Kherson State University

On August 7, the Rector of Kherson State University (KSU), Oleksandr Spivakovskiy, took part in a meeting at Santa Fe College (SF) in Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Santa Fe College was founded in 1965 as a community college and has since grown into a true educational hub with numerous departments, research laboratories, and centers. It was ranked number one among 1,000 educational institutions across the country and was awarded the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in 2015. Since 2012, SF has consistently been ranked among the top 10 community colleges in the United States.

“We had the honor of meeting the college’s fifth president, Dr. Paul Broadie, who took office in 2020. He shared his philosophy of management, which he defines as student success, individual and institutional growth, innovation, partnerships, and evolution,” said Oleksandr Spivakovskiy.

According to the KSU Rector, the college currently offers a variety of educational services, including continuing education, workforce development, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, certificates, and opportunities for retraining and upskilling. Shortly after Dr. Broadie became president, the college began offering students scholarships for short-term accreditation and training for in-demand jobs with competitive salaries, such as welders, auto mechanics, phlebotomists, emergency medical technicians, certified nursing assistants, and office specialists.

“Even a brief conversation allowed us to identify common ground: the college’s focus on digitalization (offering over 2,600 online courses), its strong emphasis on IT education, and its deep respect for history and traditions (it even has its own museum). The college positions itself as a regional development hub and is actively engaged in internationalization.

I was particularly impressed by an innovative collaboration model with public schools in surrounding counties, ensuring access to quality education and, consequently, improving living standards for entire families. The college also has unique initiatives for the education and support of veterans and active military personnel. Imagine this: the college has a Military Success Center and a Resource Center for People with Disabilities within its structure.

We met with military veterans who shared their experiences with the support system the college offers. We even received souvenirs—it was very touching. Supporting veterans is a crucial issue for both modern and future Ukraine. We have tens of thousands of people who have served, are serving, or will serve in the military due to the full-scale war. They need educational opportunities, attention, and care to gain the motivation to build successful civilian lives. I believe that education, together with other state institutions, must take on the responsibility of facilitating the adaptation of our veterans to peaceful life.

We were also introduced to Santa Fe College’s rapid retraining programs, including certification programs, internships, and educational courses.

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Vilma Elisa Fuentes, Program Director of the FSU Ukraine Task Force and former co-director of two Community College Administrator Programs (CCAP) with Ukraine, for organizing and accompanying us throughout our visit,” emphasized Oleksandr Spivakovskiy.

The Community College Administrator Program (CCAP) is implemented by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, supported by the American people, and executed by Florida State University in collaboration with Santa Fe College.

Press Center of KSU