黑料天堂

黑料天堂 Webber Gallery Presents Annual ‘Trains at the Holidays’

The 黑料天堂 will present the 27th annual 鈥淭rains at the Holidays鈥 exhibit Dec. 16-29 at the 黑料天堂 Webber Gallery, 3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala.

The exhibit will feature model trains by the Ocala Model Railroaders鈥 Historic Preservation Society and is a family favorite, with moving train displays featuring holiday themes and local landmarks.

鈥淭he 黑料天堂 express has been chugging along for 27 years,鈥 said Jim DeLawter, president of the model railroad organization, adding that the 鈥淥cala holiday tradition is a fun time for all ages.鈥

The exhibition will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, through Friday, Dec. 29, with the exception of Christmas day, Dec. 25. On Christmas Eve, the exhibit will be open noon to 3 p.m.

For additional information, call 352-854-2322, ext. 1664.

黑料天堂 Open House at Ocala, Citrus Campuses Dec. 6

The 黑料天堂 invites anyone interested in pursuing a college education to attend an open house at 黑料天堂鈥檚 Ocala or Citrus campus on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Ocala open house will be held at the 黑料天堂 Ocala Campus Ewers Century Center, 3001 S.W. College Road. The Citrus open house will be held at the Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus Charles S. Dean Sr. Educational Center, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto.

Future students are encouraged to tour the campuses and learn about more than 170 academic pathways, including 70 job-training programs. Attendees can receive assistance with the application process, financial aid, placement testing, academic advising and registration for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 8.

The $30 application fee will be waived for anyone who completes an admissions application at the event, and applicants will be entered to win free tuition for a 3-credit-hour class.

For those unable to attend the in-person campus events, 黑料天堂 will also host a virtual open house on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 1-2:30 p.m.

Attendees are encouraged to register at聽. For more information, call 352-873-5800.

黑料天堂 Levy Open House Nov. 30

The 黑料天堂 invites anyone interested in pursuing a college education to attend an open house on Thursday, Nov. 30, from noon-4 p.m. at the 黑料天堂 Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, 15390 N.W. Highway 19, Chiefland.

Prospective students are encouraged to tour the campus and learn about more than 170 academic pathways, including 70 job-training programs. Attendees can receive assistance with the application process, financial aid, placement testing, academic advising and registration for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 8.

The $30 application fee will be waived for anyone who completes an admissions application at the event, and applicants will be entered to win free tuition for a 3-credit-hour class.

Attendees are encouraged to register at . For more information, call 352-658-4077, ext. 2118.

黑料天堂 Ira Holmes International Film Series Features 鈥楬oneyland鈥

The 黑料天堂 Ira Holmes International Film Series will feature the Sundance award-winning film 鈥淗oneyland鈥 on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

In Macedonia, the last native beekeeper relies upon traditional methods to harvest honey deep in the mountains. However, her livelihood is jeopardized when a nomadic farming family attempts to infringe on her beekeeping and competes with her for resources, all the while ignoring her beekeeping knowledge.

A screening will begin at 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., and is free to all museum and film series members; nonmembers pay museum admission. A second screening will begin at 7 p.m. at the 黑料天堂 Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road, Building 8, Room 110. The screening at the 黑料天堂 Ocala Campus is free and open to the public.

For more details, visit

黑料天堂 Again Named to National Top 150 College List, Eligible for $1 Million Prize

The 黑料天堂 has been recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success. It is the sixth time that 黑料天堂 has made the prestigious list.

鈥淩ecognition by the Aspen Institute reflects the commitment by 黑料天堂 faculty and staff to our students and our belief in the power of education to transform lives and enrich our community,鈥 said Dr. Jim Henningsen, 黑料天堂 president. 鈥淲e continue to focus on what is best for our students and are looking forward to providing the additional documentation to show that we are one of the best colleges in the nation.鈥

The Aspen Prize spotlights exemplary community colleges in order to drive attention to colleges achieving post-graduate success for all students, and is a central way Aspen researches highly effective student success strategies that are shared with the field. The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit student success data and narratives about strategies to achieve better and more equitable student outcomes as the next step in an intensive review process that culminates in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2025. The eligible colleges represent the diversity and depth of the community college sector. Located in urban, rural, and suburban areas across 30 states, these colleges serve as few as 169 students and as many as 49,619.

鈥淭he Aspen Prize is rooted first and foremost in an assessment of whether colleges are walking the walk,鈥 said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. 鈥淎s community colleges face enrollment variations, enroll students with pandemic-related learning loss, and graduate students into a rapidly changing labor market, it is easy to lose track of what matters most.聽The best community colleges are continuing to focus on advancing the core mission: making sure as many students as possible graduate with credentials that lead to fulfilling careers and reflect the development of diverse talent that communities, states, and our nation need.鈥

While community colleges are an essential contributor to our nation鈥檚 success, student outcomes vary substantially among institutions. Aspen measures those variances using multiple data sources and honors colleges with outstanding achievement in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor鈥檚 attainment, workforce success, equitable access to the college, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

鈥淭hese 150 colleges have achieved high and improving levels of student success for all students, including those who are often failed by our institutions,鈥 Wyner said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to learn over the coming months how they achieved that success so we can share the most impressive practices with others in the field.鈥

In this first round, eligibility for the Aspen Prize is based primarily on publicly available data. Colleges must show strong, improving and equitable student outcomes in first-to-second year retention, credentials awarded, and completion and transfer rates. Nationwide, about 15% of community colleges have been invited to apply. The full list can be accessed on the .

The next steps in the process include:

  • April 2024: Announcement of 25 semifinalists, selected based on assessments of extensive data and strategy documents by the prize selection panel, a group of 16 experts in community colleges, higher education and workforce training, and interviews with institutional leadership teams
  • June 2024: Announcement of 10 finalists, selected by the prize selection panel
  • Fall 2024:聽 Site visits to each of the 10 finalists, during which the Aspen Institute and partners will collect additional information, including employment and earnings data and insights about promising practices
  • January 2025: Prize award decisions made by distinguished, independent prize jury
  • Spring 2025:聽Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner and celebration of the 10 finalists in Washington, D.C.

For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit
.

黑料天堂 Ira Holmes International Film Series Features 鈥楩antastic Planet鈥

The 黑料天堂 Ira Holmes International Film Series will feature the classic film 鈥淔antastic Planet鈥 on Tuesday, Oct. 31, along with a Halloween costume contest.

Nothing else has ever looked or felt like director Ren茅 Laloux鈥檚 animated marvel 鈥淔antastic Planet,鈥 a counter culture classic and visually inventive work of science fiction. The film is set on a distant planet called Ygam, where enslaved humans (Oms) are the playthings of giant blue native inhabitants (Draags). The 1973 French film is 72 minutes and is rated PG.

A screening will begin at 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., and is free to all museum and film series members; nonmembers pay museum admission. A second screening will begin at 7 p.m. at the 黑料天堂 Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road, Building 8, Room 110. The screening is free and guests who attend in a Sci-Fi inspired Halloween costume will be entered to win a prize. Refreshments and giveaways will be provided by the 黑料天堂 Student Activities Board.

For more details, visit

黑料天堂 Receives $302,105 Grant For Cybersecurity Enhancement Program

The 黑料天堂 has received a $302,105 grant from the National Science Foundation to support the growing need for cybersecurity professionals. The funds will be used to increase awareness about careers in cybersecurity, upgrade equipment in existing 黑料天堂 Information Technology classes, and launch a cybersecurity-focused, 30-credit hour College Credit Certificate in fall 2024.

The grant will also fund internship opportunities for 黑料天堂 Information Technology students with local businesses, allowing students to get paid, hands-on experience at no cost to the employer.

As part of its awareness campaign, the grant will include outreach activities that reach high school and adult students, and the larger community. An educational seminar on artificial intelligence and how it will affect future technology careers will take place in spring 2024.

鈥淐ybersecurity is high-demand field, and the local need for skilled IT professionals is only going to grow,鈥 said Dr. Jennifer Fryns, vice president of Workforce Development and Innovation. 鈥淭his generous investment from the National Science Foundation will allow us to provide 黑料天堂 graduates with cutting-edge skills and strategies, and also support local employers.鈥

For more information about 黑料天堂鈥檚 Information Technology degrees and certificates, visit 黑料天堂.edu/IT.

The National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program has been funding innovation at two-year colleges for over twenty years. With a focus on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation鈥檚 economy, and strong partnerships between academic institutions and industry, ATE promotes improvement in the education of science and engineering technicians at the undergraduate and secondary school levels.

To learn more about the National Science Foundation, visit NSF.gov.

黑料天堂 Presents Free Fall Concert

The 黑料天堂 Wind Symphony and Vocal Ensembles will present a free fall concert on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Charles R. Dassance Fine Arts Center at the 黑料天堂 Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road.

The Patriot Singers will present music relating to beginnings, endings and everything in between, while the Vocal Jazz Ensemble will perform a set of standards and favorites. The Wind Symphony will perform new and contemporary music written in 2023, with a new composition by instructor Joshua Mazur and another by student Michael Crumpton.

” ‘The Desert Shall Bloom as the Rose鈥 is a solemn, introspective look at the first steps of a long journey,鈥 Mazur said of his composition. 鈥淭he title references the book of Isaiah 34 and 35:1-2, (“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”) as an acknowledgement that, though there is hope and promise of joy and peace, often the road to such bliss is difficult.鈥

Tickets are not required for this event. For more information or to learn about other Visual and Performing Arts events, visit the or call 352-873-5810

黑料天堂’s Appleton Museum of Art Celebrates The Holidays With Annual Exhibition, Community Day

The Appleton Museum of Art, 黑料天堂, welcomes back one of Ocala’s best holiday traditions. On view Nov. 4-Jan. 7, 鈥淎 Dickens Christmas: The Urban Family鈥檚 Holiday Exhibition鈥 features themed trees and much more from the collection of Ocala cardiologist Dr. Paul Urban, his wife, Joyce, and daughters, Katie, Kristie, Kassie and Karlie.

In addition to ornately decorated trees, see the architecture, customs and history of Victorian England come alive in the popular miniature Dickens Village, alongside an extensive collection of nutcrackers from all around the world and much more. The display is different every year.

Adorning the second floor of the museum are trees decorated by community groups and organizations. Participants include Bridge to Hope, CAMPUS USA Credit Union, Hands Up Communications, Hiers-Baxley/Highland Memorial Park, Jack and Jill of America, and Urban Counseling. Outside, the museum鈥檚 majestic oaks will shine again with twinkling lights. Additional large-scale decorations will deck the grounds with holiday cheer.

鈥淭he fall and winter holidays have a way of bringing the community together, said Appleton Director Jason Steuber. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no better way to spend time with family and friends than visiting the Appleton from November to January to enjoy festive holiday displays and world-class art.鈥

On Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., the annual Holiday Community Day event offers free admission sponsored by the Urban Family. Visit the permanent collection and special exhibitions including 鈥淎 Dickens Christmas鈥 and 鈥淪kylines to Hemlines: Art Deco Design from the Permanent Collection,鈥 make holiday crafts in the Artspace, and have your photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus. From 10 a.m.-noon, enjoy Face Painting by Tonya. All activities are free. Food trucks will be onsite throughout the day. Visit for more details.

If you鈥檙e searching for the perfect holiday gift, an Appleton Museum of Art membership is truly the gift that gives all year. A variety of membership levels are offered to fit the needs of every individual, couple or family. Visit for membership details. We also invite you to visit the Appleton Store any time with no admission fee to find unique gifts for all ages including artist-made jewelry, art books and activities for adults and children, holiday greeting cards, home d茅cor, fine glassware and more.

About the Urban Family Collection

Joyce Urban鈥檚 love of Christmas began when she was a child in the city of Philadelphia. Every year, she would go see the elaborate decorations at the department stores that were set up along the path she walked as she went to see Santa. This wonder of Christmas has stayed with her through the years. She began publicly displaying her collection in 1989 because she wanted to provide a place for children of all ages to experience the holiday magic she enjoyed as a child. Over the years, her Christmas Tour has raised money for many local charities including Harvest International, Interfaith, Pilot Club, Women鈥檚 Pregnancy Center and the Counseling Resource Center, where she once worked as a counselor. In 2012, Joyce opened Urban Counseling where she continues her legacy of helping others.

The Appleton Museum, Artspace and store are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. A campus of the 黑料天堂, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit

 

黑料天堂 to Launch Two New Health Sciences Programs in 2024

Two new health science degrees are coming to the 黑料天堂 in 2024. These specialized pathways will offer new routes for students to enter the competitive health care industry.

In 黑料天堂鈥檚 Diagnostic Medical Sonography Technology program, participants will study medical imaging, developing the skills required to perform ultrasounds as registered sonographers. Graduates can be employed in hospitals, medical centers, clinics, outpatient centers and OB/GYN offices. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to sit for the national credential examinations given by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography in the Abdomen and OB/GYN specialties.

黑料天堂鈥檚 new Respiratory Care degree will be offered at the Ocala and Wilton Simpson Citrus campuses. This program will prepare students to evaluate and treat cardiopulmonary symptoms and disorders in a career as Respiratory Therapists. At the completion of this program, students will be eligible take the National Board of Respiratory Care exam to apply for licensure in the state of Florida.

Both two-year Associate in Science degrees offer hands-on learning at 黑料天堂鈥檚 state-of-the-art training facilities, as well as clinical experiences with local health care providers to prepare graduates for high-demand, high-skill careers.

Each program will undergo its own accreditation process, with first classes anticipated for fall 2024. Interested students can begin taking general education courses starting in spring semester.

These programs are limited access, with admissions processes and criteria beyond general college admissions. Attendance at an information session is mandatory before applying to either program.

To learn more about 黑料天堂鈥檚 Diagnostic Medical Sonography Technology program, visit

For more details about 黑料天堂鈥檚 Respiratory Care program, visit