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Florida Poly opens new hub for innovation: the Gary C. Wendt Engineering Center

November 18, 2025

Florida Polytechnic University celebrated a major milestone with the debut of its 40,000-square-foot Gary C. Wendt Engineering Center (GCW) on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The $15 million facility adds state-of-the-art laboratory space and equipment designed to elevate student learning, fuel innovation and solidify the University’s role as an economic driver for the state of Florida. The GCW features advanced research and

Florida Poly alum at the heart of bioprinting innovation

November 17, 2025

Dr. Steven Chisolm ’19 believes the future of medicine is being built layer by layer, literally. What may sound like science fiction, such as 3D printing functional hearts or kidneys for transplant, is quickly becoming possible, and he is among the innovators helping turn that vision into reality. A proud Florida Polytechnic University mechanical engineering graduate, Chisolm is now a

Florida Poly faculty joins national committee on recycling innovation

November 14, 2025

Florida Polytechnic University’s Dr. Malak Anshassi has earned national recognition for her research advancing recycling, solid waste management and sustainability. She was recently appointed to serve as a recycling expert on a prestigious committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to address the pressing problem of waste reduction. Anshassi, an assistant professor of environmental engineering, was selected

From boot camp to Blue Origin: Engineering student builds future at Florida Poly

November 10, 2025

Celebrating Veterans Day Every Veterans Day, Florida Polytechnic University student Jonny Anderson can’t help but reflect on the journey that led him from serving in both the Marine Corps and Air Force Reserve to helping build rockets for space technology company Blue Origin. With determination squarely focused on earning a mechanical engineering degree, Anderson is living a dream many students

Florida Poly and South Korean university GIST team up to drive global STEM research

November 6, 2025

A new partnership between Florida Polytechnic University and South Korea’s Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) is set to boost academic and research collaboration at both institutions, widely recognized for advancing STEM education. The partnership facilitates student and faculty exchanges as well as research initiatives, with the goal of elevating the quality and impact of each university’s scholarship and

New podcast spotlights Florida Poly alumni lessons and achievements

November 4, 2025

Graduation marks a major milestone in a student’s life, but learning doesn’t stop there. A new podcast showcases how Florida Polytechnic University alumni continue to grow, adapt and lead in their fields. Now working in high-tech careers across industries, Florida Poly alumni are sharing their personal journeys, insights and lessons they’ve learned on the “The Legacy Podcast,” presented by the

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Club Row drives student connections and involvement

August 26, 2022

The Nest was transformed into a club-recruiting mecca on Thursday, Aug. 25 at Club Row, a large, student-run event that provides a platform for student organizations to share what they do and recruit new members at the start of each semester. “Getting involved is a way to really become a better student,” said junior computer science major Melia Rodriguez, who

New class of Alexander Scholars celebrated at Florida Poly

August 24, 2022

A group of Florida Polytechnic University’s brightest and most promising students was recognized on Monday, Aug. 22, at the Inaugural Alexander Scholars Luncheon. The John R. Alexander Scholars Program is a scholarship program that supports exceptionally high-achieving students in reaching their personal and professional goals without taking on the burden of student debt. Alexander Scholars receive a new laptop and a $40,000

Florida Poly welcomes standout incoming class

August 23, 2022

The new class of freshmen beginning their studies at Florida Polytechnic University this fall is more well-rounded and academically advanced than any class in the school’s history. First-time-in-college applications increased by 31% this year, and by 101% since the fall of 2019. Among admitted students, the average SAT score was 1355 – the highest average in the University’s history –

New Phoenixes arrive on campus ready to soar

August 22, 2022

Hundreds of new Florida Polytechnic University students began arriving on campus on Friday, Aug. 19, to settle into and get to know their new home for the next four years. “I’m nervous, but also excited,” said Madox Bown, a freshman from St. Petersburg, Florida, who will be studying aeronautical engineering. “I’ve never really been away from home before, but it’s

Florida Poly’s new state-of-the-art research building opens its doors

August 18, 2022

Florida Polytechnic University today unveiled its new Applied Research Center, a cutting-edge facility that will strengthen Florida Poly’s position as a premier STEM institution and an engine for economic development. The $47 million building substantially expands the University’s research capabilities and will be instrumental to Florida Poly’s mission to serve students and industry through excellence in education, discovery, and application

New SGA president charges toward promising academic year

August 17, 2022

Florida Polytechnic University junior Melia Rodriguez is more excited than most about the first day of the fall semester. As the new Student Government Association (SGA) president, she is ready to lead and to work hard to support the entire student body. “I’ve always liked advocating on behalf of people who want to have their voices heard,” said Rodriguez, who

Graduate student embraces innovation at prestigious NASA internship

August 16, 2022

Alex Perera ’21 has spent the summer learning and working in a prestigious internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, based at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. The Florida Polytechnic University graduate student is part of a team creating a digital twin of a high altitude balloon that records information about the air around it when the balloon is

Competitive X-Force fellowship provides boost to two Florida Poly students

August 12, 2022

Two Florida Polytechnic University students seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this summer to join the National Security Innovation Network’s (NSIN) 2022 cohort of X-Force fellows. The program is sponsored by the Department of Defense. The summer internship tasks university students from across the nation to assist the military in devising solutions to real-world challenges they experience. Florida Poly’s students had the

Lockheed Martin internship sets Phoenix up for career success

August 9, 2022

Working at Lockheed Martin this summer as a college student technical specialist is opening doors of opportunity for Grayson Dannecker that may shape the rest of his career. Dannecker, a rising senior at Florida Polytechnic University who is majoring in computer engineering with a concentration in embedded systems, is completing a remote summer internship with the global security and aerospace

Alum testing his engineering mettle at John Deere

August 5, 2022

Florida Polytechnic University alumnus Dorian Gray ’20 works hard to ensure the tractors and other equipment produced by global manufacturing company John Deere are correct and adhere to quality standards. “I make a lot of decisions and do a lot of investigations to solve a lot of problems,” said Gray, who received his degree in mechanical engineering from the University.

Florida Poly celebrates hundreds of in-demand grads at 2022 commencement

August 5, 2022

More than 220 Florida Polytechnic University graduates celebrated the completion of their high-demand STEM degrees on Sunday, May 8, at the University’s 2022 commencement ceremony. Students and their loved ones joined Florida Poly faculty and staff in the event at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. “Coming here to Florida Poly and meeting all my friends has honestly changed my

Internship opens Phoenix’s eyes to world of software development

July 29, 2022

The opportunity to see how software development happens on a large scale was something Florida Polytechnic University rising senior Justine Kenji Dela Cruz was thrilled to take on. The computer science major with a concentration in software engineering has been working on software development on an individual scale for years and was excited to learn the process inside out at