Interim President for the College of the Florida Keys Brittany Snyder joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on at the college.
This is the college’s 61st year with about 1,300 students enrolled for the fall semester and a full schedule of academic, extracurricular and community activities.
The college’s traditional 16-week fall semester began Aug. 17, but students still have an opportunity to enroll in classes through the college’s eight-week fall B Term.
The condensed semester begins Oct. 8 and runs through Dec. 7.
B Term offers courses in areas including hospitality, teaching, diving and engineering. Students who already have an associate degree or at least 60 post-secondary credits may also qualify for the college’s bachelor’s degree programs.
Those programs include bachelor’s degrees in nursing, supervision and management, reef management and exceptional student education.
The college recently held two Club Rush events, giving students an opportunity to learn about and join any of 18 student clubs.
Snyder said the clubs provide students with more than social activities.
“Clubs are important to the college experience more than just opportunities for fun,” Snyder said. “Our student clubs provide platforms to develop their leadership skills to further explore their career interests.”
The clubs also give students opportunities to network with other students, faculty advisers and members of the community.
Among the organizations available to students are the Student Government Association, Aquaculture Society, Special Olympics Club, Mud Pie ceramics club, crochet club and Creative Expressions.
Snyder said the clubs are created based on student interest rather than being imposed by the college.
“These are the clubs that our students want to participate in,” she said.
The college also recently completed a new mural featuring its Tortuga mascot. The project brought together students from the CFK Academy Art Club and professional muralist Brandon Vessel through a partnership involving the Key West Art Center.
Snyder said students gained hands-on experience in collaborative design, public art and the professional practices involved in working as an artist.
“Watching that project come to light over the past couple weeks was so intriguing and fascinating,” Snyder said.
The mural was supported by a 2026 grant from the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, awarded to the Key West Art Center. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for the new campus landmark.
The college is also preparing for several community events in September.
CFK Poetics will be held at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Tennessee Williams Theatre on the Key West campus. The free event will feature a live reading by visiting poet Blas Falconer, followed by an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.
English professor Dr. Emily Weekly coordinates the annual CFK Poetics program, which brings visiting poets to the Keys to interact with students, employees and the community.
The college will also host its annual Constitution Day celebration at 11 a.m. Sept. 17 in the library on the Key West campus.
The event will feature Chief Judge Ed Scales of Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal as the guest speaker. Representatives from the League of Women Voters will also help attendees learn about voter registration, and participants will receive a free pocket Constitution.
The Constitution Day event is open to the public and will also be livestreamed on the college’s Facebook page.
Snyder said the college is focused on helping its approximately 1,300 students achieve their educational goals while continuing to provide opportunities for the broader community.
“We are excited to welcome them back this fall,” Snyder said. “We’ve got more coming.”
For more information, click here: https://cfk.edu/