Guest Author
Less than a day after Hurricane Idalia mowed through the state’s most rural counties, the staff and faculty at North Florida College began making calls – 1,263 calls, to be exact. The calls were made to each student to confirm they were safe, fed, and ready to resume learning as soon as possible.
Hurricane recovery is more than removing debris and restoring power. It’s ensuring that plans and dreams are delayed, not destroyed. At the heart of education is a belief that we can surmount any obstacle by learning and growing. A year after Idalia, that mission continues to rebuild our community with focused courses and student support to keep our local economy strong by filling employment opportunities.
North Florida College (NFC) plays a unique role in the rural six counties we serve. Among the 28 institutions in the Florida College System, we are the smallest college in the State. With about 120,000 residents, our entire service district is less than half the size of Leon County.
But we are second to none in terms of commitment to our residents and employers.
Our work didn’t stop after classes resumed because the hurricane recovery had not stopped either. Damaged timberlands threatened to leave more residents unemployed. And the subsequent closing of a large mill in Perry left many of our friends and neighbors without a job.
Our team responded quickly and purposefully, expanding successful programs that prepare students for careers in high-demand fields that our communities need to keep thriving:
— Professional truck driving provides an excellent salary for employees and allows employers to keep operating and growing. Since 2017, our Commercial Driver’s License program boasts an overall average graduation rate of 87%, with 100% completion from its 2023 Summer cohort.
— Our entire state faces a nursing shortage, and NFC graduates are ready to work in our community and the greater Tallahassee region. The most recent cohort of traditional nursing students had a 100% pass rate for the licensing exam for nursing, compared to the state average of 76.75% and national average of about 89%.
— Public safety professionals, including law enforcement and emergency medical services like EMTs and paramedics, are also in high demand. Our Public Safety Academy received a perfect audit and a “Meritorious Award” this year from the state credentialing agency.
For the third consecutive reporting year, North Florida College has earned the highest completion rate for students pursuing a degree in the Florida College System. This achievement highlights our commitment to providing exceptional opportunities and support and demonstrates that we deliver educational excellence.
We are proud to be recognized nationally; NFC was recently named a 2025 Aspen Institute Top 150 college; we have earned multiple spots on the list of 2024 Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report and a first-time Finalist for the Bellwether College Consortium.
A year after Idalia and less than a month after Hurricane Debby, it is clear to me that our students, faculty, and staff are not only resilient but also unified to meet any and all challenges.
Every instructor in a career program at the College depends on input from employers to ensure our students are learning the skills needed locally and statewide, where graduates become future employees.
So, I ask that businesses and organizations join our efforts by becoming members of a Program Advisory Board, especially in our newer program areas such as HVAC/R, Social Work/Counseling, Welding, and the future Agribusiness Management program.
Our partnered success impacts the economy of North Florida, the Big Bend, and our entire state.
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Dr. John Grosskopf has served as President of North Florida College since 2009, overseeing its growth to serve six counties in North Florida: Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor.
