My ‘Why’: Students Share Their Reasons for Choosing Florida Tech
Quality education— ✅
Beautiful location— ✅
Rich history, unique character and boundless opportunity— ✅ ✅ ✅
When it comes to choosing a college, everyone has priorities. Lucky for our students, Florida Tech has it all.
Simply put, we’re different. But don’t take our word for it. Take it from current Panthers themselves, as they answer the ever-important question,
Why Florida Tech?
Space Roots
Florida Tech stands out from other universities in my mind because of how interconnected we are with the space industry. Many universities offer an education in space-related fields, such as my studies in aerospace engineering, but none can claim to have roots in the space industry as deep as ours. Having been founded the same year as NASA to educate the next generation of space industry workers, Florida Tech has the background, know-how and connections to set me up for a successful future career in the aerospace industry.”
Jacob Smith, B.S. aerospace engineering
Location
Florida Tech stood out from other universities I considered because of its location. First of all, I’m from Bonaire, in the Caribbean, so I wasn’t ready to commit to snowy winters my first time moving away from home! My degree is in oceanography, so being close to the coast was important to me. I love being so close to the beach and able to watch sunrises and full moon rises. Plus, Bonaire doesn’t even have traffic lights, so the small-town feel of Melbourne was so inviting. When I first visited campus, I didn’t feel overwhelmed like I did at larger campuses. I remember thinking, ‘This is it; this is home.'”
Julia Marisol Martinus, B.S. oceanography
Hands-On
Florida Tech is a small and young university with a diverse student population. As the type of person who enjoys building relationships and who learns best by doing, it is important to me that my professors are approachable and available. Since coming to Florida Tech, I have had ample opportunities to get hands on and to engage closely with my teachers both in and out of the classroom.”
Brian Dixon, B.S. meteorology, B.S. STEM Education
Flight
Ultimately, I chose Florida Tech for its outstanding aviation program. Flying can be a risky business, and as a brand new freshman, I was nervous at first. But after my first week of lessons, I was hooked! With its high level of professionalism and unmatched safety culture paired with the knowledgeable, welcoming instructors at F.I.T. Aviation, Florida Tech has exceeded my expectations.”
Paige Rieger, A.A. air traffic control, B.S. aeronautical science-flight
Research
Independent research is an experience that is given to very few undergraduate students at any other university, but at Florida Tech, we experience research from the driver’s seat. In my junior year, I was assigned an independent research project about which I am now writing a research paper as first author. Having my first publication come from undergraduate work bodes incredibly well for my future aspirations of completing a Ph.D. and becoming an expert in cancer immunotherapies. It has all required a lot of hard work and dedication. But I have had unbelievable support from the university and my professors.”
Sarah Ali, B.S. biomedical engineering
This piece appeared in the 2022 edition of Florida Tech’s prospective-student magazine, The Pursuit.
