August 15, 2024
Lake-Sumter State College Breaks Ground of New $17.5 Million Workforce Development Center In Leesburg
By Kyle Coppola
Lake-Sumter State College Breaks Ground of New $17.5 Million Workforce Development Center In Leesburg
LEESBURG, Fla. — Lake-Sumter State College held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday morning for its new Workforce Development Center, a $17.5 million project set to transform the Leesburg Campus. The ceremony marked the beginning phase on the approximately 40,000-square-foot facility, funded by the State Legislature in 2023 with the approval of Governor Ron DeSantis and the State Board of Education.
(Lake-Sumter State College President Heather Bigard and Bret Jones along with others were part of the groundbreaking ceremony.)
The Workforce Development Center will serve as a hub for innovation and collaboration, designed to connect Lake-Sumter State College students with local employers and the broader community. The facility aims to enhance hands-on learning experiences and provide state-of-the-art resources to support economic growth in Lake County.
“This is not only an exciting day for our college but for the entire community,” said Heather Bigard, President of Lake-Sumter State College. “This center will lead us into a new era of connecting our students with employers and partners, becoming an educational beacon for economic development in Lake County.”
(From left to right, LSSC President Heather Bigard, Chair, District Board of Trustees Bret Jones, Senator Dennis Baxley and Representative Keith Truenow.)
Bigard emphasized the center’s potential to drive economic growth and expand the college’s offerings in business and technology. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made the project possible, including Governor DeSantis, Senator Dennis Baxley, Representative Keith Truenow, Lake County Board of County Commissioners Kirby Smith and local leadership.
Bret Jones, Chairman of the Lake-Sumter State College District Board of Trustees, highlighted the significance of the project, noting that it represents the first major construction on the Leesburg Campus in 17 years since the Science and Math building. “This center will have a major positive influence on our county and become an integral part of the community,” Jones said.
(The new $17.5 Million project will have a positive impact on the future of our community.)
State Senator Dennis Baxley praised the collaboration between the college and the community, stating, “This groundbreaking shows what can happen when communities collaborate. So much good can come through relationships with our state colleges. This is a perfect example.”
State Representative Keith Truenow echoed Baxley’s sentiments, calling workforce development a top priority. “We have to take the time to lead, and today, we are taking a leading role. This is where our future leaders will emerge,” Truenow said.
(LSSC President Heather Bigard speaks about the collective effort that went into getting this project off the ground.)
Kirby Smith, a Lake County Commissioner, described the event as a momentous occasion that will shape the future of the community. “This center symbolizes a shared vision of growth, opportunity, and progress. The collaboration involved in bringing this project to life has been nothing short of inspiring,” Smith said.
While a time-frame on the completion of the The Workforce Development Center is not known, the college needs to tare down an old building where construction is planned. My guess is a late 2025 or 2026 opening. I am so excited for the future students who will be able to take advantage of this amazing building. The future looks bright for Lake-Sumter State College!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
