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NBA champion to lead Florida Poly Men’s Basketball

June 16, 2026

LAKELAND, Fla. – Few coaches can match a resume that includes winning an NBA championship alongside Michael Jordan and leading a college program to sustained success on the national stage. Dennis Hopson has done both. Now, Florida Polytechnic University has named the NBA champion and longtime coach as the inaugural head coach of its Men’s Basketball program, adding a leader whose career spans the highest levels of the sport as the University continues building Florida Poly Athletics. Hopson brings decades

Student research drives progress toward next-generation silicon chips

June 10, 2026

David Zambrano ’26 is on the pioneering edge of a field that could one day replace modern electronics. Zambrano, who earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Florida Polytechnic University in May, is advancing research in silicon photonics – a technology that uses light instead of electricity to transmit and process data. He is returning to the University this fall to continue his work as a master’s student in electrical engineering. Zambrano has presented his work at the SPIE Photonics

Florida Poly steps up to the plate with first baseball coach

June 9, 2026

LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University has named TJ Marik as the inaugural head coach of its baseball program. The addition brings another instrumental leader to campus as the University continues to establish the Florida Poly Athletics program. Marik brings substantial head coaching experience and a strong background in player development to the new role. Before joining Florida Poly, he served as head coach at Siena Heights University following a successful tenure at Missouri Valley College, where his teams earned all-conference

Austin Lubetkin '19 is a software engineer at Northrup Grumman and an accomplished digital artist. His Florida Poly degree is in computer science.

Art and engineering drive Florida Poly alum’s success

June 5, 2026

Austin Lubetkin ’19 has built a career at the intersection of technology and creativity, balancing software engineering at Northrop Grumman with a passion for visual art. Now, the Florida Poly alumnus is bringing those worlds together in “Memories of Water,” an exhibit at the Orlando Science Center.

Clay Roberts is Florida Poly's first men's soccer head coach.

Florida Poly scores veteran coach for men’s soccer

June 3, 2026

Florida Polytechnic University has named Clay Roberts the first head coach of its men’s soccer program, adding an experienced team builder as the University continues launching its new athletics department.

Florida Poly leaders and Presidential Ambassadors at the Florida State Capitol.

New state investment fuels Florida Poly’s continued momentum and growth

May 29, 2026

Florida Polytechnic University is poised to continue its strong trajectory of growth following the Florida Legislature’s approval of $19 million in the state’s 2026-2027 budget to support student success initiatives, infrastructure growth and strategic enrollment expansion.

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Florida Poly cements partnership with prestigious Brazilian university

December 7, 2020

A new agreement between Florida Polytechnic University and the prestigious Centro Universitário Facens in Brazil promises to help both institutions expand their work and advance technological and economic success. Florida Poly and Facens have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate in research activities. The initial collaboration will focus on data science and business analytics projects, but the future of

Florida Poly named top 5 tech university in the South

December 4, 2020

Florida Polytechnic University has been named one of the five best universities in the Southern states for tech students by Deep South Magazine.

Florida Poly announces state’s first undergraduate Health Systems Engineering concentration

December 1, 2020

Students with a love of STEM and an interest in health care can prepare for a career that prioritizes both with Florida Polytechnic University’s new Health Systems Engineering (HSE) program. The program launched in fall 2020 offers the only undergraduate-level concentration of its kind in the state. “Anyone who is frustrated with the current health care state and who would

Florida Poly builds first pipeline to elite US Navy officer program

November 24, 2020

LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University is paving the way for ambitious, patriotic students to earn their STEM degree before continuing on to serve their county in a notable career as high-tech officer in the U.S. Navy. The Florida Poly Nuclear Propulsion Pipeline Program provides science-minded students with financial support and military guidance as they prepare to enter the Naval

Bright future is on deck for 2018 alum and Navy officer

October 27, 2020

When Peter Moran ’18 joined the Navy in 2019, his thoughts were of his grandfather who served in the Marine Corps during World War II. “I wanted to continue that legacy and do my part for my country,” said Moran, who now is a supply corps officer and the hazardous materials officer on USS John C. Stennis, a nuclear-powered supercarrier

Students learn about career in gaming at Xbox

October 20, 2020

Students who dream of one day joining the world that brings their favorite video games to life had an opportunity to hear directly from a professional in the field. Aaliyah Burroughs, partner technical advisor at Xbox, joined Florida Polytechnic University’s career development office for a virtual speaker session with students on Friday, Oct. 16. “I hope they were able to

National security partnership has Florida Poly students solving pressing military problems

October 19, 2020

The U.S. military is turning to interdisciplinary teams of students from Florida Polytechnic University to help solve some of its most pressing challenges. Hacking for Defense (H4D), a program of the Department of Defense’s National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), challenges students at some of the nation’s top universities to find solutions to a wide variety of the military’s communications, logistics,

Virtual fun brings Florida Poly together on Phoenix Family Day

October 16, 2020

Proud Phoenixes will show off the Florida Polytechnic University way of life – virtually – on Saturday, Oct. 17, during Phoenix Family Day. The annual event is one of the campus’ most treasured traditions. It brings together students and their loved ones, allowing both groups to share in a fun day while exploring Florida Poly’s the unique and fun campus

Florida Poly Police Department awarded statewide law enforcement accreditation

October 15, 2020

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Polytechnic University Police Department is now an accredited law enforcement agency in the state of Florida. The department received the award from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) on Thursday, Oct. 15, recognizing its policies, procedures, and processes as meeting or exceeding industry standards. Accreditation standards address a wide range of law enforcement

University Procurement recognized with prestigious award

October 15, 2020

For a third consecutive year, Florida Polytechnic University’s Procurement Department received the prestigious Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® (AEP) Award from the National Procurement Institute, Inc. (NPI). The award recognizes public and nonprofit agencies that demonstrate a commitment to procurement excellence by embracing innovation, professionalism, productivity, leadership, and e-procurement. “Earning the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award demonstrates to our

Ph.D. and M.S. opportunities abound for Florida Poly students

October 14, 2020

A bachelor’s degree from Florida Polytechnic University positions students to succeed in many of today’s fastest-growing fields. However, many students have dreams that only a master’s degree or a Ph.D. can help them achieve. Florida Poly undergraduates will have an opportunity to explore some of the options available to them this month during a series of virtual sessions with graduate

Heartland Scholarship Fund supports students from rural Florida

October 13, 2020

As Florida Polytechnic University grew from a vision to a nationally recognized STEM institution in just eight years, Ford Heacock remained steadfast as one of its staunchest supporters. “I am very proud of being part of the Florida Poly Foundation and being witness to the birth of the University,” said Heacock, a longtime member of the foundation’s board and CEO