Florida Polytechnic University has named Jack Paris as the first head coach of its women’s soccer program as the University continues building its new athletics department.
Florida Polytechnic University marked a significant milestone on Saturday, May 9, celebrating its largest graduating class to date as more than 430 students crossed the stage at the University’s 2026 commencement.
Andrew McDonnell ’26 never stopped dreaming about the stars. As a child, he looked up at the sky, wondering what was out there, and that curiosity followed him to Florida Poly, where he pursued a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, took aerospace courses, and worked on a lunar mobility senior capstone project. He graduates on May 9.
Florida Polytechnic University has reached on-campus housing capacity for the upcoming academic year, reflecting continued strong demand and record student interest.
Florida Polytechnic University inducted 12 students into its highly selective Presidential Ambassadors program, where they will serve as official student representatives at key University events and engage with campus and community leaders.
Samantha Bentley ’26 didn’t always feel ready to step into leadership or research roles during her time as a computer science student at Florida Polytechnic University, but discovered she grew the most by doing it anyway. She will receive her bachelor’s degree on Saturday, May 9.
Florida Polytechnic University’s newest crop of Presidential Ambassadors is ready to make an impact. The nine students selected for the prestigious 2025-2026 cohort were officially inducted during a special ceremony on Friday, April 25, marking the beginning of their leadership journey at the University.
With models, displays and polished presentations at the ready, 45 teams of Florida Polytechnic University students showed off their high-tech industry-sponsored projects at the University’s seventh annual Capstone Design Showcase on Wednesday, April 23.
With a pledge to uphold the standards and dignity of the engineering profession, nearly 100 Florida Polytechnic University students were inducted into the Order of the Engineer on Wednesday, April 23.
High-quality student research took center stage at the inaugural Florida Polytechnic University Research Day on Monday, April 21. Nearly 125 projects filled the Barnett Applied Research Center, demonstrating the advanced undergraduate and graduate research taking place across all disciplines at the state’s only 100% STEM institution.
When Lang Towl ’25 graduates with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering on Sunday, May 4, he will launch his career as a distribution engineer with Duke Energy in St. Petersburg, Florida. Once settled, he plans to take advantage of his new location and break from studying to return to surfing, one of his favorite pastimes.
Florida Polytechnic University students pursuing careers in logistics and supply chain management often secure vital positions improving warehouse, distribution, transportation and inventory processes for companies of all sizes around the world.
A senior capstone team at Florida Polytechnic University has worked tirelessly to find and exploit weak spots in a finance company’s systems. They attacked, crept around, and broke into any vulnerabilities they found. The students then buckled down to devise solutions so that no one else could do the same. The seven-member team of computer science majors with concentrations in
Raúl Lopez III ’25 never hesitated to step up throughout his years at Florida Polytechnic University, co-founding student organizations and achieving big academic goals. When the computer science major addresses his fellow graduates as the student commencement speaker on Sunday, May 4, Lopez will encourage the crowd to believe in themselves, no matter the situation.
IFF today announced the opening of the Citrus Innovation Center in Lakeland, Florida, in partnership with Florida Polytechnic University. This 30,000 square foot facility encompasses state-of-the-art capabilities in botanical research leveraging its LMR by IFF natural ingredients expertise, processing, analytics, product creation for scent and taste, and includes a 360-degree digital immersion room.
The Student Government Association (SGA) at Florida Polytechnic University has allocated $250,000 from its funding reserves to support the construction of the new Student Achievement Center on campus.
Nearly 50 high school principals from across Polk County, Florida, experienced firsthand the exceptional future that awaits the state’s brightest students at Florida Polytechnic University.
Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been awarded the distinguished honor of becoming a correspondent academician of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (RAED). The international recognition underscores his significant contributions to academia and leadership.
Dr. Lily Li is a Professor of Physics at Florida Polytechnic University, where she specializes in materials science, analytical imaging, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical devices. Prior to joining Florida Poly in 2025, she spent 11 years at SUNY Potsdam, where she advanced to Full Professor and developed a 3-2 Engineering dual-degree program with Clarkson University. Her work emphasizes experiential learning and research-driven education to prepare students for careers in STEM fields.
