About the Center at Celebration
In September 2001, Stetson University opened its $7.2 million graduate studies center at Celebration.
The Stetson University Center offers master's degree programs in business administration, marriage and family therapy, school counseling and educational leadership, with courses in professional development for educators and information technology. The Stetson University Center also includes state-of-the-art facilities for business case studies, a Family Counseling Center and an Educational Training Center.
The 36,000-square-foot Stetson University Center is located on 1.1 acres at 800 Celebration Ave. in downtown Celebration, across from the K-8 Celebration School and Founder's Park.
In order to provide a recognizable icon for both Celebration and Stetson University, the New York architectural firm Deamer + Phillips designed a semi-circular building that features a continuous façade, avoiding front, back or side distinctions. The architects blended the center's design with bordering wetlands, which have been carefully preserved. With a window in every classroom, the pristine wetlands provide an aesthetic view for faculty, staff and students. Shades of wetland green are incorporated into the center's interior décor and complement the exterior.
Stetson University's involvement with Celebration began in 1992 when faculty members provided direction and leadership in the development of Osceola County's Celebration School, which opened in 1996. The Stetson University Center works with the public Celebration School in a professional development consortium with Johns Hopkins University, the University of Central Florida and Auburn University.
Florida's first private university, Stetson University serves undergraduate and graduate students at its main campus in DeLand, and more than 700 at the College of Law in St. Petersburg. Stetson consistently ranks among the South's top regional universities in U.S. News and World Report's annual "America's Best Colleges" edition. A comprehensive university committed to undergraduate and graduate teaching, Stetson emphasizes faculty-student research and offers distinctive programs in law, business, music and the arts and sciences. A Stetson hallmark is the incorporation of values, ethics and social responsibility into education.
Celebration is an innovative new community that successfully combines architecture, education, health and technology to promote a strong sense of community. Founded in 1994, Celebration is home to approximately 8,000 residents, two Osceola County public schools, an 18-hole public golf course, parks and recreation areas, a medical center and a downtown with some 20 shops and restaurants.