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Ribbon cutting ceremony for the Flagler/Palm Coast Amphitheater, plus a check presentation for scholarships.Daytona State College Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Flagler/Palm Coast Campus Amphitheater

Daytona State College hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovated Allen Smolen Amphitheater at the Flagler/Palm Coast Campus on Wednesday, April 30. The event coincided with the kickoff of the 2025 Songwriters Festival and took place as part of a special charity show.

The Palm Coast Songwriters Festival also provided the DSC Foundation a $6,000 donation to support scholarships for students attending Daytona State College.

Renovations to the Allen Smolen Amphitheater included several major upgrades:

  • The roof over the audience seating area was expanded to provide additional reserved seating, with larger, more comfortable seats.
  • The roof over the stage was extended to cover the rear of the stage, creating a sheltered backstage area for performers and staff.
  • A new service drive was added, allowing performers to unload equipment directly behind the stage.
  • A restroom was installed in the Green Room for artists.
  • The stage received updated audio wiring, new audiovisual capabilities, upgraded LED performance lighting and modernized house lighting and controls.
  • The internal one-way campus road was expanded to two lanes to help ease event traffic on Palm Coast Parkway.
  • A new lighted sidewalk was added for pedestrian safety, and the area outside the amphitheater was expanded to accommodate food trucks and outdoor dining.

The total cost of the renovations was $3,310,026. Speakers at the ribbon cutting included DSC President Dr. Tom LoBasso, Dr. Randy Howard, chair of the DSC District Board of Trustees, and Garry Lubi, District Board of Trustees member.

 

Expanding the On-Campus Living Experience

DSC's second residence hall renderingOur capital campaign to build a second student residence hall on the Daytona Beach Campus is underway and you are invited to help our students!

 

The new facility, which is expected to house approximately 256 students, could open as early as Fall 2026.

Our first residence hall has been a resounding success. It opened to full capacity in Fall 2022. It is already at full capacity for the upcoming academic year. And we have received more than 1,000 student housing applications in less than one year. 

When we began studying the possibility of building housing on campus in 2018, a study we commissioned showed the college could support more than 500 students. Initial plans for the second residence hall call for approximately 52,000 square feet of space and approximately 256 beds.

We know that students who live on campus are more engaged with their instructors, utilize academic support systems more frequently, and participate more in on-campus activities.

With the DSC Foundation, we’re launching a $15 million capital campaign. Donations from the community will ensure our residence hall will be an affordable and accessible option for students. We need your support. Make your gift here, or contact the Daytona State College Foundation at Foundation@DaytonaState.edu or by calling (386) 506-3195.

You can learn more at the new residence hall web page and keep tabs on the campaign’s progress. 

Fundraising campaign thermometer

Outstanding Employee Rachael Dougherty

Honoring Employee Rachael Dougherty

It is with great pleasure that I share news of Rachael Dougherty receiving a Service Excellence Award this week at our Senior Executive Staff meeting.

A native of Clearwater, Rachael led learning development with the City of Port Orange, USF and Seminole County, providing programs featuring hands-on activities and discussions that led to cross-organization collaboration.

Rachael joined us in 2022 as a project director, funded through a WAVe grant under the Career and Technical Education Pipeline program. In this role, she ensured that career pathways programs had the equipment and supplies needed to prepare high school students for a successful transition to DSC. In 2023 she was named director of the Department of Learning & Development and is now key to so many of the College’s successful training events.

Rachael consistently demonstrates initiative, adaptability and sharp problem-solving skills that improve processes and boost efficiency. She manages multiple projects with ease. This year alone she provided oversight and leadership for the Fall and Spring Planning Weeks and the Academic Excellence Symposium, supported chair leadership training and transformed Adjunct Excellence Day into a multi-event series for part-time faculty. She’s also overseen ongoing development efforts like the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) modules and upcoming staff education days.

Please join us in congratulating Rachael for her outstanding service and commitment to our mission.

Outstanding Employee Koby Klayson

Honoring Employee Koby Klayson

It is with great pleasure that I share news of Koby Klayson receiving a Service Excellence Award this week at our Senior Executive Staff meeting.

 Koby joined us first as a student, having graduated from Seabreeze High School. Following a stint as an intern in the Marketing & Communications Department, he jumped at an opportunity to take on a full-time position with the Department of Academic Innovation in 2023.

Koby has taken the lead with Learning Management System training support for faculty and was one of the first PowerBI users outside of IT and Institutional Research / Institutional Effectiveness, supporting data-driven discussions around faculty development and student achievement. He has also worked with the teaching and learning team to promote the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) courses, contributing to a rise in the number of DSC faculty earning national teaching certifications – an achievement shown to boost student success.

Koby has played a key role in appropriate use of AI in academic settings, creating an AI flowchart for faculty that supports the development of AI literacy grounded in academic integrity. He has also been instrumental in supporting the College’s online peer review process, coordinating actions tied to Quality and High Quality course designations in the Florida Sunshine catalog.

Even though much of his work is behind the scenes, his technical, organizational and communication skills have benefitted thousands of students, and he has proven himself to be a valuable member of the DSC family. 

Please join us in congratulating Koby for his outstanding service and commitment to our mission.

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