Dr . Richey , we know you were excited to be able to present the Cocoa Master Plan to the Board of Trustees . It is truly amazing .
The investment is the largest planned capital outlay the college has ever made on any of its four campuses . It will transform the campus and help move our community forward in important ways , giving students first-class learning facilities and helping spur economic growth .
It ’ s an exciting , once-in-ageneration opportunity to reimagine the campus ’ role and what it can provide to students , Space Coast industry and the Cocoa community . I ’ m thrilled about its future . It ’ s going to have a significant impact and benefit everyone .
How was the college able to make this possible ?
Most of the funding for the projects is being requested through appropriations from the Florida Legislature and follows $ 22 million the college has spent in recent years on a range of Cocoa Campus upgrades .
Some of the master plan work is already underway with the college spending $ 1 million this year to repaint campus buildings and improve landscaping .
I had the wonderful opportunity to experience firsthand what an extraordinary visionary Dr . Richey is . His ability to work collaboratively to create the vision and his relentless pursuit of that
vision is amazing .
– Stockton Whitten Cocoa City Manager
Rendering of the planned Cocoa Student Housing
The plan highlights new facilities for career fields such as aerospace technology , engineering technology and advanced manufacturing , and new and renovated buildings for classrooms and labs for healthcare , science and other programs . Is the Cocoa Campus moving away from general education courses ?
Absolutely not . While the plan addresses the workforce needs of area businesses and industry , the campus will also stay true to its longstanding mission for general education that allows students to earn a twoyear Associate Degree before embarking on a firm career path or moving on to a Bachelor ’ s program at EFSC or other colleges and universities .
Additionally the new facilities will be stateof-the-art , giving students access to the best technology , equipment and labs . We have planned a new advanced technologies building , a new STEM building for classrooms and labs , a new planetarium and , for the first time ever in Cocoa , student housing .
Student housing ? That is exciting .
Yes , it is . This will make Cocoa a destination campus where students can live and study , providing them with the full collegiate experience . Student housing has been quite successful on the Melbourne Campus with wait lists of students who want to move in .
The master plan is a real game-changer that will spotlight the Cocoa Campus in new and vibrant ways . I can ’ t wait to see what it will look like when completed .
Find out more about this exciting plan in our news story at
easternflorida . edu / go / plan - – which includes a narrated video that explains the 10-year master plan , plus a link to more high-resolution artist renderings .
4 | EFSConnections Summer 2022