Scott W. Atlas, MD is the Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in health policy at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University and Co‐Founder & Co‐Director of the Global Liberty Institute, among other notable affiliations. The Global Liberty Institute is an independent and non-partisan institute for promoting individual and economic freedom and the free exchange of ideas throughout the world.

Dr. Atlas investigates the impact of government and the private sector on access, quality, and pricing in health care, global trends in health care innovation, and key economic and civil liberty issues related to health policy. He is a frequent policy advisor to policymakers and government officials in the United States and in other countries. He has served as Senior Advisor for Health Care to numerous candidates for President and members of the U.S. Congress, and advised key federal health agencies. From August through November, 2020, he served as Special Advisor to the President and a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Before his policy appointment at Hoover Institution, he was Professor and Chief of Neuroradiology at Stanford University Medical Center for 14 years and in academic medicine for 25 years. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications, 200 policy pieces, and numerous books. He has received many awards in recognition of his leadership in policy and medicine, including the 2022 Encounter Prize for Advancing American Ideals; the 2021 Freedom Leadership Award, Hillsdale College’s highest honor; and the 2011 Alumni Achievement Award, the highest career achievement honor for a distinguished alumnus from the University of Illinois in Urbana‐Champaign. Dr. Atlas received his MD degree from the University of Chicago School of Medicine.,

“Dr. Atlas’ perspective and resume are impressive; he is a champion and fighter for free speech and a renowned national leader,” said Interim President Corcoran. “We are happy to welcome him here at New College, where we place a high value on personal freedom and individual autonomy, as Dr. Atlas does.”

“Dr. Atlas is a noted commencement speaker and comes at such a pivotal time for New College,” continued Interim President Corcoran. “But that is not only what led me to asking him to speak to our graduates.  Dr. Atlas is a first-generation college student in his family, he knows the value of hard work and what a path to higher education can lead to in one’s future.  He has spoken about being bold and rising up over challenges, even amongst criticism. That spoke to me as we seek to stand up for the future of New College, our students and faculty – and now our graduates.  I am proud and honored that he has accepted our invitation to speak.”

New College Campus Community,

I write to you today, one week after I started here at New College.  I have had the honor of getting to know our campus, our trustees and many of our faculty, staff and students and as we start this journey together, I look forward to meeting all of you and having the opportunity to hear what you love about New College and what you hope to see in the future.

As I send this message to you all today, I am in Tallahassee for the start of the legislative session.  I am here on the heels of the recently announced $15 million commitment to the future of New College and to talk to lawmakers about what we envision for the new path of New College.  In the past, New College’s existence has always been threatened and on shaky ground, but now, with the start of the session, I am confident that our future is secure, and growth and success are inevitable.

I know many of you have questions about what that future will be, and I understand that with change comes uncertainty, and uncertainty can be unsettling.  But I want to assure you that we will be thoughtful in considering potential changes and there will be opportunities for the voices of students, faculty, and staff to be heard. First and foremost, I want you all to know that we have no plans to fire tenured faculty and current students should be confident that they will continue to be able to pursue their goals in the traditional academic system of the college. We will seek to make New College better through building on the best elements of the current system while adding more opportunities and possibilities for current and future students.

In the coming weeks, we will be performing a full evaluation of all aspects of the education system at New College. All voices – faculty, students, and staff – will certainly be heard and I welcome your engagement, thoughtful debate, and active participation in determining our future path.  I want New College to serve as a beacon of free speech, free inquiry, and free debate in Florida and beyond.

Together, we will seek to develop programs that provide an intellectual grounding that is increasingly rare in higher education. We will also be inviting speakers and supporting conferences at the college that will introduce new voices into the discussion.  It is my goal that we pursue a policy of addition rather than subtraction. We will seek to add more dorms, a new student center, and new facilities to make New College a better place to live, study, and grow.  We will add new students, especially those who feel unsatisfied by the current options in higher education in Florida and across the country.  We will also add new faculty, particularly faculty who are trained in and enthusiastic about an excellent liberal arts education.

I understand that many of you have read news articles and other publications that have attempted to frame a narrative about what New College is now, and what it should be in the future. I ask that you read the article in our local paper where I was given the opportunity to share my vision, in my own words and without editorial context or framing.  In the coming weeks and months, I hope to discuss my vision more with each of you as we chart a new path together.  

Thank you for your time, your openness, and your willingness to listen. I pledge to do the same every day as president of New College.  I am committed to your future, your success, and the success of New College for years to come.

Richard Corcoran
Interim President

This fall, I’ve seen that hope of mine come to fruition. I’m proud to say we just welcomed our largest incoming class in five years, with 30% more students than last fall.

Classes began on Aug. 29, and a diverse cohort of high-achieving students (many with a grade point average of 4.0) arrived from all over the state, country and world. These students were drawn to our customized honors curriculum and our career-integrated learning experience. We have also seen an increase in the number of new students who graduated in the top 10% of their high school classes.

“Our numbers this fall show that New College is poised to educate more leaders of tomorrow than ever before,” says New College Provost Suzanne Sherman, Ph.D.

At a time when college enrollment numbers are on the decline nationwide, our pronounced upswing is worth celebrating.

“The widespread appeal of a New College education is reflected in the diverse fall class,” says David Boisvert, New College’s interim vice president for enrollment management. “New College is such a special community and the world is taking notice.”

The widespread appeal of New College is evidenced by the numerous accolades the College has received in just the past couple of months. Fiske Guide to Colleges named New College one of the nation’s 20 “Best Buy” Colleges and Universities, and The Princeton Review ranked New College among “The Best 388 Colleges” in the country for 2023.

In fact, every year since The Princeton Review began publishing its “best colleges” rankings in 1992, New College has made the list. The Princeton Review also ranked New College No. 3 for the Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact (Public Schools), and No. 7 for both the Top 20 Best Alumni Networks and the Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public Schools).

In “The Best 388 Colleges” guide, New College is described as a “uniquely small and unconventional public institution” that “provides challenging courses for highly self-motivated students who want a large amount of control over their academic choices.”

I couldn’t agree more. Self-motivated students choose New College for a reason, and their experience here often serves as the launching pad for their big ambitions.

Our high rankings and increased enrollment this fall are further proof of the value of a New College education. But our success as an institution can best be told through the stories of our students—students who are generating their own national visibility for being innovators and trailblazers.

For example, over Labor Day weekend, one of our New College seniors—Antonia “Toni” Ginsberg-Klemmt—was featured in ABC Audio’s special, “Impact: Climate & Sustainability” with Aaron Katersky. The radio broadcast was streamed on stations all over the world.

Toni is an OZY Genius and a multi-award-winning entrepreneurial student. Her sustainable GismoPower invention (a mobile solar-powered carport) is taking the green industry by storm, and she exemplifies the kind of inventive spirit that is so strong at New College. She created GismoPower on our campus, is currently competing for the American Made Solar Prize, and is helping revolutionize global solar energy usage (and she hasn’t even graduated yet).

When I am surrounded daily by students like Toni, I can’t help but be inspired. So it brings me such joy this fall to see New College earning the recognition it deserves as the state’s designated honors college—a place where bright, driven students can pursue their passions and thrive as individuals.

I’m honored to serve as president for my second academic year at New College, as our visibility continues to grow.

Patricia Okker, Ph.D. is the president of New College of Florida.

Read the story in SRQ from 9-10-22 here.

Year after year, New College is ranked as one of the most transfer-friendly schools in the nation. And we’re only one of two colleges from the State University System of Florida on Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s Transfer Honor Roll this year.

We couldn’t be prouder of these nods. But our accolades, which have accumulated rapidly throughout the past few years, are only part of the picture. The proof of our success is in the students—those who continue to transfer to New College and find their lives transformed.

“We have increasingly been seeing the value of attracting and enrolling high-performing transfer students, and we have been working to make New College a more transfer-friendly environment,” says Tim Binns, New College’s assistant director of transfer and international admissions.

Today in higher education, increasing numbers of students are opting to finish an associate in arts degree before transferring to another institution to complete a bachelor’s degree.

“Our transfer path at New College offers opportunities to those who may not have been ready or able to attend their target four-year college or university right out of high school, or who had never previously considered a four-year degree but are looking now,” Binns says. “We welcome these students—and their unique perspectives and academic talents—to New College.”

New College currently partners with such institutions as Daytona State College, Florida SouthWestern State College, Hillsborough Community College, Lake-Sumter State College, Santa Fe College and State College of Florida. Students from these colleges can transfer upon the successful and timely completion of their associate degrees.

Each year, about 25% of our enrollment at New College is comprised of students who transfer from other institutions. Every transfer student is assigned their own faculty adviser and nationally-certified career coach (a luxury larger colleges can’t provide). Transfer students also receive generous guaranteed scholarships, making New College a highly cost-effective option.

In addition, since July 2021, our New Day transfer success program has allowed students to work one-on-one with a transfer bridge director—someone who helps students navigate the unique culture and academic procedures of New College.

Now let me tell you about some of the transfer students who have thrived—and are thriving—at New College. Take Corinne Laughrey, a physics student who transferred from State College of Florida in 2020 and will graduate from New College this spring.

“When I finished my A.A. at State College of Florida, I wanted to stay local. I chose New College over USF because I liked the idea of small class sizes, the ability to design my own courses for topics of special interest, and the opportunity to work closely with my professors,” Laughrey says. “Finishing my undergraduate degree at New College has helped prepare me for graduate school by giving me the opportunity to conduct research.”

Laughrey is now conducting solar physics research with the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Science at the University of Colorado Boulder.

“I would recommend New College to other transfer students who don’t feel challenged at their current institution. At New College, you have the opportunity to be more than just a name on a class roster,” Laughrey says. “Your professors really get to know you and what you’re capable of rather than comparing you to some standard benchmark. If you’re self-motivated, the sky is the limit on what you can learn and accomplish here.”

Nicholas Pracko—a biological psychology/neuroscience student who transferred to New College from Hillsborough Community College and graduated in January—agrees.

“I wanted a college that would push me to write better, think critically and communicate better, and New College was the perfect place for me to hone these skills,” Pracko says. “I found out that my true passion is for psychology and mental health through the coursework and work experience that New College provided to me.”

And transfer student Michael Bolesh (who is originally from Flackville, New York) just earned a coveted Boren scholarship to study French in Senegal this fall. The environmental studies and anthropology transfer student will join the French component of the African Flagship Language Initiative, applying the scholarship funds from the competitive award to intensive language immersion in Dakar.

“I eventually want to do the Peace Corps and/or go to grad school outside the states, so this is a critical stepping stone to get out of my comfort zone,” Bolesh says. “These past three semesters at New College have been nothing short of transformational for me.”

“Transformational” is a word we often hear among our transfer students. And there’s a reason. New College is more than a stepping stone; it’s a life-changing experience.

Patricia Okker, Ph.D. is the president of New College of Florida.

Read the full story in SRQ from 8-13-22: srqmagazine.com/srq-daily/2022-08-13.

Jeffrey Senese, President, Saint Leo University

The key for the future will be to scale and build partnerships. We’re going to niche our programs while building programs with other universities that have different program offerings. You can’t be all things for all people. The industry is shifting and the economic model is different. We have implemented programs that are taught and advised by Spanish speakers. We’re meeting with our students in South America to build our market presence on the continent. Education remains an important aspect of life and provides a great range of opportunities that offer a great return.

Ken Atwater, President, Hillsborough Community College

The landscape is ever-changing, so my vision for HCC is only a three-year outlook. Looking back just a few years, who would have thought we would be doing what we are doing now? The trick to managing change is being flexible and adaptable. Change is a way of life and it is a reason why I work in community colleges. We are recognized for being nimble and for our ability to respond very quickly to industry and community needs. Of course we have long-range goals and strategic plans, but a three-year look is where we position our aligned objectives. 

To use a broad industry comparison, look at sales. Three years ago, many businesses would think it impossible to conduct sales online at the rate the pandemic accelerated. There are rapid change agents at play now and I want the college to successfully operate at that pace. We also have to be aware of the market and the data-driving economic trends and be responsive as demands change.

Patricia Okker, President, New College of Florida

The future of higher education will increasingly rely on stronger partnerships with the communities we serve. Thankfully, gone are the days when a college or university was seen as separate from our communities. These partnerships are a source of tremendous strength, as we share different expertise and work together to solve big challenges. 

The future of higher education must also include more diverse leadership. I am the first woman to serve as president of New College, which was founded in 1960. All colleges and universities must work together to ensure leadership pathways for people of all backgrounds and experiences.

Angela Garcia Falconetti, President, Polk State College

As universities continue to focus on research, our state colleges will continue to play a critical role in career-specific baccalaureate and workforce education. At Polk State, we have a goal to expand with a facility in Haines City-Davenport, which is the fastest-growing area of the county. That includes 3,800 enrolled 12th graders, representing 39% of all high-school seniors in Polk County. It includes over 80,000 residents whose highest educational attainment is a high-school diploma and some college but no degree. The area is expected to have 16,805 jobs over the next decade. This area is projected to need an additional 41,000 members of the workforce by 2030, so we have to respond to those education and training needs.  

Read the full story here.

What recent, significant transformations have you witnessed within the education sector?

Higher education is undergoing exciting changes. Some of the most significant transformations include widespread use of technology (within and outside the classroom), new areas of study that lead to careers that didn’t even exist five years ago, a more diverse student population, and dramatically different understandings of career education and the role of universities in meeting workforce needs.

What is the role of higher education in mitigating the labor shortage phenomenon?

As employers, higher education is experiencing the labor shortage, but we are also part of the solution. One specific intervention that we are excited about here at New College is providing customized services for our top employers. Rather than focusing on a career fair (which makes it difficult for students and employers to build strong relations), New College of Florida collaborates with employers to develop a strategy that is specific to their needs. We connect employers with students/prospective employees much earlier in the process so that students have meaningful job experiences while they are still in school (often through internships). At the same time employers can develop meaningful relationships with the talent they want to recruit. 

Higher education is also part of the solution by ensuring that our graduates have the higher-level skills that employers are desperate for, including complex problem-solving, creativity, even resilience and leadership skills. One reason these higher-level skills are so critical is that the most important skill is the ability to learn new skills. As the rate of change accelerates within industries, employees must continually be able to adapt and learn new skills.

What is the future of higher education?

The future of higher education will increasingly rely on stronger partnerships with the communities we serve. Thankfully, gone are the days when a college or university was seen as separate from our communities. These partnerships are a source of tremendous strength, as we share different expertise and work together to solve big challenges. The future of higher education must also include more diverse leadership. I am the first woman to serve as president of New College, which was founded in 1960. All colleges and universities must work together to ensure leadership pathways for people of all backgrounds and experiences. 

What are the unique characteristics of New College?

New College is in the top five nationally among public colleges of the liberal arts and sciences, and we are proud to be the designated honors college within Florida’s State University System, which is the top-ranked university system in the nation. New College of Florida has an innovative and effective curriculum that allows students to pursue their intellectual passions and to develop their full potential. With seminar-style classes, tutorials, internships, and independent studies, New College students focus on learning how to learn, and we have a nationally recognized approach to career education. Before they even arrive on campus as first-year students, they are paired with a career coach, and faculty in all disciplines integrate career exploration into the curriculum. Our focus is on students preparing for their future, whether that means a career in industry or nonprofit work, attending graduate school, or launching a new business. 

Read the full story here.

Embodying this idea is a brand-new initiative, known as the Launch [ ]! Student Entrepreneurship Program, which was collaboratively spearheaded this spring by New College and our friends at State College of Florida (SCF) Manatee-Sarasota.

New College students are now learning how to become entrepreneurs—at no cost to them—by participating in a yearlong training program at the business incubator at SCF’s 26 West Center. The program—which is guided by industry experts—is funded by generous New College donors, and four of our students (known as “Launchers”) have joined the inaugural 2022 cohort.

“New College is the perfect partner for our 26 West Center student incubator because it reflects our values of creating an environment in which innovative thinking thrives, and then putting that mindset into action in all areas—from industry to social entrepreneurship,” says Todd Fritch, Ph.D., the executive vice president and provost at SCF.

Students in the Launch [ ]! program earn a certificate of completion for attending 10 entrepreneurship training classes—on topics such as developing a business model, finances, raising capital, customer discovery, branding and risk mitigation. While Launch [ ]! gives students the resources to start a business or nonprofit, our career coaches at New College’s Center for Career Engagement and Opportunity (CEO) help students brainstorm how to integrate their entrepreneurial ventures into their academic goals (through tutorials, senior projects/theses and course selections).

“What’s exciting about Launch [ ]! is that now we are helping students harness their entrepreneurial thinking into viable businesses and connecting them to a robust entrepreneurship ecosystem before they even graduate,” says Dwayne Peterson, the executive director of career education at New College. “New College, with its focus on student self-agency, engrains entrepreneurial thinking into all of our students. This creative approach to solving problems is a natural outcome of the New College experience and explains why so many of our graduates become successful entrepreneurs.”

Bristen Groves, a second-year theatre student at New College, got involved with Launch [ ]! because “it is the exact opportunity I have been praying for: a means of helping me finally launch my business idea through mentorship and a business community,” she says.

Her business idea is called Gracefully Creative Co.—a platform for her to encourage and inspire others through the creative arts. It will likely include a blog, a shop where Groves can sell and showcase her graphic design works, and possibly dance videos and/or a podcast.

Michelle Read, a first-year environmental studies student at New College and current Launcher, is interested in using her “passion for environmental sustainability for creating and supporting ethical nonprofits and/or businesses,” Read says. Read aims to start a company that offers healthy, sustainable snacks, such as vegan, organic frozen yogurt.

Camila Blasi, a third-year general studies student at New College, joined Launch [ ]! to “start a food forest that will supply the New College cafeteria with fresh food daily, so that students and the Sarasota community can eat for free or at a low cost,” Blasi says.

And Lauren David, a third-year enviro/urban studies student at New College, wants to build a skincare brand called Saphalata (the Hindi word for “success”). All of her products will be 100 percent organic, cruelty-free, recyclable and handmade, David says.

“Our goal is to provide transparent, trustworthy, luxury body care that leaves your skin glowing and heart happy,” David says.

Groves, Read, Blasi and David all exemplify the entrepreneurial thinking that the Launch [ ]! program—and New College as a whole—aim to nurture. We are thrilled to offer this to our students, as we help them realize their ambitious visions and prepare them for the world ahead. 

Patricia Okker, Ph.D. is the president of New College of Florida.

(Story from SRQ on 5-7-22)

Panelists will discuss “Higher Education’s Role in Addressing Workforce Needs for the Next Generation” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at IMG Academy Golf Club, 4350 El Conquistador Parkway in Bradenton.

Dr. Okker will speak alongside Dr. Karen Holbrook, regional chancellor of the University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee; Dr. Michele Morgan, president/associate vice chancellor of Keiser University; and Dr. Carol Probstfeld, president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.

“Our region’s talent pipeline is more important than ever as local employers focus on growth,” luncheon organizers said. “Our higher education institutions are a critical component of economic development initiatives and our quality of life.”

The speakers will discuss “opportunities and challenges, strategies for overcoming barriers for our current and future workforce, and the importance of collaboration with local businesses and employers.”

To attend the luncheon, call Jenny Szink at 941-748-4842 ext. 235, or email [email protected]. Tickets are $35 for Manatee Chamber and Manatee Young Professionals members ($45 at the door); and $49 for future members and guests.

For more information on the luncheon, click here.

To learn more about President Okker, click here.

Whether our students are interning at local symphonies or performing compositions in our on-campus concert series, there are countless opportunities here for artistic growth.

And we just happen to be located in Sarasota-Manatee—one of the most culturally vibrant areas in Florida—where students can intern at arts-and-humanities-based organizations and build career skills while fostering creativity.

One of my favorite examples of this artistic engagement is New Music New College (NMNC)—a program, founded by Professor Emeritus of Music Stephen Miles, that has involved New College students since its very first performance in 1998. This program not only allows students to showcase their original work, but it also gives them the opportunity to help produce the concerts in which they perform.

Just next month, there will be two free performances of compositions by New College students as part of “NMNC NewFest”— a festival of five concerts, including three by cutting-edge visiting artists. These events are supported, in part, by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation-funded “Connecting the Arts and Humanities on Florida’s Creative Coast” initiative.

On April 10, New College student chamber musicians will perform works composed by their fellow students in Sainer Auditorium. On April 24, the Sarasota Piano Quartet (a chamber group of the Sarasota Orchestra) will perform works by our students. Both concerts will be livestreamed, and I encourage the community to listen to the work of these ultra-talented young musicians and composers.

Truly, NMNC—which is now under the leadership of Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Music Mark Dancigers, Ph.D.—has given our students an incredible platform for the past 24 seasons. Since the program’s inception, more than 350 students have performed in, composed for and/or worked at NMNC events. There have been 100-plus performances that involved presenting 70 world premieres and bringing more than 200 visiting professionals to campus.

Students have had opportunities to devise experimental music, choreograph, dance, present digital animations, have their compositions played by professional musicians, and meet some of the most groundbreaking artists of the era (such as pianist Kathleen Supové, violinist Miranda Cuckson, and composers/performers Miya Masaoka and Jen Shyu).

Once, New College students even performed their own compositions on instruments they created and built themselves. A total of 27 students, faculty and staff members sang from the balconies of our ACE Academic Center as they turned Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (for its 200th anniversary) into a multimedia performance, following a template from composer John Cage. Six percussionists stood in a circle, performing on amplified two-by-fours, with an audience all around them.

“NMNC has been so great for students because they can come to our concerts for free, right here on campus. And some of our concerts have student performers with all kinds of backgrounds and skills, including those whose areas of concentration lie outside of music,” says Ron Silver, the producer of NMNC. “Students in NMNC even staff our front-of-the-house and videocam operator teams, and they get experience in arts management.”

This is the beauty of New College, where creative expression is in full force and paired with applied learning. And, with every inspired academic experience comes another opportunity to build real-world skills that will serve our artistic students well into their future careers.

(Story from SRQ on 3-12-22). Patricia Okker, Ph.D., is the president of New College of Florida.