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Edison State College celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. It has enjoyed five decades of leadership and public service in Southwest Florida, and the satisfaction of supporting the accomplishments of 35,000 graduates.
It all began in 1962 in the vacant Gwynne Institute in downtown Fort Myers. The tiny but mighty faculty held classes in churches, theaters and even a bowling alley. It was the only college in the state named after an individual. One student emerged from the first graduating class of 1963.
A lot can happen in five decades.
Three District Presidents have led the college. Four campuses and Edison Online took root. One small school transformed itself from a junior college to a community college to a state college.
It ended racial segregation in higher education in Southwest Florida when it opened it doors to all students. It broadened its reach from offering two-year degrees to implementing a four-year Baccalaureate program. This year, for the first time, students can live on campus in a 400-unit residence hall. High school students are reaching their potential at Edison Collegiate High School on the Lee and Charlotte campuses. Edison shares a rich history in Southwest Florida.
Edison State College does not discriminate of the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran’s status in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Ronald A. Dente Jr., Assistant General Counsel, (239) 489-9495.
This notice is intended for students, employees, and applicants. Edison State College collects your social security number for use in performance of the College’s duties and responsibilities for the following possible purposes: classification of accounts; identification and verification; credit worthiness; billing and payments; data collection; reconciliation; tracking; benefit processing; tax and scholarship reporting; financial aid processing; accreditation of programs; and reporting to authorized agencies of the state and federal government. Social security numbers are also used as a unique numeric identifier in certain cases and may be used for research purposes. Federal law requires that we protect social security numbers from disclosure to unauthorized parties. Students and employees are assigned ESC identification numbers to assist in protecting their identities. |