ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ President John C. Hitt, Valencia Community College President Sandy Shugart and other academic, community and architecture leaders celebrated the inaugural class of theΒ unique new ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ architecture program on Friday, Oct. 15.

Forty-one students are enrolled in the 2+2+2 partnership program. Students take two years of architecture classes at Valencia’s West Campus and receive an associate’s degree before completing the Bachelor of Design in Architecture program at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Valencia West.

Graduates can then remain in Central Florida to pursue a master’s degree in Architecture by enrolling in the University of Florida’s College of Design research center, Citylab-Orlando, in ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s downtown Center for Emerging Media.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Provost Tony Waldrop, College of Arts and Humanities Dean JosΓ© Fernandez and Architecture Program Director John Maudlin-Jeronimo also attended Friday’s celebration. They recognized the region’s growing architecture community in addition to the Valencia-ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½-UF partnership.

The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects has worked closely with Valencia, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ and UF to develop the program, which will prepare students for a variety of careers, including professional architecture, construction management and industrial design.

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