DirectConnect to UCF: A Model for Accessible Higher Education in Central Florida

For many students in Central Florida, access to a four-year degree can be challenging. Acceptance to UCF as a freshman is competitive. But DirectConnect to UCF offers a more affordable way to achieve a four-year degree and a guaranteed pipeline to a four-year degree regardless of student’s high school grades and test scores. This innovative partnership between the University of Central Florida (UCF) and its partner state colleges has become a nationally recognized model for student success, transforming thousands of lives and fostering educational attainment in the region.

The Genesis and Evolution of DirectConnect to UCF

DirectConnect to UCF began in 2005 with four partner colleges and has since expanded. This year marks the 20th anniversary of DirectConnect to UCF. It addresses a critical need: streamlining the transfer process and ensuring that more students have the opportunity to pursue a bachelor's degree. Sonya Joseph has seen the evolution of DirectConnect from its inception over a decade ago to where it stands today - and the many twists and turns along the way. The premise is simple but powerful: earn your associate degree at one of the seven state colleges and you are guaranteed admission to UCF.

Key Features and Benefits of DirectConnect

DirectConnect to UCF offers a multitude of benefits for students seeking a seamless transition to a four-year university:

Guaranteed Admission

The cornerstone of DirectConnect is the guarantee of admission to UCF for students who earn their Associate in Arts (AA) or a statewide articulated Associate in Science (AS) degree from one of the partner colleges. DirectConnect to UCF partnerships guarantee admission to UCF (consistent with university policy) with an A.A. or statewide articulated A.S. degree from one of our partner colleges. For Blanco Gavillan, the smaller class sizes at Seminole State provided the breathing room he needed to adjust to college life. “DirectConnect to UCF gave me confidence,” he says. “I didn’t have to worry if my credits would transfer or if I’d be accepted. Acceptance to UCF as a freshman is competitive - in 2019, the freshman class at UCF had an average high school GPA of 4.15 and an average SAT score of 1330. DirectConnect provides a guaranteed pipeline to a four-year degree regardless of student’s high school grades and test scores.

Comprehensive Advising and Support

Along with guaranteed admission to UCF, students receive comprehensive advising from DirectConnect success coaches to help ensure a smooth transition. These partnerships place emphasis on the student’s experience and smooth transition from college to the university. DirectConnect success coaches, who are UCF employees housed across Valencia’s main campuses, are one-stop shops who assist students before, during, and after the transfer process. Once a student indicates their interest in the program, DirectConnect coaches proactively reach out as early as that students’ first semester at Valencia. And coaching services don’t end when students transfer to UCF. Coaches stay in touch with DirectConnect transfers to keep them updated on things like withdrawal and graduation deadlines - and to offer guidance when questions arise.

Read also: About Grossmont Community College

Cost Savings

Through DirectConnect to UCF, students are afforded significant cost savings by attending college in their local communities, and by completing their associate degrees under state college pricing structures.

Enhanced Transfer Experience

Students are also provided joint academic advising, student services, and transfer support at their local campuses by both college advisors and the DirectConnect to UCF Success Team, which results in more prepared transfer students and an overall enhanced transfer experience.

The Role of State Policies and Institutional Alignment

In Florida, a number of statewide policies assist students in transitioning smoothly from two-year to four-year colleges and universities. A statewide articulation agreement guarantees that students can transfer 60 credits earned as part of an AA degree to any public university. A statewide course numbering system facilitates the smooth transfer of credit among all of Florida’s postsecondary institutions by ensuring that courses with similar academic content that are taught by faculty with similar credentials are given the same prefix and number. These policies set the DirectConnect program up for success.

However, the success of DirectConnect extends beyond state mandates. Rather than view each other as competitors for the same students, Valencia and UCF identified a common goal: educating their community. “It’s a lot of deep trust, it’s a lot of collaboration, and it’s a lot of prior work,” said Joseph.

Examples of Collaboration in Action

Now, over a decade into the program, the partnership between Valencia and UCF is evident in a number of ways. This fall, Valencia opened a downtown campus in partnership with UCF where both Valencia and UCF students take classes side-by-side. The two institutions aligned their academic calendars so that students would have the same breaks. Data sharing agreements between the institutions allow UCF’s DirectConnect coaches to access Valencia students’ degree audits and transcripts, enabling them to create personalized pathway plans for students looking to transfer. During curriculum alignment meetings, which are regularly held between UCF and DirectConnect partners, faculty and staff dig into the nitty-gritty of course syllabi and learning outcomes. Two of Valencia’s campuses - West and Osceola - offer UCF classes and advisors on-site. For example, students could complete both their AA and their bachelor’s in elementary education solely at UCF Valencia West or UCF Valencia Osceola. Building 11 on Valencia’s West Campus is the University Center, where UCF and Valencia are co-located. A banner promoting DirectConnect on Valencia’s West Campus.

Addressing Challenges and Maintaining Focus

But the partnership is not all roses. Joseph recalled an instance years ago when science faculty at UCF expressed that community college students should not take organic chemistry at community colleges because they weren’t prepared upon enrolling at UCF. “It’s not all pretty, and sometimes it’s a pretty difficult conversation. But if you have the guidelines and the principles laid out for you, you fall back on those - what are we really trying to accomplish for students?” said Joseph. “And you come back to that.

Kimberly Hardy, assistant vice provost for UCF’s three Valencia campuses, described the initial support model as siloed - staff in enrollment services, student services, and advising were all working to support transfer students. “If you keep the student and the success of that student at the forefront, that’s the key. Everything else you can figure out - you can work it out, you can collaborate,” said Hardy. “You just keep saying, OK, we have to figure this out. We have no choice. This student has to be successful.

The Impact and Reach of DirectConnect

The impact of DirectConnect is undeniable. Since its launch, more than 79,000 UCF degrees have been awarded to DirectConnect students. From first-generation students to working parents, from aspiring musicians to future business owners, DirectConnect to UCF has helped transform thousands of lives.

Kristina Lavallee ’13, a Valencia transfer who went on to build a thriving business with her husband, Kirby, puts it this way: “DirectConnect makes college possible for students who might not otherwise see it within reach. For Blanco Gavillan, the smaller class sizes at Seminole State provided the breathing room he needed to adjust to college life. “I don’t know if I ever would have graduated without DirectConnect,” says Rigby, a music alum. “With DirectConnect you can create a tangible plan. “Without it, I might have just done a certificate here or there,” says Vega Baez, a management grad.

Expanding the Reach: Community Schools and University Partnerships

It’s often said that if you want to go far, go together. Now, researchers at UCF are collaborating with scholars from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), Florida International University (FIU) and the University of South Florida (USF) in elevating community schools across the state to the next level. Department of Education (USDOE), the five-year, $50 million Unlimited Potential Initiative state-scaling grant provides necessary capacity to partner universities and school districts, equipping them to leverage institutional resources and support community schools in their regions.

A University-Assisted Community Schools approach involves a mutually beneficial partnership between a school or school district and a university or college. The school receives additional resources and support for its students, families and school community. According to data from the Florida Department of Education, about 66% of the state’s K-12 students are classified as economically disadvantaged, leaving them socially and academically vulnerable.

“We can’t expect students to be successful in the classroom if their basic needs aren’t being met,” says Amy Ellis, director of UCF’s Center for Community Schools and the project’s principal investigator. “Community schools bring needed resources to the schools so students can learn, achieve and reach their greatest potential. The impact of the community-schools model is amplified through community connections and resources; we can’t continue to do our work alone. Each partner university will work with its corresponding school district to invest in unique community needs.

Although this grant supports four school districts - Hillsborough, Leon, Miami-Dade and Orange counties - all partner universities will expand on the knowledge and expertise gained to positively impact all Florida community schools. By leveraging existing collaborative efforts, university partners are empowered to scale up to a total of 40 enhanced or newly added University-Assisted Community Schools statewide in their respective regions.

“I look forward to the impactful changes that will benefit K-12 students and families within our regional community and throughout the state,” says Allyson Watson, provost and vice president for academic affairs at FAMU. “We equally value the opportunity for greater collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools leadership to help ensure that FIU can be a key differentiator in accelerating tangible impact for the nation’s third-largest school district,” says Phillip Lloyd Hamilton, assistant vice president for student belonging and support at FIU. “Part of our mission is to partner with schools, families and communities to advance innovative participatory research, services and program evaluation,” says Stacy-Ann January, co-director for USF’s Institute for School-Community Partnerships, Integrated Services, and Child Mental Health and Educational Policy. “We are also looking forward to expanding our partnership with the other institutions across the state who are part of the UPI initiative.

Florida increased its investment in the strategy of community schools over the past decade, and now national support for community schools is catching up. Congress has been increasingly investing in the Full-Service Community Schools grant program for several years, from $10 million in 2013 to $150 million in 2023.

“Upscaling the University-Assisted Community Schools model allows us to build upon our success by partnering with state universities, school districts and other agencies with the purpose of uplifting Florida’s students,” says Grant Hayes, dean of the College of Community Innovation and Education. Ellis joined UCF in 2015 and leads the university’s Center for Community Schools in its dedication to developing and sustaining high-quality community schools that support the whole child. She has three decades of experience in scaling initiatives, honing educational strategies and supporting underrepresented student populations. Vasquez is the director of the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute and professor for the College of Community Innovation and Education’s exceptional student education program. He holds affiliate faculty status with Lockheed Martin/UCF Mathematics and Science Academy, SREAL Synthetic Reality Lab and the UCF Learning Sciences Cluster. His research focuses on the evaluation of academic and behavioral outcomes for traditionally marginalized populations with executive functioning deficits.

tags: #UCF #and #community #college #partnerships