From world-class faculty and high-achieving students to dedicated academic success coaches and staff who excel at coordinating research grants, the 麻豆原创 community contributes so much to creating a better future for our students and our state.<\/p>\n
Their determined pursuit of excellence and transformation of knowledge into breakthroughs have catapulted 麻豆原创 to become Florida\u2019s Next-Generation Preeminent University<\/a>.<\/p>\n President Alexander N. Cartwright announced Monday that 麻豆原创 has reached the 12 metrics required to earn the designation of Preeminent State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors. Qualifying for the state\u2019s highest designation highlights 麻豆原创\u2019s achievements in student success, research and more \u2014 and the talents and hard work of so many in the 麻豆原创 community who made this happen.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the very beginning, 麻豆原创 has been a university that defies expectations, turning scrubland into a next-generation university built for discovery, innovation and opportunity,\u201d President Cartwright says. \u201cReaching the 12 metrics necessary for Florida\u2019s Preeminent State Research University designation reflects the grit and ambition of our students, faculty, and staff, and the power of this community to dream bigger and achieve more. Preeminence is not an arrival point but a launchpad for an even bolder future.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an extraordinary accomplishment, and one that reflects the collective efforts of our faculty, staff, students, and leadership team \u2014 with this Board\u2019s unwavering support,\u201d says Board of Trustees Chair Alex Martins ’01MBA<\/strong>. \u201cIt is a milestone that belongs to the entire 麻豆原创 community, and I am proud we have reached this point together.\u201d<\/p>\n 麻豆原创 adopted a new model of student success support in 2023 with academic success coaches. Each student is paired with a success coach who works one-on-one with them, helping them develop their academic and career goals, and guiding them on the path to success. Success coaches help remove barriers for students and empower them to thrive on campus and beyond.<\/p>\n When DirectConnect to 麻豆原创 student Hayley Ellis transferred from Daytona State College, she had to adjust to a much larger school in a new city. Mostly homeschooled growing up, Ellis is an aspiring pathologist double majoring in health sciences<\/a>, and molecular and cellular biology<\/a>.<\/p>\n Just as she began feeling overwhelmed in Organic Chemistry<\/em>, senior academic success coach Christian Viau reached out to champion her success.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I got [Christian\u2019s] email, I was like, \u2018Someone here wants me to succeed and help me map out my classes,\u2019 \u201d Ellis says. \u201cThat was a huge relief. It felt good to have someone there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think providing [a] support system from inside the institution is vital. As a success coach, that\u2019s a driving factor for me \u2014 because in my undergrad, I would\u2019ve loved to have someone I could lean on.\u201d \u2014 Christian Viau, senior academic success coach<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Since then, they\u2019ve met several times to build a manageable academic schedule and discuss how to get involved and connect with Knights across campus.<\/p>\n Every student Viau works with receives individualized support. That includes Ellis, whom he knew needed extra help due to the unique challenges double majors face. Now approaching graduation, she\u2019s stayed on track to finish in four years.<\/p>\n Thanks to the efforts of Viau and dozens of other academic success coaches across campus, along with caring faculty members who mentor students, and many other people, 麻豆原创 has increased our four-year graduation rate to 63.8%, which is up 14 percentage points in four years.<\/p>\n Another example of efforts that have greatly benefited students is in the College of Arts and Humanities<\/a>, where faculty in writing and rhetoric<\/a> are strengthening student success in first-year composition courses. Shane Wood, associate professor and director of first-year composition and Professor Sherry Rankins-Robertson facilitated a progress report initiative that identifies at-risk students early in Composition I<\/em> and II<\/em> courses. Students are then connected to support and resources to help them succeed in these subjects, which nearly every 麻豆原创 student takes, and which directly affect key preeminence metrics like freshman retention and four-year graduation rates.<\/p>\n \u201cServing more than 6,500 students a year, success in these [composition] courses plays a pivotal role in helping students persevere at 麻豆原创 and ultimately graduate.\u201d \u2014 Shane Wood, associate professor<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What began as a small pilot program with about 10% faculty participation has grown to be embraced by nearly 90% of instructors today. That shift has contributed to a remarkable 96% persistence rate, which measures percentage of students who continue, in composition courses \u2014 helping bolster student success across the university.<\/p>\n \u201cServing more than 6,500 students a year, success in these courses plays a pivotal role in helping students persevere at 麻豆原创 and ultimately graduate,\u201d Wood says.<\/p>\n Rankins-Robertson says the initiative also reflects the dedication of faculty who support students from their very first semester.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to make students feel like they belong here, and when they feel supported, they\u2019re more likely to continue,\u201d Rankins-Robertson says. \u201cPreeminence, to me, highlights the dedication of our faculty and the intentional ways they approach the classroom in order to make a meaningful impact on students\u2019 lives.\u201d<\/p>\n 麻豆原创\u2019s world-class faculty are bold innovators who drive over $285 million in annual research expenditures across fields like space exploration, engineering, optics and photonics, modeling and simulation, healthcare, cybersecurity and more. Their work has helped 麻豆原创 become a National Academy of Inventors top 20 public university for patents in the U.S. \u2014 and meet preeminence metrics.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the Office of Technology Transfer showcases 麻豆原创 innovations, we not only generate interest in licensing intellectual property, but also create pathways for industry partnerships that extend far beyond licensing alone.\u201d \u00a0\u2014 Svetlana Shtrom \u201908MBA<\/strong>, director of Technology Transfer<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Office of Technology Transfer, which oversees the filing and issuance of patents, is part of the university\u2019s Economic Development and Innovation division within the Office of Research. Technology Transfer plays an integral role in overseeing research commercialization, strengthening industry relationships and facilitating formation of new startup companies. Supporting the efforts of the Technology Transfer team are a host of \u00a0other Office of Research staff who submit proposals, process funding awards and much more.<\/p>\n \u201c麻豆原创\u2019s Office of Technology Transfer is dedicated to serving the university research community by identifying innovative research that has commercial potential and attracts interest from industry partners, entrepreneurs, and investors with the goal of bringing promising research results to the market for the betterment of society,\u201d says Svetlana Shtrom \u201908MBA<\/strong>, director of Technology Transfer.<\/p>\n Being a strong producer of patents enhances 麻豆原创\u2019s national prominence, attracting more talented students and researchers who further fuel the cycle of innovation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are committed to supporting researchers, entrepreneurs and stakeholders in turning ideas into impact,\u201d says Raju Nagaiah, Technology Transfer\u2019s assistant director of licensing. \u201cWe are passionateabout our work \u2014 we love science and technology, and get very excited when we learn about new inventions and the opportunity to improve people’s lives through innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n Companies frequently approach the Technology Transfer to explore available technologies, and this often leads to deeper research collaborations and more funding opportunities for faculty, Shtrom says.<\/p>\n Preeminence also acknowledges the many ways that students excel in the classroom and transform ideas into impact.<\/p>\n Zackary Zuniga, a dual major undergraduate student studying photonics science and engineering<\/a>, and electrical engineering<\/a>, founded ZuLeris Interactive in 2023 after taking 麻豆原创\u2019s Entrepreneurship for Defense <\/em>course. The company, now part of the 麻豆原创 Business Incubation Program, creates immersive simulations for electromagnetic defense training.<\/p>\n \u201cAt 麻豆原创, I found a community that supported me every step of the way,\u201d Zuniga says. \u201cFrom mentors to the entrepreneurship ecosystem, I\u2019ve never experienced this level of encouragement anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n Set to graduate in December, Zuniga and his team spent the summer on a national fellowship sponsored by the Defense Innovation Unit, which focuses on helping startup companies. He credits 麻豆原创 for connecting him with opportunities that have shaped his startup, allowing it to make training more accessible and scalable.<\/p>\n As 麻豆原创 attracts top talent, strengthens industry partnerships and drives innovation that benefits the state and nation, the university\u2019s impact is felt across key sectors \u2014 from healthcare and nursing to space and defense \u2014 positioning 麻豆原创 as a vital contributor to Florida\u2019s prosperity.<\/p>\n For the 2025-26 academic year, 麻豆原创 boasts its strongest class in years. The university received a record 65,900 applicants from first-year students for 8,100 spots in the Summer and Fall 2025 semesters. The average high school GPA for fall freshmen was 4.24 and the class posted a 1347 average SAT score.<\/p>\n When it comes to preeminence, the Board of Governors must first verify the results of 麻豆原创\u2019s 12 metrics. Once verified, the 12 metrics will come before the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees for approval in April 2026, and would then move onto the Board of Governors for certification and official designation in June.<\/p>\n President Cartwright shared that his priority for any new dollars that come with the official preeminence designation is investment in the faculty and staff who propel the university\u2019s excellence.<\/p>\n From there, the sky is the limit as 麻豆原创 continues to build on our innovations in student success at scale, grow as Florida\u2019s Premier University for Engineering, Technology and Innovation, and become a top 25 public research university.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 麻豆原创 has achieved 12 metrics to earn the state\u2019s highest designation \u2014 a credit to the university community\u2019s talents and dedication.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":149098,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[54523,15992,3,5,23,24,27],"tags":[18104,19309,650,658,17023,7309,17177,973,11,16873,979,4869,981,982,3488,54808,14916,4068,54810,54809,18102,4554],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-149084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-alumni","category-arts","category-colleges","category-research","category-science-technology","category-student-life","tag-academic-excellence","tag-alexander-cartwright","tag-burnett-honors-college","tag-business-incubation-program","tag-college-of-arts-and-humanities","tag-college-of-business","tag-college-of-community-innovation-and-education","tag-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","tag-graduate-studies","tag-college-of-health-professions-and-sciences","tag-college-of-medicine","tag-college-of-nursing","tag-college-of-optics-and-photonics","tag-college-of-sciences","tag-office-of-technology-transfer","tag-preeminence","tag-research","tag-rosen-college-of-hospitality-management","tag-shane-wood","tag-sherry-rankins-roberston","tag-student-success","tag-svetlana-shtrom"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nA Community Dedicated to Student Success<\/h2>\n
\nFrom Ingenuity to Impact: Boosting Research Funding and Technology Transfer<\/h2>\n
\nDriving Student Achievement and Innovation<\/h2>\n
\nLeading Florida\u2019s Future<\/h2>\n
\nWhat Comes Next<\/h2>\n