SJRCC PRESS RELEASE August 2007 SJRCC honors Educator Preparation Institute graduates St. Johns River Community College recently recognized Educator Preparation Institute students who completed the teacher certification program. The program was developed in 2006 to streamline the certification process for non-education bachelor's degree holders. The participants completed the coursework required to earn a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate. Participants are awarded a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate upon completing the EPI courses, passing the Florida Teacher Certification Exam and submitting the required paperwork to the Florida Department of Education. No other coursework is required, and the program can be completed in less than a year - on campus or online. The SJRCC EPI program currently includes about 100 students. Graduates of the program are as follows: St. Johns County: Carrie Angyalfy, Tim Davidson, Alison Finch, Amy Lands, Holly Southworth and Dominique Tredik. Putnam County: Kathleen Kelch, Munira Lakadawala, Carla Litzell and Brenna Ng. Clay County: Carolyn Holt, Barbara McCabe and Carol Sullivan. Duval County: Carlos Ortiz and Kristi Wilson. Guest speaker Ulysees L. Gilbert II, coordinator of educator recruitment for North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC), told the graduates that teaching is a calling. "There are three things you will need to become teachers: understanding, passion and love," Gilbert said. "You need to know why you're in the classroom... and understand your students and their backgrounds," he said referring to his own teaching career. In order to participate in the EPI program, applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and possess the disposition suitable for becoming a teacher. For more information on SJRCC's EPI program, please call (386) 312-4242 or e-mail opencampus@sjrcc.edu. PHOTO CAPTION: Front row, left to right: Carlos Ortiz, Holly Southworth, Dominique Tredik, Carol Sullivan and Munira Lakadawala. Second row, left to right: Alison Finch, Kristi Wilson, Carolyn Holt and Brenna Ng. Return to SJRCC home page.