Santa Fe College’s student success story highlighted by Carnegie Classifications

May 7, 2026

The Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education explores Santa Fe College’s “culture of care” in a national article about the people and programs that helped earn the College one of the nation’s first designations as an “Opportunity College.” The article was published today, May 7, 2026.

Opportunity Colleges and Universities Profile Series: Santa Fe College 

In 2025, Carnegie Classifications changed its evaluation system of higher education institutions to expand from what it called “prestige” ratings of research universities to ones that considered outcomes for students and graduates. As a result, Santa Fe College was recognized for its highly successful approach to serving a diverse range of students, who go on to earn 30 percent higher wages than the regional average.

Out of nearly 4,000 colleges and universities recognized by Carnegie Classifications, Santa Fe College was one of a select few to receive the "Opportunity College" designation. Only six public colleges and universities in the State of Florida, and just two in the Florida College System, received this highest distinction.

The Carnegie Classifications are the nation’s leading framework for categories describing colleges and universities in the United States, metrics frequently used for benchmarking by policymakers, funders and researchers. The Classifications are run by the American Council on Education (ACE), along with Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

At the time of last year’s recognition, Dr. Paul Broadie II, SF President, said: “This reflects the result of our unwavering commitment to student success, access and economic mobility. Our very foundation is grounded on academic excellence, providing a culture of care for all students, and our focus on fulfilling our mission as a higher education institution. This prepares our students for success in the classroom, at their transfer institutions, and in the workplace.”

In today’s article, Dr. Broadie expands on the college’s approach, which poses the question “Who haven’t we reached yet?”

As he told Carnegie Classifications, “If you want to be an Opportunity College, you can’t be a one-dimensional institution.” 

From successful programs like SF Achieve to ACB Excel, Santa Fe College’s approach to building a college-going culture begins long before college and expands well beyond what many people would consider to be college-going age, supporting everyone seeking to build better lives for themselves and their families and providing economic mobility – regardless of where they are in life.