Prime Examples of: Initiative

Prime is a quantity.

Unique, a product unachievable by any two other numbers. 2, 3, 5 …

Prime is a quality.

Excellent, of the highest caliber. Outstanding, Choice, Top-Notch…

In both quantity and quality, this column features Prime Examples of what makes us Florida Tech.

Initiative is a fresh approach. An eagerness to do something. Leading before being led. Taking initiative requires ambition. Originality. Guts. It pairs constant, proactive reflection with a readiness to act and a passion for improvement. Whether you’re taking it or launching one, initiative doesn’t wait. It forges the path with enthusiasm and tenacity.

Taking matters into your own hands might mean getting them dirty, but hands-on has always been the Florida Tech way.

Here are a few prime examples.

2 Fresh Approaches

DBA Goes Online

Recently redesigned to meet the needs of working professionals seeking a rigorous and advanced education, the Florida Tech Doctor of Business Administration degree program is now offered online. With real-time, interactive online lessons twice a week, the program combines the flexibility of online study, the guidance of expert faculty and the support of a collaborative, close-knit cohort.

“In response to an ever-changing market, we’ve reinvented the Florida Tech DBA program to be even more convenient, flexible, accessible and affordable, expanding the reach of the College of Business at the doctoral level.”
Emily Martinez-Vogt Bisk College of Business graduate programs department head

VR Flights

A virtual reality (VR) headset loaded with Visionary Training Resources’ (VTR) proprietary software, FlightDeckToGo®, is being introduced into the College of Aeronautics’ Advanced Aircraft Systems course this semester. The system, featuring a 3D rendering of a Boeing 737 NG flight deck, will allow students to utilize VR flight deck familiarization modules with the guidance of checklist and procedures training to augment traditional learning materials, such as PowerPoint slides, diagrams and videos. Throughout the semester, students will provide feedback on the headset’s usability and value.

Warren Pittorie, assistant professor and chair of flight education at the College of Aeronautics., demonstrates VTR’s virtual reality goggles.

“FlightDeckToGo® by VTR will not only make our classes a more enjoyable experience, but it will better prepare our students to operate transport category aircraft that they will operate just a few years after they graduate from Florida Tech.”
Warren Pittorie ’15, ’18 M.S., ’22 Ph.D. Assistant professor and chair of flight education

3 Events for Eager Youth

A Day in the Life of the IRL

Students and faculty participated in the Ocean Research and Conservation Association’s seventh annual A Day in the Life of the Indian River Lagoon event Oct. 30, 2024. Florida Tech partnered with the Marine Resources Council to lead Melbourne High School students through a series of stations to collect water quality, record physical characteristics and conduct biological surveys. They also conducted an annual assessment of oyster mats in Melbourne Beach as part of the university’s Living Docks program.

A Day in the Life of the Indian River Lagoon participants

High School Business Ethics Competition

On Nov. 1, 2024, Florida Tech hosted 27 students who made up nine teams from five Brevard County high schools at the 25th annual Bisk College of Business High School Business Ethics Competition. Two teams from Rockledge High School won first and second place in the competition, designed to encourage high school students to explore the subjects of ethics and leadership, reflect on how ethical principles are related to decision-making in the business world and evaluate the ethical adequacy of actual decisions made by managers. Students competed in two rounds, earning varying amounts in cash and merit scholarships to Florida Tech.

This team from Rockledge High won first place in the annual business ethics competition. Pictured from left: Janelis Hernandez, Breydon Peacock, Bisk College of Business Dean Theodore Richardson, Jeremiah Perez, Natalie Norcross and teacher/coach Christine Kearns ’04.

STEMPower Day

More than 1,000 students from Brevard County and beyond participated in Florida Tech’s STEMPower Day Sept. 14, 2024. University students, faculty and local leaders representing some of the Space Coast’s top STEM employers hosted several engaging and interactive sessions covering topics such as space, aviation, engineering, psychology, cybersecurity, biology, earth science and innovation. Participants built towers out of playing cards, taught a robot how to swim, made “bristle bots”—or robots for toothbrush heads—built an anemometer, extracted strawberry DNA and more, hopefully building talent and affinity for STEM fields at a young age.

5% Increase

Florida Tech’s number of first-time-in-college (FTIC) students rose about 5% in fall 2023, bucking the trend. By proactively implementing several initiatives—concentrated https://news.fit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/dr_wiggenhorn1-1.jpg and social media enhancements, targeted admissions outreach, new scholarship programs, a campuswide student-centric focus, cohesive teamwork and much more—Florida Tech enrolled a university record 957 FTIC students.