Business & Economy

Florida Virtual Campus touts new brand, FloridaShines, at national conference

The Florida Virtual Campus promoted their new brand, FloridaShines, at the 2016 Future of Education Technology Conference in Orlando, Florida last week. Launched last summer, FloridaShines is Florida’s student hub of innovative educational services and acts as the state’s official website for an array of online tools to help students plan their education, succeed in school and prepare for careers.

“Every student can shine,” said Dr. Pam Northrup, senior associate provost and chief executive officer of the Innovation Institute at the University of West Florida. “FloridaShines provides online access to the information and tools students need to succeed in school and prepare for the increasingly competitive global economy.”

FloridaShines.org provides information and online tools to help middle and high school students plan for college and their careers. Students can:
– Stay on track for high school graduation by using the high school academic progress evaluation
– Make a plan to pay for college by using the eligibility evaluation for a Bright Futures Scholarship
– Check out profiles of all of Florida’s public colleges and universities
– Learn how to earn credit for college while still in high school
– Find the right career path using MyCareerShines.org

FloridaShines also offers an array of student services for college students. Students can:
– Register for an online course at any of the state’s colleges and universities
– Apply for a course at another college or university
– Review their transcript online at any time
– Check out a book from any college or university in the state

The Future of Education Technology Conference is an annual event that brings together educators and technology experts to exchange expertise and experience for using technology to improve teaching and learning. FloridaShines is one of the successful strategies showcased at the conference, which also features the latest hardware and software for students from kindergarten to college.

“FloridaShines leverages the power of the web to help students find the information, resources and tools to succeed in school and beyond,” said Northup. “Whether your next step is college or a career, FloridaShines.org is the place to find everything you need under the sun to make a solid plan for your future.”

The Florida Virtual Campus is an initiative of the University of West Florida Innovation Institute which administrates, facilitates and coordinates service for all 40 higher education institutions and K-12 school districts throughout the state. UWF Innovation Institute collaborative educational projects, like the Florida Virtual Campus, have a substantial impact in support of all students in Florida from their initial college direction to college success and assistance in identifying careers.