After more than a year of planning, research and work, Flagler College had its accreditation reaffirmed with no recommendations for improvement by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) at their 2019 Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas this week.

Just in time for the holidays, historical tours of Flagler College’s Hotel Ponce de Leon will begin to run on the hour, every hour, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. beginning Monday, Dec. 16. The expanded tour schedule will last until Dec. 31.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, Flagler College will hold fall commencement exercises for graduating seniors. Approximately 136 students will receive diplomas at the Flagler College Gymnasium.

Grab your hats and hang onto your broomsticks as campus is transformed into Flagler College School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. From Nov. 11-15, enjoy a variety of events across campus as a tribute to Harry Potter. From being sorted into your house to dining in the Great Hall, this week is sure to bring a little magic into your life.

The Flagler College Student Government Association was honored Monday at City hall during Florida City Government Week.

Flagler College’s Adult & Continuing Education launched new courses in its Corporate Training & Professional Development program (CTPD), which includes over 75 new online certification and training courses. Courses can begin anytime, according to the student’s scheduling needs.

The Adult and Continuing Education program’s Fall B semester for Lifelong Learning begins on Oct. 28. New classes to be offered include the Wine International Tour Series, Spanish Gypsy Skirt Dance, Smooth Jazz Guitar and Afro-Caribbean Dance. Classes meet once a week for six weeks and are affordable, non-degree seeking courses.

The Gargoyle, Flagler College’s student-led online newspaper, is a finalist for an Online Pacemaker award through the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP), one of the preeminent national college media associations and contests in the country. The Gargoyle has been a finalist once before.

This year, Saints with their friends and families, reunited for the inaugural Saints Weekend (formerly Family Weekend) from Sept. 27-29. A wide variety of events took place both on Flagler’s campus and out in the St. Augustine community in order to take in everything St. Augustine has to offer. Over 150 families, as well as Flagler College faculty and staff, participated in the fun-filled weekend.

Flagler College will host the second-annual “Designathon” beginning Friday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. During this 24-hour event, a team of graphic design students, faculty and alumni will offer their creative services pro bono to local nonprofit organizations to assist with branding and advertising.

Historic Ponce de Leon Hall’s kitchen and serving area renovation project was completed this summer. Construction work began on May 6 and the dining hall opened on Saturday, Aug. 24, for the first day of move-in for incoming students.

Flagler College was ranked fourth in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Colleges guide for the Best Regional Colleges in the South. Flagler also secured a seventh best ranking on the Best Value list in the South regional category, the number two spot for Most Innovative, and for Best Undergraduate Teaching tied for fourth with LaGrange College for colleges in the South.

For many of our neighbors, Move-in Day is a day of welcome to our newest community members. On Aug. 24 you can show your Flagler pride and welcome your new Flagler College neighbors by proudly displaying a “Welcome Back Students” sign in your yard or at your place of business. Simply contact Beth Sweeny at 904-826-8679 to request one.

The annual Princeton Review has included Flagler College in its 2020 guidebook, “The Best 385 Colleges.” Flagler has been featured in the prestigious college admissions guide since 2003, as well as other college rankings like U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges.”

Carol Branson, the Senior Director of Communications and Marketing at Hanover College, has been named Flagler College’s new Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

Dr. Wayne Riggs has been named the new Dean of Flagler College Tallahassee, effective Aug. 1. Riggs was Associate Professor of History and Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences at Flagler College in St. Augustine.

“Pirates, Protest and Preservation: Exploring the Stories of St. Augustine,” a Flagler summer seminar in partnership with the Florida Humanities Council, ran June 16-24. This residential program has hosted high school juniors and seniors on Flagler’s campus every summer for the past four years.

On June 14, Dr. Leslee Keys, assistant professor and director of historic preservation and special initiatives, presented at the 2019 Post-Legislative Conference with the Property Appraisers’ Association of Florida (PAAF).

The Historic St. Augustine Research Institute, a group that contributes to local historic preservation efforts, have awarded their annual William L. Proctor award of $1,000 to Dr. Denise Bossy for her most recent book, “The Yamasee Indians From Florida to South Carolina” (University of Nebraska Press, 2018) for its outstanding scholarly work pertaining to the Yamasee Indians. HSARI hosts this juried award competition for writing focused in the areas of history, archaeology and historic architecture related to St. Augustine.

Tours of the Hotel Ponce de Leon, a national historic landmark now home to Flagler College, kicks off its summer schedule today by running tours on the hour starting at 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. each day.