Valencia College

Valencia College was established in 1967 as Valencia Community College by the Florida Legislature. The college opened its doors in 1967 with classes held at multiple locations throughout Orange County. The East Campus opened in 1972, followed by the West Campus in 1976 and the Osceola Campus in 1997. In the 1980s and 1990s, Valencia developed comprehensive career education programs and strong transfer pathways. The college established the DirectConnect to UCF program in 2006, guaranteeing admission to UCF for Valencia graduates. In 2010, the college was authorized to offer bachelor's degrees in select fields. Valencia was awarded the inaugural Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in 2011, recognizing it as the best community college in the United States. The college changed its name from Valencia Community College to Valencia College in 2011 to reflect its expanded mission. The Lake Nona Campus opened in 2012, and the Poinciana Campus opened in 2018. Valencia continues to innovate with programs focused on student success and workforce development.