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Florida Polytechnic University Exceeds Recruitment Expectations

October 7, 2013

LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University has completed its first month of official recruitment for its inaugural class, and those efforts are already exceeding expectations.

The Florida Poly admissions team has received more than 2,000 inquiries and more than 400 applications so far. They expect to receive a total of 2,500 applications before August 2014 when the inaugural class begins.

“We are more than just a center of innovation in an otherwise broad campus,” said Dr. Ghazi Darkazalli, Florida Poly’s vice president of academic affairs. “We are an innovative university through and through with a cutting-edge campus and curriculum, and I think students are attracted to that.”

Florida Poly’s curriculum, which focuses exclusively on applied research in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), will immerse students immediately in their majors and offer opportunities for interdisciplinary research alongside faculty and industry partners. Courses will also emphasize business application and leadership to ensure students are job-ready upon graduation.

Florida Poly will accept a total of 500 freshmen, transfer and graduate students for its fall 2014 entering class.

Earlier this year, the university’s Board of Trustees approved scholarships for that inaugural class that will provide incoming full-time undergraduate students $5,000 per year for the first three years and $3,200 for the fourth year. Graduate students taking 24 credit hours per academic year will receive $9,300 per year for two years. The scholarships are expected to cover nearly all tuition and fees.

Students and parents can learn more about Florida Polytechnic, sign up for a campus tour and even apply online through the university’s undergraduate application or graduate application forms. The application fee will be waived for all students who apply before December 31, 2013.

Session Details

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.