Office of the

Provost and Executive Vice President

The Provost and Executive Vice President serves as the chief academic officer of the University and is responsible for educational policy and academic programs.

Brad Thiessen joined Florida Polytechnic University as Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs in July 2024. An accomplished academic leader, Thiessen has significantly contributed to accreditation, institutional effectiveness, academic administration, and university leadership. With over 20 years of experience as an administrator and faculty member, he has held numerous roles over the past eight years at New College of Florida, including Vice Provost, Interim President, Interim Provost, Interim VP for Student Affairs, Chief of Staff, Director of Institutional Performance Assessment, and Institutional Accreditation Liaison. He also served as a Professor of Statistics at New College during this period.

Before his tenure at New College, Thiessen served for ten years as Chair and Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at St. Ambrose University. He also held the position of Director of Institutional Research at the University of Hawaii and served as Director of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Strategic Planning, as well as Associate Professor of Education, at Truro University California.

Thiessen is a PStat Accredited Professional Statistician with the American Statistical Association, reflecting his deep expertise in statistics through formal education, work experience, and ongoing professional development.

He earned a doctorate and master's degrees in Educational Measurement & Statistics from the University of Iowa, along with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from St. Ambrose University.

Meet the Provost's Team

Professor's innovative research paves way for safer, smoother I-4 commute

Nov 18

Erica Johnson

Florida Poly international collaboration aims to advance battery cooling innovation

Oct 30

Erica Johnson

Florida Poly study reveals complex AI limitations in simple games

Jul 31

Erica Johnson

The Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President's mission is to oversee all faculty, student success, and research entities at the University.

Bridging the Gap between Academics and Industry

Florida Poly’s Capstone Design Showcase is the largest student design event of the year. The event is the culminating activity of the Capstone Design course, giving the university’s graduating seniors the opportunity to showcase their inventions to a panel of judges, invited guests, and their peers.

The Capstone Projects give students an opportunity to apply the knowledge that they have learned in a real-world setting. Students can touch, see and feel the impacts of their work while companies absorb the benefit of the skills these students bring to the table.

Matt Bohm

University capstone design coordinator and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Academics at Florida Poly

Research at Florida Poly is improving lives and changing businesses, with impact ranging from the local Lakeland community to the outer-reaches of space. Our faculty and students are shaping the future.