South Florida State College is a public college in Florida with campuses in Highlands, DeSoto and Hardee counties. It is part of the Florida College System. South Florida State College was founded in 1965 and serves around 16,000 students a year. The Highlands Campus is located two miles (3 km) south of Avon Park, Florida. The college is on an isthmus, bounded on the north by Lake Lelia, to the south by Lake Glenada, and to the west by U.S. Highway 27. It is a public college offering college credit certificates, career certificates, and associate degrees in over 60 fields of study as well as several bachelor's degrees. Through its University Center, the college partners with other four-year colleges and universities to offer selected bachelor's and master's degrees. Specialized courses are geared for adult education needs and course work is offered through a combination of traditional classroom and distance learning instruction. An athletic program fields teams in women's volleyball, women's softball, women's cross country, and men's baseball. History In 1960, efforts began to open a junior college in Avon Park. In 1965, the college was founded as South Florida Junior College. A Highlands-Hardee Junior College Advisory Committee was appointed by the Florida State Board of Education. Dr. William A. Stallard was appointed as the first president of the college. The first term of college began in temporary quarters in Avon Park on Aug. 22, 1966. The first term had a full-time faculty of 14, serving 164 full-time students and 119 part-time and evening students. The college immediately began expansion of its programs and even had a basketball team in its first year of existence. In 1968, the college became fully accredited by the state, the first junior college to gain full accreditation in less than three years. That same year, a vocational technical program was started and groundbreaking ceremonies were held on the Highlands Campus's current site. In January 1970, permanent facilities for the college's staff were completed and the staff was moved there. In 1974, the vocational buildings, a bookstore, and a student center were constructed. The school's auditorium was completed in 1978, and in 1982 the gymnasium was completed. In January 1984, Dr. Stallard retired as president, and Dr. Richard Morley was named interim president. In March 1984, the District Board of Trustees renamed the college South Florida Community College. Two months later, the South Florida Community College