Dr. Lana Gaspari, Vice President of Advancement and Executive Director of the CFK Foundation, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on at the college.
The Higher Learning Commissioner accreditation is new for the college.
Gaspari said, “We were granted initial accreditation in November of 2025 and we have been transitioning to HLC since that time. In the meantime, we maintain dual accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which is SAC COC. So, we maintain dual accreditation in the meantime, and our membership with SAC COC has ended yesterday, but we have been accredited with them since 1968. HLC is a private nonprofit accrediting agency, and it was founded in 1895. It’s the nation’s largest institutional accreditor, recognized by the United States Department of Education, and it accredits approximately 1,000 colleges and universities across the country. They evaluate our institutional mission, our integrity, our ethical conduct, teaching and learning quality, resources and support, evaluation and improvement, and institutional effectiveness. So it’s a pretty robust and lengthy process.”
CFK recently hosted a water safety program to equip local children with skills they need to be safe as they take to the water this summer.
Gaspari said, “Coach Bosco is very involved in the community, whether she is coaching our swimming Tugas here at the College of the Florida Keys or coaching at Key West High School. The water safety program at the CFK pool is one of the examples of how committed she is to community, so she helps over 400 students, and she does this annually, and they came from Sigsbee Charter School, Poinciana Elementary, and Gerald Adams this year, and the experience is very important for them. They get hands-on experience with real water safety techniques, they learn how to properly fit and wear a life jacket, how to enter the water safely, and how to float and swim. They learn how to throw a ring buoy if they need to help a friend in distress. So it’s really fun, but also really safety oriented and really necessary for this community.”
CFK recently received a grant of $25,220 from the Ocean Reef Community Foundation, which will support the launch of CFK Entrepreneurship Incubator Lab at the Upper Keys Center.
Gaspari said, “It is an innovative hands-on program, and it’s going to help aspiring entrepreneurs, which may include our students, it might include aspiring local business owners, or current local business owners that are looking to transform their ideas into viable ventures.”
Participants can compete for $7,500 in awards during the program’s culminating Pitch Night.
Gaspari said, “We’ll be opening applications in just a few weeks, so stay tuned for some more information if this sounds like an opportunity for you.”
There are a number of events coming up to help support the CFK Foundation.
Gaspari said, “The Rotary Club of Key West is holding a 5K on the fourth of July, and money raised for this event is for the Edward B. Knight Vocational Scholarship, which is provided to a CFK student here, but we also have the VFW Post 3911. They had a fishing tournament recently that, in part, supports CFK for veterans and their dependents, so we’re very grateful to those two organizations, but there’s a few more. There’s the Key Lime Festival, and that starts today and is going to run through this weekend, and that supports a scholarship for a culinary student at the College of the Florida Keys, and then later this month, we’re looking forward to Hemingway Days. So, each year, the Hemingway Lookalike Society kicks off their famous look-alike contest by presenting scholarships to CFK students on the stage at Sloppy Joe’s. So, scholarship supports nursing students, first responders, marine science students with priority given to veteran students and those with literary talent. They have been a tremendous supporter of the CFK Foundation and the College of the Florida Keys. They started the scholarship 26 years ago, and to date, they’ve awarded over 300 scholarships and have built the largest endowment with the CFK Foundation, ensuring that scholarships are available for many, many years to come, they also do the Kermit Shine Forbes Scholarship, and that is the named for Hemingway’s boxing sparring partner, and this is for a CFK-bound Key West High School and CFK Academy graduate.”
Fall semester is right around the corner.
Gaspari said, “It begins on August 17, and the application deadline is coming up on August 1, so the sooner you apply, the sooner you can register for classes, and you can order your books and supplies, and make plans in your personal and or work life to support your schedule, and make sure that you are prepared to be successful.”
CFK Academy Charter High School just had their first graduation.
Gaspari said, “They are still accepting students for the upcoming year, but it is based on a waitlist. So, the initial lottery was closed earlier this spring, but there are still a few spots left, so apply if you’re interested, or reach out to the CFK Academy if you want to learn more about their curriculum.”
For more information, click here: https://www.cfk.edu/