Choosing to GO State put alumna on DirectConnect path to success

When Liane Cartagena enrolled at Seminole State College of Florida in 2010 she knew that she wanted to go through the route of DirectConnect to UCF®. For her, the ease of the transition to University of Central Florida was the most appealing feature. What Cartagena was not prepared for was the connection she would develop with Seminole State culture, faculty and staff during her time as a Raider.

One of Cartagena’s first memories at Seminole State was meeting with advisors and specialists. She said each person she met with always brought so much knowledge of the admissions process. I “I applied knowing I wanted to go through the DirectConnect to UCF® pathway.” Cartagena said.  “Each advisor visit was super informative. They always handed me an educational plan pamphlet, which made it so much easier to enroll in courses afterwards.”

If she wasn’t bonding with her professors or enjoying the small classes at Seminole State, Cartagena would find herself in the library. She said the library was one of her favorite places to study and learn. “The staff always greeted me with kindness and had all the resources ready to recommend for my studies,” she said.

A wonderful DirectConnect to UCF® feature is the ability to take many, if not all, of your UCF courses at Seminole State’s Sanford/Lake Mary Campus. Cartagena said she loves that she never had to take the long drive to Orlando on a daily basis for classes. She was able to attend the same campus where she started at Seminole State and finish her bachelor’s degree in psychology at UCF while never having to deviate from her regular commute. Keeping with the comfort of the familiar, Cartagena said class sizes were still smaller while taking UCF courses on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus.

Now as the community and media relations manager for the City of Longwood, Cartagena recalls that the deep connections with professors and campus staff at Seminole State is a memory she will always hold near and dear to her heart. She is also always ready to recommend studying at Seminole State and going the DirectConnect to UCF® route to any friends and family asking for educational advice. 

In fact, attending Seminole State is a family affair for Cartagena, as her husband, Eddie Vega is on track to graduate this fall 2022 with a bachelor’s in Information Technology with a minor in Cybersecurity.

 When asked what Liane’s opinion of attending Seminole State to get to DirectConnect to UCF® she says, “Having the chance to participate in DirectConnect to UCF at Seminole State facilitated my overall work-study-life experience and allowed me to move toward my current career.”