David J. Mealor, PhD:
A Perspective on Partnership
by Bill Ernst
r. David Mealor is a busy man. The former state representative for District 34 is the mayor of Lake Mary. He is also associate vice president at the University of Central Florida, responsible for UCF’s Seminole State College operations throughout the county. February marks Mealor’s 30th year at UCF.
Mealor contributes much of his success to others. “It’s very easy to excel when you’re surrounded with outstanding people,” he says, “I’ve been very blessed in my 30 years at UCF to have worked with some of the best students and best faculty and staff in America.” As to his role as mayor, he points out that the position is “very part-time,” although he has made a full commitment to the city and considers it a privilege to serve.
Strategic Vision
Above all else, though, Mealor is an educator. In the Florida Legislature, he chaired the Higher Education Committee for five straight years. It gave him the opportunity to work with colleagues from around the state to craft a vision of what they wanted higher education to be. “We recognized that not only UCF was going to experience tremendous growth, but their community colleges partners would, too,” says Mealor.
At UCF, under the guidance of Dr. David Harrison, vice-provost of UCF’s regional campuses and prevously VP at Seminole State (formerly SCC) , Harrison had the vision to create the Central Florida Higher Education Consortium (CFHEC), comprising the presidents of Valencia, Seminole, Lake/Sumter and Brevard Community Colleges. With Harrison’s unique perspective blending a community-college background and a university focus, the CFHEC crafted Direct Connect to increase the number of baccalaureate degree’s earned in Florida. Direct Connect is a unique program and is generating interest from universities nationwide.
Prior to Direct Connect, the state had a successful “2+ 2” program that granted graduating high school students admission to a state university. Direct Connect guarantees them not only admission but also completion. “The premise of Direct Connect is that we not only get them in, but we get them out with a baccalaureate degree,” says Mealor, “There’s a seamless transition from the first two years from the community colleges into the BA program.” Mealor says they provide great advising early on, and “an understanding of the scope and sequence of the curriculum, and what is required to become an excellent baccalaureate student at UCF.”
Partnership Center
Mealor says that, in many ways the credit goes to the vision of Dr. Ann McGee, Seminole State president, and Dr. John Hitt, UCF president, “who saw an opportunity to craft a unique partnership.” Together Mealor, McGee and Hitt had a vision for the Partnership Center to make it the most desirable learning environment, and from the faculty and staff perspective, a great place to work.
The first classes were held in the new building in January, and Mealor has already received unsolicited e-mails from faculty and students telling him how much they love the new building, and the resources it provides.
Another advantage of holding classes in the Partnership Center is that all of the classrooms are smaller than auditorium-style “classrooms” at some larger universities—there are no 200- or 300-seat classrooms here—and that makes for a personal relationship with every student. “The dedication and commitment of the faculty here at Seminole State has been most impressive.” says Mealor. “We’ve been able to recruit faculty with shared values to work with our students here.”
Education in Seminole
“The Seminole County public schools are outstanding,” Mealor says, and Seminole State College has a “great partnership” with the Seminole County Public Schools. “They collaborate together well. Then with the UCF partnership, we take it to the next level. From a taxpayer perspective, I can’t imagine a more efficient or effective delivery of education from K-12 to a high school diploma to Seminole State and an associate degree to a baccalaureate degree. It is truly seamless in Seminole County.”
Mealor says Seminole County has one of the best state colleges in the nation, and one thing that contributes to that is Seminole County public schools’ reputation—“one of the best national reputations in a number of areas, not just academics.”
“One thing I was proud of in the legislature was that regardless of where you were from in this state, you knew Seminole County, and you knew what it stood for. It has a remarkable reputation, and that reputation would not be in place without the legacy of Seminole State College.”
S
Seminole State College, 100 Weldon Blvd., Sanford; 407.708.4722; seminolestate.edu.
©2010 Seminole magazine
