
Student clubs spark competition at first Engineering Olympics
Nearly 100 Florida Polytechnic University students put their engineering skills to the test at the University’s first-ever Engineering Olympics on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Nearly 100 Florida Polytechnic University students put their engineering skills to the test at the University’s first-ever Engineering Olympics on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Just two years after graduating from Florida Polytechnic University, Melia Rodriguez ’24 is putting her skills to work on technology used by one of the world’s leading providers of real estate data and analytics. As a software engineer at CoStar Group in Richmond, Virginia, she develops tools that help support critical business operations and the company’s expansion into new international markets.

When Colby Manrodt ’26 stepped up to become president of the Student Government Association (SGA) at Florida Polytechnic University in the fall of 2025, he prioritized strengthening students’ sense of community and restructuring the organization. Now in his second term, the now graduate student aims to take those goals even further.

The Detroit Tigers and Florida Polytechnic University are launching a new partnership that brings together data science, academic research and professional sports to tackle real-world challenges in player health and performance.

Florida Polytechnic University’s data science and computer science programs are earning top recognition in newly released rankings from Research.com, including No. 1 spots among Florida’s public universities and a top 20 national ranking for the University’s undergraduate data science degree.

More than a dozen students, scholars and faculty from around the world are expanding their research and academic experiences through a growing range of international exchange programs at Florida Polytechnic University this semester.

Engineering and technology fields dominate the nation’s highest-paying college majors, according to a recent analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. At Florida Polytechnic University, students are preparing for careers at the forefront of those high-demand, high-wage fields.

Florida Polytechnic University’s Phoenix Racing solidified its position among elite international competitors with a top U.S. finish at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix this week, securing a place in the upcoming Elektrek American Solar Challenge.

Florida Polytechnic University and the City of Auburndale are partnering to provide home venues for the University’s newly launched athletics program. Florida Poly will now host practices, home games and special events for several sports at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, Auburndale Softball Complex and the Auburndale Community Center.

The Florida Polytechnic University Police Department earned reaccreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, affirming its continued commitment to professional standards, accountability and service. It is an important milestone as the department introduces a series of improvements under Police Chief Aaron Murray’s leadership.

Skylar Limburg is spending her summer turning classroom concepts into real-world impact through an internship at HID Global, a worldwide provider of secure identity and access control solutions. She is helping protect technologies used by millions of people every day in schools, businesses, hospitals and other facilities.

Every online Amazon order triggers a complex, behind-the-scenes system, speeding the product to its recipient as quickly and efficiently as possible. This summer, Florida Polytechnic University senior Megan Demeritt is getting an inside look at those operations while helping make them even better as an area manager intern with the e-commerce giant.

Florida Polytechnic University’s Phoenix Racing team is preparing for its first 1,500-mile cross-country solar race, the centerpiece of two national competitions in Minnesota this month. The team will compete in the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix and the Electrek American Solar Challenge, a grueling endurance race from the Twin Cities to Texas.

Gov. Ron DeSantis approved $19 million for Florida Polytechnic University in the state’s 2026-2027 budget on Monday, June 29, fueling the University’s continued growth and expansion as Florida’s only public STEM university.

Florida Polytechnic University had the largest one-year performance gain among all state universities in the Florida Board of Governors’ 2025-26 Performance-Based Funding Model, earning a score of 87 out of 100 and securing nearly $11 million in performance funding.

Florida Polytechnic University graduates earn the highest salaries among alumni from Florida’s public universities five years after graduation, according to a recent analysis by the Tampa Bay Business Journal based on new Florida Department of Education data.

The Florida Polytechnic University Foundation Board of Directors has new leadership, five new members, and five reappointed community leaders. The Florida Poly Board of Trustees approved the appointments on May 22.

Few coaches can match a resume that includes winning an NBA championship alongside Michael Jordan and leading a college program to sustained success on the national stage. Dennis Hopson has done both. Florida Poly has named Hopson as the first head coach of its Men’s Basketball program.