Santa Fe College: From STEM Education to Business Incubation
Two of Santa Fe College’s locations are dedicated to growing our local economy. The Perry Center for Emerging Technologies, across from Alachua’s Progress Park, and the Blount Center, in the heart of Gainesville’s Downtown Innovation District.The Charles L. Blount Center serves as an outreach and educational facility for downtown and East Gainesville. Blount Hall, a new three-story 87,366 square-foot building, is scheduled to be completed in spring of 2022. With its prime location at the northwest corner of West University Avenue and the 6th Street rail trail, it is conveniently accessed by bike, bus or car.
The Blount Center offers a broad range of educational opportunities for people in our community. Students can take an affordable step toward a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate by earning their A.A. degree. Lifelong learners can take Community Education classes, while Adult Education classes help returning students pick up where they left off and complete their GED exam. Local businesses can organize trainings and certifications for their employees by working with Continuing Education. Entrepreneurs and startup companies can incubate with the CIED to access resources that will grow their business and drive the innovation economy in Gainesville.
Santa Fe College is committed to helping students succeed. The Blount Center provides SF students with all of the services responsible for that success. This includes free tutoring and academic coaching, and help with financial aid, academic advising, disability resources, counseling, veterans and military support, and career and job placement.The Santa Fe College Charles R. and Nancy V. Perry Center for Emerging Technologies is a 30,000 square foot teaching facility integrated with functional laboratories.
Built in Alachua in 2009, the Perry Center is located directly across the street from Progress Park, a growing industrial park focused on bioscience, manufacturing and technology. The Perry Center focuses specifically on preparing students for high-demand jobs in Progress Park and beyond, particularly with its bachelor’s degree programs. The Industrial Biotechnology program gives students hands-on training with genetic modification and assay development, as well as the financial, regulatory and organizational skills needed to work in biomanufacturing, quality control, research and development, and facilities management jobs.
Graduates of the Clinical Laboratory Science program are eligible for certifications by the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB), the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), and the American Medical Technologists (AMT). Students are prepared to work as medical technologists in clinical and research settings. Both the Industrial Biotechnology and Clinical Laboratory Science bachelor’s degrees require extensive internships, which create pipelines with local employers.Santa Fe College also offers one-year certificates and two-year Associate in Science degrees that train students to enter the workforce as phlebotomists, chemical technicians, laboratory technicians and biomedical equipment technicians.