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Lawmakers Hear from Floridas Heart of High Tech

March 25, 2015

LAKELAND, Fla. (March 25, 2015) – Florida Polytechnic University students and officials filled the Florida Capitol on Wednesday during an annual visit with lawmakers.

Florida Poly Day at the State Capitol included high-tech displays showcasing the University’s innovative mission, signature campus, applied research initiatives, industry partnerships and economic impact on Florida. Students from Florida Poly’s Inaugural Class were on hand to provide lawmakers with personal accounts of their experiences at the state’s newest public higher-education institution.

“Florida Poly Day is a wonderful opportunity for our state leaders to learn more about our University and our mission to prepare students to become innovative problem-solvers and high-tech professionals,” said University President Dr. Randy K. Avent. “The goal at Florida Poly is to be more than a University – we want to be an engine for innovation and a powerful economic driver for Florida.”

Florida Poly welcomed an inaugural class of 540 students on August 25, 2014. Dedicated exclusively to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Florida Poly’s approach to learning emphasizes real-world problem-solving, work experience, applied research and business leadership opportunities through industry partnerships.

The University offers six undergraduate degree programs and two master’s degree programs with 19 unique areas of concentration in the College of Engineering and the College of Innovation and Technology.

“The fields of engineering and technology have enormous economic potential for the state of Florida, but we must have a strong pipeline of STEM talent in place to realize that,” said State Senator Kelli Stargel. “The curriculum, hands-on learning and applied research opportunities Florida Poly is offering and developing will surely yield that talent.”

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.