FRANKLIN WAS FIRST TCC GRAD TO SERVE AS TRUSTEE
BY KELSEY ANDERSON
PHOTO: KELSEY ANDERSON
Sopchoppy native and Wakulla High School graduate Freddie
Franklin was hungry for opportunity when he enrolled at
Tallahassee Community College in 1968. Franklin is among those
who attended TCC when it was still called a junior college, and
he obtained his Associate in Arts degree only five short years
after the College’s birth in 1966.
Reflecting on those early years brought back memories of how
simple college life seemed for students during the 1960s.
“Higher education was much more affordable when I began my
degree, compared to the cost of college today. A quarter’s
tuition only cost about $70 when I started TCC in 1968,” Franklin
said.
Following a stint as a research associate at Florida State University, Franklin became chief administrator
of Miracle Hill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in 1978. He expanded the center from a 60-bed to a 120bed facility, developed an independent living program, and established a foundation to improve the
lives of people in need of quality care in the community.
Throughout his career, Franklin maintained his ties to TCC. In 1980, he became the first graduate of TCC
to serve on the College’s District Board of Trustees and was instrumental in the selection process for
TCC’s third president, James Hinson.
“I was so honored to be appointed by Governor Bob Graham to serve on the board and to be a major
decision maker at my alma mater. It was the first time I realized that a student's interest could be
expressed in the board room through the eyes of a former student who is now a trustee,” said Franklin.
He also served as president of the Florida Health Care Association from 1996 to 1998 and received the
Walter M. Johnson Jr. Circle of Excellence Award in 2003 in recognition of his leadership and dedication
to healthcare services. Franklin resigned from Miracle Hill in 2013 and is now enjoying every minute of
his retirement—including riding on TCC’s 50th anniversary float in the Springtime Tallahassee Grand
Parade on April 2.
“TCC will always have a special place in my heart,” Franklin said.