Valencia College history

When he returned to Orlando in 1968 after serving with the Marines in Vietnam, he went to OJC with his G.I. Bill benefits.

In 1969, he organized Valencia’s first Earth Day celebration.

But by 1970, black students formed Valencia’s Black Student Union.

And it was no dark secret that there were those in leadership who did not want to see Valencia open,” recalled Reggie McGill, who began attending classes at Valencia in 1973. “That’s why the historically black colleges played such a major role.

In 1983, Geraldine Thompson launched Valencia’s College Reach Out Program to motivate minority students to plan for college.

Adopted in 1995, this philosophy emphasizes individual student success and is still in effect today.

Our selection in 2000 as a Vanguard Learning College is just further affirmation of the effectiveness of our student-first philosophy.

In 2001, Time Magazine named Valencia one of the nation’s best schools at helping first-year students excel.

In 2008, Valencia College, in partnership with Orange County Public Schools, began administering Horizon Scholars Program of Orange County, a program that provides mentoring and college scholarships to promising middle school students from low-income backgrounds.

2012 – Established a smoke-free policy collegewide

2017 – Opened Poinciana Campus and celebrated 50-years of service to Orange and Osceola counties