President’s Desk

It’s hard to believe the academic year is already well underway. Midterms and Halloween will be here in no time.

One thing especially nice about early fall is the publishing of key media rankings for colleges and universities. Again, we are looking very good.

Most important, for the third year in a row, U.S. News & World Report lists us as a Tier One Best National University. Florida Tech was the second-highest ranked private National University in Florida, behind only the University of Miami. Additionally, Princeton Review once again named Florida Tech a “Best in Southeast” college, a rating based on student surveys.

Forbes recognized Florida Tech as among America’s top undergraduate institutions. The university climbed 52 spots this year!

A new accolade for us was from the Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac 2012. We were listed as #3 of the 20 fastest-growing campuses, 2000-2010, among private nonprofit research institutions.

When we are evaluated next year, it’s likely that recent successes and visibility will make a difference. For example, we were chosen to host the 2012 International Space University/Space Studies Program over the summer. ISU gave us top marks for this major undertaking, with some saying it was the best-run ever.

In early September, we were chosen to host President Obama’s grassroots visit to the Space Coast. His staff deemed the campus and Clemente Center a great place to stop.

Congratulations to everyone here who supported the event, which brought more than 3,000 people to campus to appreciate what a gem we are for the community. This successful visit will surely remind the world that we are most capable of hosting dignitaries and celebrities with ease.

Student success remains our primary focus and it’s reassuring to know that we continue to add value to our students’ degrees.

My thanks to faculty and staff for making Florida Tech such an admired institution.