On July 1, school will be renamed as Tallahassee State College
From TCC
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 522 into law on Wednesday, March 27,, renaming Tallahassee Community College as Tallahassee State College effective July 1.
A group of TCC leaders were invited to attend, including TCC President Jim Murdaugh, Trustees Eugene Lamb Jr., Frank Messersmith, Karen B. Moore, Monte Stevens, and Charlie Ward Jr., Vice President and Chief of Staff Candice Grause, and Student Body President Jullion Griffin. They were joined by SB 522 sponsor Sen. Corey Simon and Sue Dick, President and CEO of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.
“This college does an outstanding job preparing students for success,” said Gov. DeSantis. “Florida is proud to be home to the nation’s finest education system.”
TCC opened as Tallahassee Junior College in 1966. The name was changed to Tallahassee Community College in 1970 to reflect its community orientation and involvement. Now in its 57th year, the College is one of the top-ranked two-year institutions in the nation, having earned prestigious recognitions from organizations like the Aspen Institute, the American Association of Community Colleges, and Achieving the Dream. The College is recognized as the top transfer institution to both Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
“We are so grateful to the governor for taking the time to mark this significant occasion with us,” said Dr. Jim Murdaugh. “The new name reflects who we are as an institution, better recognizing our institutional status and impact. We look forward to moving into the future together as Tallahassee State College.”
The College hired Pace Branding and Marketing (Boca Raton and New York) for consulting services to rebrand the institution. After conducting focus groups, town hall meetings, individual interviews, and online surveys of students, faculty and staff, alumni, and community members, Pace recommended three options for a new name to the District Board of Trustees (DBOT) in November 2023. DBOT members unanimously selected Tallahassee State College. Senator Corey Simon (R-District 3) filed SB 522 on Nov. 17, 2023, and Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-District 7) filed the companion bill, HB 501, in the House, allowing for the name change.
