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Dr. Randy K. Avent, left, president of Florida Polytechnic University, and Alberto López San Miguel, executive director of the Fulbright Commission in Spain, have signed an agreement to provide Spanish faculty and researchers with academic opportunities and experiences at the University.

Florida Poly grows international opportunities with Fulbright Spain pact

November 22, 2021

Florida Polytechnic University has signed an agreement with the U.S.-Spain Fulbright Commission to expand educational opportunities for American and Spanish scholars.

The memorandum of understanding allows teaching and research faculty from Spain to further their work at Florida Poly. Additionally, these senior scholars will work with University faculty members and engage with students in lectures, discussions, and other formats.

Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Polytechnic University, plans to visit the Fulbright Commission in Madrid, Spain, in 2022 to further formalize the effort.

“This agreement helps us provide more opportunities for our students to gain the global perspective that will help them succeed when entering the workforce,” Avent said. “This increases our international stature while also offering excellent academic enrichment for scholars both here and abroad.”

Alberto López San Miguel, executive director of the Fulbright Commission in Spain, said the partnership will provide an excellent pathway for the advancement of knowledge.

“We are looking forward to a collaboration that will provide Spanish scholars with a very enriching research opportunity, fasten ties between Florida Poly and Spanish institutions, and surely render as many success stories as it already has for Fulbrighters from many other countries,” he said.

The agreement with Fulbright Spain is the latest in a series of partnerships between Florida Poly and Fulbright member nations. The University has existing agreements with Canada, Australia, Luxembourg, and Belgium. It has also hosted Fulbright Scholars from Iraq and Germany.

The University can begin hosting Spanish scholars in the fall of 2022 and the opportunities for academic growth are boundless, said Mustapha Achoubane, associate director of international relations at Florida Poly.

“Fulbright is our strategic partner. The common denominator between Florida Poly and Fulbright is academic excellence,” Achoubane said. “Hence, it is natural that Fulbright Scholars choose Florida Poly as their home institution.”

The international Fulbright Program, which is led by the U.S. Department of State, works with more than 160 nations around the globe to increase educational and cultural exchanges to study, learn, and pursue academic and professional projects. Since its inception in 1946, the program has created pathways for learning for more than 400,000 scholars.

 

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This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.

Presenter Profile

Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.