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PANAMA CITY — These freshmen brought new life to campus.
“We are really a tight-knit group,” said electrical engineering student Kasey Lugo, 18.
Lugo is one of 50 students who became history makers at Florida State University Panama City on Aug. 26 — the first day of classes.
Music blared in the Barron Building that day. In fact, the entire first week of classes, campus was highlighted by activities, giveaways, free food and loud music.
All of it was warranted. For the first time since its inception, FSU Panama City opened its doors to freshmen.
“We’ve been a two-year institution for over 30 years and to become a four-year institution we can actually help students from the day they walk in until they get their baccalaureate degree,” said Dean Ken Shaw. “It’s revolutionary for our campus.”
The first freshman class scored an average 26.2 on the ACT and held an overall average GPA of 4.07. The 50 students were chosen out of 760 applicants.
Each fall about 5,000 to 6,000 freshmen are admitted to the main campus FSU in Tallahassee, leaving about 10,000 students turned away.
Adding lower division courses, more staff and faculty — the local campus put a tiny dint in the number of students denied.
Although some students came from as far as Ohio, about 70 percent of the admitted students were from Bay County.
GCSC reaction
In prior years, Gulf Coast State College was the primary source for general education courses.
Jim Kerley, president at GCSC, said in an interview Friday that FSU Panama City’s admitting freshmen and sophomores has not affected the community college’s enrollment.
“We don’t see a real difference in enrollment at all,” he said.
In an earlier interview, Kerley said that FSU Panama City had promised not to scout for potential students in the general area.
“We just accept students have a choice,” Kerley said, noting enrollment has gone up from last year. “We feel good and we support the idea that Florida State wants to offer courses to freshmen and sophomores.”
Lugo, a Panama City native, had planned to go to GCSC, also a four-year institution. But a hint from a family friend, followed by a personal tour by Shaw was enough to change her mind.
“They were generally excited that you were here,” Lugo said, recalling the experience of orientation and a trip to convocation in Tallahassee.
And with the first semester over, she said, she believes she has gained “the college experience” that she might have missed out on had she decided to go GCSC.
“I think they’re very proud and they can be proud,” Shaw said of the inaugural freshmen class. “In 10 years they can look back and say, ‘I was a part of that inaugural freshmen class at FSU Panama City.’ “
FSUPC’s future
In January, a student activities coordinator will be added to the campus to help facilitate and harness student activities on campus. Student housing also is something the campus foresees in its future.
Shaw said with enrollment growth stimulated, “Now we’re trying to provide more good quality, more school spirit.”
It wasn’t that long ago that FSU Panama City was struggling with enrollment. It had a student population of 980 students in 2008, and there were discussions about possibly closing the campus. The first freshman inaugural class has contributed to enrollment numbers. The university will end the 2013 fall semester with a student population of 1,600 — 200 more than the 2012 goal of 1,400 students.
“This is a way we can open the door for additional students that might be interested in getting a Florida State University degree and can’t get into the main campus due to size restrictions,” Shaw said. “We do have potential to grow and add new students … up to 2,300 to 2,500 students with the space we have right now.”