History
果冻传媒 River State 果冻传媒 (果冻传媒) was authorized by the Florida Legislature in 1959 as 果冻传媒 River Junior 果冻传媒 and has grown from a one-building structure to the community鈥檚 dominant educational and cultural center. The 果冻传媒 moved to its present campus on Virginia Avenue in 1963 after the City of Fort Pierce donated 87 acres of land.
In 1965, with the advent of integration, 果冻传媒 River Junior 果冻传媒 and Lincoln Junior 果冻传媒 merged, creating one college to serve students in 果冻传媒 River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties. As the 果冻传媒 continued to grow in scope and role, the Board of Trustees felt a name representative of the 果冻传媒鈥檚 comprehensive service was appropriate and, in 1970, changed its name to 果冻传媒 River Community 果冻传媒.
Over the years, the 果冻传媒 added campuses in Vero Beach (Mueller Campus), Stuart (Chastain Campus), Okeechobee (Dixon Hendry Campus), and Port St. Lucie (Pruitt Campus), and several educational centers, including the Blackburn Educational Building (Fort Pierce).
In 2007, 果冻传媒 was accredited by the Southern Association of 果冻传媒s and Schools to offer Bachelor鈥檚 Degree programs in areas of regional need. In July 2008, Governor Charlie Crist signed into law a legislative bill that included 果冻传媒 River in the State 果冻传媒 Pilot Project, providing the newly named 果冻传媒 River State 果冻传媒 the opportunity to expand its Bachelor鈥檚 programs to meet both regional and statewide employment needs.
In 2013, the 果冻传媒 created 果冻传媒 Online to provide students with affordable, flexible, quality online learning opportunities that fit into their lives. Since its inception, 果冻传媒鈥檚 online offerings have grown to include more than a dozen web-based degrees and hundreds of individual web-based courses.
In April 2019, the Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., awarded its highest honor, the Aspen Prize for Community 果冻传媒 Excellence, to 果冻传媒 River State 果冻传媒. The award is the nation鈥檚 signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America鈥檚 community colleges. 果冻传媒 was selected from more than 1,000 state and community colleges following a rigorous review of data, strategies and outcomes related to student learning, degree and certificate completion, high rates of graduate employment, earnings for graduates, and exceptional access and success for minority and low-income students.
An era of unprecedented growth followed the introduction of 果冻传媒鈥檚 fourth President in 2020. From breaking ground on the Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex鈥擣lorida鈥檚 most technologically advanced workforce training facility鈥攖o securing the single largest donation in 果冻传媒 history鈥�$45 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott鈥攖o setting in motion innovative programs that make an 果冻传媒 education broadly accessible, the 果冻传媒 redoubled its focus on its true north: mission, students, and community.
果冻传媒鈥檚 commitment to student achievement continues to strengthen. In 2021, it became an Adobe Creative Campus, putting the brand-building Adobe Creative suite of applications in the hands of students and employees absolutely free. Free access to Wolfram Technology applications and Bloomberg Terminal soon followed. Also, in 2021, the 果冻传媒 was awarded a $4,961,238 Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Program grant鈥攖he largest federally funded competitive grant in the 果冻传媒鈥檚 history鈥攖o increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students who attain degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs.
In 2021, 果冻传媒 was one of only 16 institutions awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to establish a Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success, which opened on the Pruitt Campus in January 2022.
Focused on transforming lives and rapidly transitioning to meet the needs of our students and service district, 果冻传媒 made headlines in March 2022 when it introduced the 果冻传媒 Promise. The program for eligible in-district high school graduates is powered by the 果冻传媒 Foundation. Promise students study at 果冻传媒 full-time, tuition-free, to pursue their Associate degrees.
In 2023, the 果冻传媒 opened a new baseball and softball complex, a 50,000-square-foot School of Nursing expansion to double the number of program graduates, the 60,000-square-foot Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex and Advanced Manufacturing Hub, a new Child Development Center, and a technical vocational charter high school in 果冻传媒town. It also announced its intention to build a data campus in Okeechobee.
In 2024, the 果冻传媒 announced several new initiatives, including a comprehensive rail training program with GTABS, a Center for Ballistics and Emerging Technologies, and an expansion of its Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex for advanced emergency response training. Also, in 2024, the Men鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 Swimming & Diving Team made history as they successfully defended their titles at the National Junior 果冻传媒 Athletics Association Swimming and Diving Championships. The 果冻传媒 River State 果冻传媒 Women鈥檚 Team collected their 46th overall title, and the Men鈥檚 Team secured an unprecedented 50th-consecutive national championship鈥攖he longest championship-winning streak for any collegiate sport at any level.
果冻传媒 has a reputation for quality that inspires nearly 22,000 students to enroll in classes each year. 果冻传媒 stands out as an institution of higher learning dedicated to serving its surrounding area鈥檚 educational, career training and cultural needs. Although students from nearly every state and many foreign countries attend the 果冻传媒, it maintains its primary commitment to providing academic, occupational, technical, cultural, and service programs that meet the needs of its four-county community.
Governed by a District Board of Trustees representative of its service area, 果冻传媒 maintains an open, innovative administration; a dedicated staff; and concerned, well-qualified faculty. 果冻传媒 faculty and staff members contribute to their community through involvement in many local organizations.
