Columbia County Report: FGC Athletic Director shares ‘Golden’ mentality across campus

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LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) -Florida Gateway College athletics returned to campus just five years ago but since then has been led by a director with a gold medal mentality.

“Now I’m going to get to serve all of our students,” said Rebecca Golden. She gave the athletic department her Midas touch by not only developing returning sports like basketball and cross country.

Golden also helped bring new athletic programs on campus like e-sports and women’s flag football. She and her husband were once college athletes in Nebraska. She said athletic scholarships can make a big difference for a student trying to complete their degree.

“It was kinda the athletic portion and that pot of students, now it’s going to be all students and the way I’m gonna be able to serve them is through scholarships,” added Golden. “So matching scholarships to the right students. Be able to help them further their education, give them the opportunity to attend college in some cases and others, enhance that experience.”

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The men’s basketball and women’s cross country teams reached the national level this past season. Cross country ranked 11th in the nation and Golden said credit goes to her coaches.

“Our coaches have so much knowledge and they pour into our kids that we couldn’t do it without them,” added Golden. “So that by far was my most glorious achieve, you know excitement about building this program is to be at that elite status in only five years.”

Golden starts the new gig at The Foundation for FGC on July 1.

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Registration is open for the fall semester at FGC and all students are getting a $300 bookstore voucher. If students register by June 1, they enter the running to win a $100 gas card. Only five gas cards are being given out. The Fall semester starts on August 22.

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