​The College of the Florida Keys’ student ceramics club, Mud-Pi, invites the community to its annual Mud-Pi Dinner on Thursday, December 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at CFK’s Ceramics Studio on the Key West Campus. As per tradition, attendees of the fund-raiser will select their own student-crafted ceramic bowl to eat from and take home as a souvenir. Students in CFK’s culinary program are catering the event with three multicultural food stations serving Cajun, Texan, and Mexican cuisines. A mocktail bar, staffed by students in the hospitality program, will serve creative beverages special for the event. Attendees will enjoy live demonstrations and be able to purchase art through a silent auction and ceramics sale. Admission is $50 at the door.  
 
The funds raised will be used to purchase materials and equipment that allow Mud-Pi to continue to beautify and enrich the community. For more than 20 years, the students of Mud-Pi have created dozens of ornate ceramic wall murals and fountains that grace many locations in the Keys and provide the College’s Key West Campus with its signature aesthetic.  The department also hosts young students, elementary through high school grades, as well as special needs groups to introduce them to the fine art of pottery.   
 
For more information about this year’s Mud-Pi event, contact CFK’s Artist in Residence John Bradford at John.Bradford@cfk.edu or 305-809-3132. 
 
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The College of the Florida Keys will hold Fast Track to Spring events on Wednesday, November 30 to help prospective students quickly get on a pathway toward their academic and career training goals this upcoming spring semester, which begins January 6. Fast Track to Spring services will be available between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Key West Campus and Upper Keys Center in Key Largo. Future students and their families will connect with CFK staff to receive essential information about degree and certificate options as well as financial aid and payment plans. Personalized guidance through the application process will also be provided. New students who participate in Fast Track to Spring will have their application fee waived, a savings of $30, and receive a $100 Kick-Starter Scholarship. New student applications are due December 12. 
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Prospective students are encouraged to bring the following items, if available, with them to Fast Track to Spring to expedite the admissions process: 
 

• Sealed official transcripts (college and high school) 
• Two forms of proof of Florida residency (such as a Florida driver’s license and Florida vehicle registration) 
• Official test scores (SAT, ACT, and/or PERT) 

For more information about the opportunities available at CFK, visit the College’s website at cfk.edu/FutureStudents or contact Marissa Owens, CFK Director of Recruitment, at recruiter@cfk.edu or call 305-809-3207. 

The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites all to its eighth annual Community Day on Saturday, November 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the Key West Campus. The free, family-friendly event will feature a full slate of attractions—including CFK academic showcases, interactive exhibits, live performances, a bounce house and other children's activities, arts and crafts, vendors, music, food and drinks, and free T-shirts. As tradition, CFK President Dr. Jonathan Gueverra will lead a salute to veterans and military service members. 
 
CFK’s Community Day is supported by sponsors Waste Management, Thornton Construction, Centennial Bank, Lisa Ferringo Group- Coldwell Bank Schmitt Real Estate, Essential Net, First Horizon Bank, Florida Keys Media, the Keys Citizen, and the Key West Weekly. For more information about Community Day, call CFK at 305-296-9081. ​

​The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites the community to the second round of CFK Poetics events on Thursday, October 6. “Culture Unites and Divides” continues as the theme of this year’s annual visiting poets series. Poet and poetry professor Tom Hunley will present at 6 p.m. in the Tennessee Williams Theatre on the Key West Campus. The event can also be viewed via a live stream at the Upper Keys Center auditorium in Key Largo. Hunley will read some of his works and take questions from the audience. Earlier on the day, he will participate in a craft talk with students in the College’s Library at the Key West Campus at 3:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. Learn more at CFK.edu/Poetics.
 
CFK Poetics is a series that aims to develop awareness of and immersion in the humanities landscape by connecting students and the community with poetry on the national level in a way that is immediate to their own experiences. Since 2019, visiting poets have come to CFK or appeared virtually to share their work and have conversations with the student body as well as the community at large. Formerly featured poets include B.H. Fairchild, Chelsea Rathburn, Richard Blanco, Ross Gay, and Adrian Matejka. 
 
About Tom Hunley: 
Tom C. Hunley is the author of seven full-length poetry collections, most recently What Feels Like Love (C&R Press 2021), seven chapbooks, most recently Adjusting to the Lights (winner, 2020 Rattle Chapbook Prize), and two textbooks. With Alexandria Peary, he co-edited Creative Writing Pedagogies for the Twenty-First Century (Southern Illinois University Press, 2015). He directs the Creative Writing MFA program at Western Kentucky University, where he has taught since 2003.  
 
Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

The College of the Florida Keys’ invites the community to celebrate the birthday of the United States Government at its annual Constitution Day event on Thursday, September 15 at 11:00 a.m. in the library on the Key West Campus. Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, thus laying the foundation of our government, rights, and freedoms. This year's event will feature Attorney J. William Eshelman who will present “The Constitution’s Relevancy Today.” He will review the principles and unique characteristics of the Constitutional Order that contribute to our success as a nation and as a people today. 
 
The College’s Constitution Day activities aim to educate the public on their rights under the Constitutional Amendments and encourage habits of being a good citizen. Attendees will receive Pocket Constitutions and learn how to register to vote with the help of representatives from the League of Women Voters. The event is free and open to the public. 
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​The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites the community to CFK Poetics, its annual visiting poets series. This year’s theme is “Culture Unites and Divides.” The first featured poet, award-winner Adrian Matejka, will present a poetry reading on Thursday, September 8 at 6 p.m. in the Tennessee Williams Theatre on the Key West Campus. Poet and poetry professor Tom Hunley will present on October 6, also at 6 p.m. at the same location. They will read some of their works and take questions from the audience. Earlier on their respective presentation days, both poets will participate in craft talks in the College’s Library at 3:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. Learn more at CFK.edu/Poetics. 
 
CFK Poetics is a series that aims to develop awareness of and immersion in the humanities landscape by connecting students and the community with poetry on the national level in a way that is immediate to their own experiences. Since 2019, visiting poets have come to CFK or appeared virtually to share their work and have conversations with the student body as well as the community at large. Formerly featured poets include B.H. Fairchild, Chelsea Rathburn, Richard Blanco, and Ross Gay. 
 
Events: Craft Talk- Adrian Matejka Thursday, September 8 at 3:30 p.m.
CFK Library 

Poetry Reading- Adrian Matejka Thursday, September 8 at 6:00 p.m. 
Tennessee Williams Theatre 
 
About Adrian Matejka: 
Adrian Matejka was born in Nuremberg, Germany as part of a military family. He grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and is a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington and the MFA program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. 
 
He is the author of The Devil’s Garden (Alice James Books, 2003), which won the New York / New England Award and Mixology (Penguin, 2009), a winner of the 2008 National Poetry Series. His third collection of poems, The Big Smoke (Penguin, 2013), was awarded the 2014 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. The Big Smoke was also a finalist for the 2013 National Book Award, 2014 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and 2014 Pulitzer Prize in poetry. His fourth book, Map to the Stars, was published by Penguin in 2017 and his mixed media project in collaboration with Nicholas Galanin and Kevin Neireiter inspired by Funkadelic, Standing on the Verge & Maggot Brain (Third Man Books) was published in 2021. His most recent collection of poems, Somebody Else Sold the World (Penguin, 2021), was a finalist for the 2022 Rilke Prize. His first graphic novel, Last On His Feet, will be published in 2023 by Liveright. 
 
Craft Talk- Tom Hunley Wednesday, October 6 at 3:30 p.m.
CFK Library 
 
Poetry Reading- Tom Hunley Wednesday, October 6 at 6:00 p.m. 
Tennessee Williams Theatre 
 
About Tom Hunley: 
Tom C. Hunley is the author of seven full-length poetry collections, most recently What Feels Like Love (C&R Press 2021), seven chapbooks, most recently Adjusting to the Lights (winner, 2020 Rattle Chapbook Prize), and two textbooks. With Alexandria Peary, he co-edited Creative Writing Pedagogies for the Twenty-First Century (Southern Illinois University Press, 2015). He directs the Creative Writing MFA program at Western Kentucky University, where he has taught since 2003.  
 
Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) celebrated the graduation of Basic Law Enforcement 9BLE) Academy #80 with a ceremony on June 24 at Coral Shores High School. Twelve cadets successfully completed the 770-hour training program. Upon passing the state certification exam, each will be eligible to become a Florida Law Enforcement Officer. 
  
CFK President Dr. Jonathan Gueverra recognized top performing graduates with special accolades. Class Captain Mary Ann Matthews earned awards for leadership and physical fitness. Gilbert Bobo also received a physical fitness award. The “PIG” award, which recognizes pride, integrity, and guts, went to Eric Hunsberger. Tiffany Rodda earned the academic achievement award and “Top Gun” honors for superior shooting skills. Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay swore-in Matthews and Rodda as well as Oscar Espinoza and Christian Cortes as Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies.  
  
CFK’s law enforcement officer program satisfies the training requirements of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. CFK is currently accepting applications for two upcoming basic law enforcement academies. One will be held at the Key West Campus and the other at the Upper Keys Center in Key Largo. Both academies are part-time evening programs, running Monday through Friday, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., starting in August and ending in June 2023. Applications are due on July 29. For more information about CFK’s Institute for Public Safety, visit the College’s website at https://www.cfk.edu/academics/academic-departments/institute-for-public-safety/.  

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) announced the reaffirmation of accreditation of The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) for the next 10 years. This action was approved with “no recommendations” by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees at its annual meeting on June 16.  
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Accreditation is completed through “a collective analysis and judgement.” The process, which spans several years, began with CFK’s internal constituencies assembling a Compliance Report, an extensive document that demonstrates accordance with each Core Requirement and Comprehensive Standard established by SACSCOC. Additionally, the College needed to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that aims to improve specific student learning outcomes. CFK’s QEP, dubbed Destination Graduation, was launched in April. It focuses on reducing students’ time to program completion. Both the Compliance Report and QEP were meticulously evaluated by peer evaluators representing the SACSCOC. The process included a site visit that occurred virtually last September. Subsequently, elected SACSCOC Board members made the final determination of CFK’s compliance with accreditation requirements. 
 
“SACSCOC’s reaffirmation of CFK is the result of diligent and committed work by many at the College,” said Dr. Jonathan Gueverra, CFK President. “This extraordinary outcome denotes the College’s high standards and levels of compliance with SACSCOC requirements. Being accredited is a stamp of approval that tells our community that CFK’s quality and integrity of its programs are such that students will be eligible for federal financial aid. It applies to all programs and services, regardless of location, and indicates that CFK is successful in achieving its stated objectives.”