Valencia Stories



Arts Dual Enrollment Student Earns Trip to the Big Apple – and Brings Home a Jimmy Award

If anyone asks Jackson Chase to write an essay about his summer vacation, what a story he can tell. Jackson, [...]


Non-traditional student starts college at 37, now heading to Yale University

While many think college is no longer an option for them after a certain age, Miranda Rublaitus never gave up [...]


Two Valencia Students Named Jack Kent Cooke Scholars, Win Life-Changing Scholarships

Two Valencia College students have been named recipients of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s prestigious Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly [...]


Going for Gold: VC Student Now Training for 2024 Paris Olympics

Florida may be known for producing Olympic swimmers and, now, Olympic speed skaters. But in the next summer Olympics – [...]


Turning Tragedy into Triumph: Distinguished Graduate Chooses a Career Path to Help Others

When Leah Basaria arrived on campus at Valencia College, she took one look around and decided to get her credits [...]


From Cashier to Fire Marshal: VC Grad Blazes a Trail in Fire Prevention

After graduating from high school, Christina Diaz couldn’t envision her future. She’d just gotten married and didn’t have much money [...]


Target Selects Valencia Grad to Design Hispanic Heritage Month Products

It’s weird to see your face in a Target ad. But sometimes, the universe smiles on you – and Reina [...]


Raising the Bar

Some students know exactly where their education might lead them––they enroll in classes and immediately they set out on a [...]


Valencia Theater Professor Unveils New Play at Rollins College Theater

When Sonia Pasqual began working on her master’s thesis – a series of monologues, dance, painting and poetry that eventually [...]


Chef and Culinary Grad Finds Big Success by Thinking Small

Michael Collantes can’t sit still. That may explain why the Valencia grad (class of 2005) now operates three restaurants in [...]