CRESTVIEW — If the last 20 years are anything to go on, North Okaloosa County residents can expect more courses, services and, hopefully, more parking at Northwest Florida State College’s local campus, administrators said.
The Robert L.F. Sikes Education Center celebrated its 20th year in Crestview Tuesday, growing from a modest four courses to more than 45 today.
One of the school’s original teachers said the biggest change has been in the number of students the campus serves.
“Totally, it’s the growth in the people,” sociology professor Cecelia Rivers said during Tuesday’s anniversary celebration. “This was the library. We rented a couple rooms and I taught some classes in the high school.”
Originally built in 1976 as Crestview’s public library, the stately, Grecian-columned building overlooking Twin Hills Park’s east pond still houses legendary Congressman Bob Sikes office and memorabilia, including a bright chartreuse couch.
“It’s a unique situation because the second floor is frozen in the 1970s and we have 2015 on the first floor with state-of-the-art technology equipment,” NWFSC Director of marketing Stephanie Pettis said.
CONVENIENCE
Local students, such as Crestview resident Taylor Brock, love the campus’ convenience.
“It’s definitely worth not having to go all the way down to Niceville,” she said. “It helps with gas mileage.”
Yet her education is as excellent as if she was at Northwest Florida State’s main campus.
“A lot of the teachers who teach in Niceville teach here in Crestview,” she said. “All of the teachers I have here, I love them. I make good grades here.”
Sikes Center Director Patrice Williams-Shuford and college president Ty Handy said the school hopes to expand its Crestview campus to accommodate more classrooms, labs and class offerings.
“We want to continue to grow,” Williams-Shuford said, adding she encourages local organizations to use the campus’ facilities for meetings and classes.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NWF State College's Crestview campus celebrates 20 years