Georgia L. Lorenz installed as Seminole State College’s third President

Photo: (L-R) Ad interim trustees Daniel O'Keefe and Dr. Tina Calderone, Seminole State President Dr. Georgia L. Lorenz, District Board of Trustees Chair Scott D. Howat, and District Board of Trustees Vice-Chair Alex Setzer following the installation of Dr. Lorenz as the third president of Seminole State College on Friday, March 22, 2019.  (Photo by Courtney Kiefer, Seminole State College).

Seminole State College of Florida installed Georgia L. Lorenz, Ph.D., as its third President during an Inauguration held at the College’s Sanford/Lake Mary Campus on Friday, March 22.  
Dr. Lorenz succeeds Dr. E. Ann McGee, who served as President for 22 years from 1996 to 2018, and Dr. Earl S. Weldon, who was the first President hired in 1965 and served for 30 years until his retirement in 1996.

Click here to view photos of the Inauguration. 

Dr. Lorenz most recently served as the vice president of Academic Affairs at Santa Monica College in California and brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education to Seminole State and is eager to build on Seminole State's legacy.

"During her first months on campus, Dr. Lorenz has hit the ground running. She has immersed herself in meeting students, staff and faculty and listening to, and learning from, each person she has encountered," said Scott Howat, chair of the District Board of Trustees. "She has become a student of our College, our culture, our needs and our community. We know Dr. Lorenz will honor the Seminole State legacy and the work that has led us to where we are today. She is a highly educated and insightful leader, a strategic planner and a warm, honest individual who is committed to educating our community’s students and helping them to discover their passion and reach their fullest potential."

Her primary goals are for the College to continue to shine academically; provide a launch pad for students wanting to continue their education or start or advance their careers; serve as a nexus and resource for the community; and facilitate connections and engagement between schools, colleges and universities, community organizations, chambers, and business and industry.

“As I embark on my tenure as the third President of Seminole State College, I am deeply touched,” said Lorenz. “I have been afforded the chance to be part of a legacy. A legacy that began 53 years ago in a former citrus grove in Central Florida. A legacy that took us from a handful of portable classrooms in Sanford/Lake Mary to six sites across Seminole County; from 750 students to nearly 30,000; from offering tens of programs and degrees to more than 200. A legacy that began with a visionary – Dr. Earl Weldon, our first President. A legacy that continued with Dr. E. Ann McGee whose leadership helped make Seminole State the powerhouse it is today.” 

In honor of Dr. Lorenz's Inauguration, the faculty, staff and students of Seminole State are holding a series of events and volunteer projects including the launch of the Raiders Helping Raiders Pantry to help students in need and a Student Emergency Assistance Fundraising Drive.

A 2016 study by the National Conference of State Legislatures, found that 48 percent of U.S. college students reported facing food insecurities. When students are forced to pick between food or their education, the study found that both their health and academic performance suffered. 

To help Seminole State students in need, the College, along with Destination Graduation, a partnership with the Heart of Florida United Way, and its new affiliation as an official Second Harvest Food Bank Partner Agency, established the pantry. Donations of nonperishable, shelf-stable items and hygiene items are being accepted to stockpile the pantry.

A Student Emergency Assistance Fund Drive has been established to help Seminole State students overcome temporary financial obstacles by providing the resources they need to stay in school and achieve their educational goals.

By offering the right assistance at the right time, the College’s goal is the help students overcome temporary financial obstacles by providing the resources they need to stay in school and achieve their educational goals.