenged attendees to be willing to fail, but not willing to quit, to find strength in taking ownership and accountability, and to never stop being a student. One hundred signed copies of his book Vision Mindset Grit are available. NOTE: All 100 copies of his book have been claimed by SF employees as of 9:24 a.m. 8/24/21.
While physical distancing meant most employees watched Convocation virtually, and there was no buffet, the first 300 people who completed a form received a voucher for a 6-inch sub, chips, cookie and bottle of water from the Subway on SF’s Northwest Campus. They also received a gift pack of stickers and magnets. NOTE: All 300 Subway coupons have been claimed by SF faculty and staff of 8 a.m. 8/26/21.
