Governor Crist

ORLANDO, Fla. — A dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Thurs. at 9 a.m. to celebrate West Campus' opening of its new facility, the University Center, or also known as building 11.

At $23 million and 100,000 square feet, the center provides classes offered by both the University of Central Florida and Valencia, with 40 classrooms, a testing center, computer labs, study areas, faculty and staff offices, and a cafe. When opened in August, it welcomed 775 UCF students to the Valencia campus.

The design and consultation of the building was created by the collaboration of the architectural firm C.T. Hsu and Associates, along with the builder PPI Construction Management Inc.

Special guest, Florida's Governor Charles "Charlie" Crist, Jr., came to support the event with the cutting of the ribbon and to speak on education, Florida's school system, Valencia evolving into a four-year degree school, and the new building. Crist has been governing, specifically as a representative of the Republican Party, since 2006.

Crist said he is "proud and privileged" to dedicate the facility because of it's significance, which he said he believes is "to provide world class education for the young people of Florida, so they can have a very bright future."

"I feel great about being able to be here today," Crist said. "This is a great opportunity to celebrate education in Florida. Great things are happening in the state, particularly as it relates to education. I'm so pleased with our community college system. The university is recognized as the best in America. What Valencia and UCF are doing in partnership is great for the future of our state. It's a tremendous honor to be at this school."

President of Valencia, Dr. Sanford C. "Sandy" Shugart, described the opening of the building as "big" for both institutions. "We're thrilled," said Shugart. "80% of Valencia graduates go to UCF."

With of the success of the DirectConnect program, which accommodates for an estimated 27,000 students with guaranteed access from the community college to the university, UCF receives most of its transfer students through Valencia.

Prior to cutting the ribbon, Crist concluded his speech when he said, "God bless you, God bless UCF, and God bless Valencia."