HR 9111

1	House Resolution
2	A resolution recognizing the students, faculty, staff,
3	alumni, and Board of Trustees of Indian River State
4	College as they celebrate "50 Years of Innovation" as an
5	institution of higher learning in Florida.
6
7	WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature approved the creation of
8	Indian River Junior College and Lincoln Junior College in 1959,
9	establishing the first institutions of higher education on
10	Florida's Treasure Coast in 1960, and
11	WHEREAS, the two institutions merged in 1965, and
12	governance of Indian River Junior College shifted in 1968 from
13	the local school board to a district board of trustees,
14	concurrent with the addition of occupational and adult education
15	programs that resulted in the renaming of the expanded
16	institution to Indian River Community College in 1970, and
17	WHEREAS, Indian River Community College expanded
18	educational access in the region by establishing four branch
19	campuses, the Mueller Campus in Vero Beach in 1976, the Chastain
20	Campus in Stuart in 1982, the Dixon Hendry Campus in Okeechobee
21	in 1986, and the St. Lucie West Campus in Port St. Lucie in
22	1992, a rapidly growing joint campus with Florida Atlantic
23	University, and
24	WHEREAS, throughout its history, the college has encouraged
25	excellence in and out of the classroom with consistently strong
26	student representation on the All-Florida Academic Team and
27	international recognition for the River Swimming and Diving
28	Team's achievement of holding the longest current national
29	championship winning streak in any intercollegiate competition,
30	at any level, and
31	WHEREAS, in 2008, the institution was granted authority to
32	confer baccalaureate degrees in education, nursing,
33	organizational management, health care management, and public
34	safety administration, bringing about the name change to Indian
35	River State College, and
36	WHEREAS, the college is fundamentally committed to the
37	advancement of science, technology, education, and math, leading
38	the charge to transform the region into the "Research Coast" by
39	creating a skilled workforce and helping to attract life
40	science, digital media, and other emerging technology firms, and
41	WHEREAS, honored as the nation's top community college in
42	technology in 2005 and 2007 by the American Association of
43	Community Colleges, IRSC now offers over 100 programs leading to
44	bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, technical certificates,
45	and applied technology diplomas and is fully committed to the
46	mission of positively impacting lives by "making possibilities a
47	reality," and
48	WHEREAS, approximately 35,000 students each year and
49	hundreds of thousands of students over the past half century
50	have walked through the open doors of Indian River State College
51	to a better future, increasing their earning power and improving
52	their quality of life, and
53	WHEREAS, the last 50 years have seen Indian River State
54	College evolve into a dominant educational, technical, and
55	cultural center on Florida's Treasure Coast, providing
56	innovative leadership in the areas of economic development,
57	workforce responsiveness, high-quality, affordable education,
58	and most importantly, student success, NOW, THEREFORE,
59
60	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
61	Florida:
62
63	That the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Board of
64	Trustees of Indian River State College are recognized on the
65	occasion of their Golden Anniversary and in celebration of "50
66	Years of Innovation at IRSC."
67	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be
68	presented to President Edwin R. Massey on behalf of Indian River
69	State College as a tangible token of the sentiments expressed
70	herein.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.