(Sarasota, FL, May 2, 2005) – Every Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Academic Advisors set up shop in the breezeway of the Manatee Community College Venice Student Services building to advise students who want to continue their college education beyond the associate’s degree, or who need classes to maintain professional certifications. The advisors also explain the USF Sarasota-Manatee and Manatee Community College 2+2 joint admissions program which combines the resources of the University and the convenience of the Community College, putting students starting at the Community College on a track for a baccalaureate degree through USF.

USF Sarasota-Manatee South recently celebrated its one-year anniversary of offering classes at MCC Venice through a partnership with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice. USF Sarasota-Manatee provides residents with course work in Education, Business, Interdisciplinary Social Science, and the Bachelor of Applied Science (A.S. to B.S.) in General Business Administration and Criminology baccalaureate degree programs.

“USF Sarasota-Manatee provides the prestige of a nationally ranked research university on a convenient local campus. We continue to grow our programs to better serve our community and business needs here in south Sarasota County,” said Susan Freeman, director of USF Sarasota-Manatee South.