
Florida Poly kicks off women’s soccer program with inaugural head coach
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 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.

LAKELAND, Fla. – A new scholarship named for Florida Polytechnic University Trustee Frank T. Martin is designed to provide more opportunity to African American students and help them achieve their STEM career ambitions. The Frank T. Martin Single Year Scholarship was established through the American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) to support African American students pursuing a degree in engineering, transportation,

When the emergence of COVID-19 led to overnight changes in the restaurant industry, Florida Polytechnic University alum Matthew Giallourakis and his family sprang into action. Giallourakis ’18, M. Eng. ’20 is head of logistics and process automation for mobile software company Loyal Cast. The Palm Harbor, Florida, business was co-founded by Giallourakis’ father, Anthony Giallourakis, and brother, Michael Giallourakis, to

Florida Polytechnic University is carefully and deliberately exploring the most effective strategies to move the University forward as our nation continues to grapple with a new normal in the face of COVID-19. Florida Poly has been steadily working on a plan to resume on-campus operations this fall. It will be presented during a June 23 meeting of the Florida Board

The Florida Polytechnic University Student Government Association boasts a large number of first-time members and leaders as it heads into the fall 2020 semester. The new leadership is spending the summer months planning and working to improve student representation, support, and engagement. However, the circumstances they’re working under couldn’t be more different than typical years due to COVID-19. “The biggest

The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority. Visit this webpage for resources and additional information. All, I hope you’re doing well and are continuing to stay healthy during this time. As you know, several dedicated teams have begun conversations and the necessary work to determine the best way for Florida Poly to operate

The work Bryan Urias ’20 does as an information security analyst for tech start-up JustProtect is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work. And he couldn’t be happier. “This has been amazing,” Urias said. “It’s been really cool seeing all the things I learned in school apply to the real world.” JustProtect, based in Tampa, Florida, helps businesses

Editor’s note: While COVID-19 has caused Florida Polytechnic University to shift to remote instruction through the summer and reschedule our commencement ceremony, the hard work of our graduating seniors continues. This feature is part of a series of stories highlighting and honoring our 2020 graduates. One of the first times Daniel Rentfro laid his hands on a computer was when

Florida Polytechnic University is partnering with tech giant Microsoft to offer weekly online professional development workshops for the University community this summer. The weekly series, Microsoft Mondays at Florida Poly, kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on May 18 with “Rock Your LinkedIn with Microsoft.” The workshops are free and open to everyone. They will be delivered through Microsoft Teams, which

The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority. Visit this webpage for resources and additional information. All, I hope you are staying safe and healthy as the COVID-19 crisis keeps turning almost every aspect of our lives upside down. I’ve enjoyed reading about the many ways you are rising to the challenge in

For a long time, Joshua Santos ’20 listened to everyone else while trying to achieve the goals others had for him. As a consequence, after three years struggling to complete an engineering degree at a larger state university, his effort fell short. His passion for aerospace ran dry. “I was told for so long ‘this is what you should be

LAKELAND, Fla. – The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced the cancellation of in-person events, but that is not stopping leaders at Florida Polytechnic University from honoring its faculty and staff. This year, Florida Poly’s annual Ablaze ceremony became a memorable video that recognizes employees for their extraordinary contributions to the University. The award celebration has become one of the school’s

Surfing social media and delving into digital post comments can lead web users to strange or unwanted places. Dr. Rei Sanchez-Arias, an assistant professor of data science and business analytics at Florida Polytechnic University, is working to make these digital networks more meaningful and orderly. “We live in a world of big data. There are many data sources, but a












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.