
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.
CANBERRA, Australia – Officials from Florida Polytechnic University and the Australian-American Fulbright Commission (Fulbright Australia) formalized an agreement at a ceremonial signing, March 1, at the U.S. Embassy in the Australian capital of Canberra. The agreement allows the University to begin accepting graduate students and faculty from Australia beginning in the fall of 2019. Florida Poly President Randy K. Avent
LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University is ready to celebrate its 5thAnnual Florida Poly Pi Run, scheduled for Saturday, March 16. The event was created by the University’s inaugural class and it’s scheduled each year on or near National Pi Day, which is observed March 14. The race is slightly longer than a 5K, exactly 3.14 miles representing the mathematical
LAKELAND, Fla. – For the first time, Florida Polytechnic University won first place at the well-known HackRiddle competition, a 24-hour hackathon held annually at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. The event brought together more than 200 college students from across Florida to compete in front of judges, mentors, and industry leaders. Florida Poly students took first place out
Florida Polytechnic University hosted its Career and Internship Fair, Tuesday, Feb. 19, at its Innovation, Science, and Technology Building. More than 50 companies were on hand recruiting students for internships as well as career positions. The turnout of prospective employers set a new high for the annual event. “We are extremely grateful to everyone who came out today,” said Dr.
Florida Polytechnic University students and a Tampa technology company are developing a mobile app that could help those with brain-based language impediments to express their emotions. This includes people with autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, dementia, aphasia, those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury or stroke, and many other language-impaired conditions. The app, called OiGO–which comes from the Spanish word
One of the most stressful moments for college students is interviewing with prospective employers. The question and answer session may only last a few minutes, but there’s much more that goes into preparing for that big moment. That’s why Florida Polytechnic University is offering its students a comprehensive program to provide the expert advice they need in topics ranging from
LAKELAND, Fla. – After 18 months of intense negotiations, Florida Polytechnic University announced that its administration and the United Faculty of Florida (UFF) Florida Poly chapter have signed a collective bargaining agreement. This is the first formal agreement between the University and the faculty union, which approved it unanimously on Jan. 16. “We are very pleased with the outcome of
Dr. Bradford Towle’s office door in Florida Polytechnic University’s Innovation, Science, and Technology Building is always open. Students stop by often, many times outside his office hours. He’s there. “I like being available to them,” said Towle, who is an assistant professor of computer science. “They come with questions, concerns, asking for advice, and I’m always there as a sounding
One doesn’t have to travel far to see how Florida Polytechnic University is impacting Florida’s economy. In fact, a 45-minute drive within Polk County takes you from Florida Poly’s iconic campus to Lake Wales, Florida. There you’ll find IronRock Software, Inc.,a company that continues to increase its footprint in software development and database consulting services. IronRock’s trajectory has been paralleled
Shooting for the stars has never intimidated James Mavo. The mechanical engineer graduated from Florida Polytechnic University in the fall of 2018, and when looking for a job, the sky had no limits. Literally. “I thought, why not try NASA? I always wanted to work with great minds,” said Mavo, who is from West Palm Beach, Florida. “Working with pioneers
LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University is set to hold its signature philanthropic event of the year, PIVOT, aimed at raising money to fund scholarships and strategic University priorities. It will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2019, at the Saddle Creek Logistics Commons in the Innovation, Science, and Technology Building, located at 4700 Research Way, in Lakeland, Florida. The
Florida Polytechnic University students and alumni were among more than 5,000 who converged on Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, this week for the 2019 Synapse Summit. The annual conference is aimed at bringing together organizations and people from around the state who are driving innovation and accelerating success. Florida Poly sponsored the event, which included hundreds of companies showing off
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.