Florida Polytechnic University installed its first president, Dr. Randy K. Avent, at an inauguration ceremony Thursday morning on campus. The event honored Avent, and celebrated the university’s inaugural year achievements, including the opening of the iconic Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building; the arrival of Florida Poly’s first and second classes; and the creation of more than 90 industry partnerships.
Photos and Video of the Inauguration Ceremony
Dr. Randy K. Avent’s Inauguration Speech
Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera; Mori Hosseini, Chairman of the Florida Board of Governors; Marshall Criser, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida and Florida Atlantic University President Dr. John Kelly spoke at the ceremony, which was attended by dozens of other local and state leaders including members of the Board of Governors and many of the university’s industry partners. Fellow leaders from universities and colleges around the state also came to show their support for Avent and Florida Poly, including Florida State President John Thrasher and University of Florida President Dr. W. Kent Fuchs.
The ceremony began with a processional in full regalia, which included all Florida Polytechnic University faculty members. Florida Poly Executive Vice President and Provost, Dr. Ghazi Darkazalli led the ceremony, and Board of Trustees Vice Chair Frank T. Martin installed Avent by presenting him the University’s presidential medallion.
“Florida Poly is dedicated to cultivating and growing our state’s next generation of highly-skilled workers,” said Lt. Governor Lopez-Cantera. “Governor Scott and I congratulate Dr. Avent, the faculty, staff and students at Florida Poly for a remarkable first year and look forward to celebrating many more successes with them in the future.”
During Dr. Avent’s tenure, the university’s student population has nearly doubled year over year since its opening in August 2014. Florida Poly students have participated and placed in a number of hackathons, appathons and engineering fairs, and several have received provisional patents for projects they developed as early as their freshman year. The university attracted more than 20 new faculty members in 2015, and it expects to hire an additional 70 through 2017. It has raised more than $5 million for research. Meanwhile, the Florida Poly Foundation Board has raised more than $10 million to help support the University’s mission and student scholarships.
“Dr. Avent’s leadership during the university’s inaugural year has been quite remarkable,” said Mark Bostick, Chair of the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees. “He and his team have helped create exactly what we wanted: A new and innovative institution of higher learning, worthy of global recognition, that prepares students to be leaders and entrepreneurs in emerging high-tech fields.”
Avent was appointed Florida Poly’s first president in June 2014 by the university’s Presidential Search Committee and confirmed in July 2014 by the Florida Board of Governors. It is common for university presidential installation ceremonies to take place several months after a president’s official appointment and confirmation. Prior to joining Florida Poly, Dr. Avent served as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Research and a Professor of Computer Science at North Carolina State University.
“I’m honored and humbled to be the first president of Florida Polytechnic University,” said Dr. Avent. “I want to thank all of the guests and supporters who came out to celebrate with us today. Our achievements thus far are possible thanks to the visionary leadership of our legislators, community supporters, industry partners, faculty and staff and our outstanding student body. We’ve accomplished so much, and this was just Florida Poly’s first year. Without a doubt, we have a great future of ongoing innovation, problem-solving and advancement ahead of us.”