Florida Tech launches new strategic plan, preps fundraising drive for campus upgrades
The student-housing supply of 2,048 beds is strained to capacity at the Florida Institute of Technology's Melbourne campus.
But rather than building new dorms and modernizing aging student-housing structures in piecemeal fashion, Florida Tech President John Nicklow is crafting a campus-wide strategic plan focusing on people and places — with a multi-million-dollar construction fundraising campaign in the works.
"What does our campus look like in 20, 30, 50 years?" Nicklow asked.
"How do you prioritize those evolutionary changes?" he asked.
Nicklow started work in July as Florida Tech's president after a seven-year stint as president and CEO of the University of New Orleans. Before moving to Brevard County, he established a 41-member steering committee to help craft FIT's first comprehensive strategic plan in at least 15 years.
Thursday, the Florida Tech board of trustees endorsed the end result: Nicklow's "Forward Together, Boundless Potential" strategic plan designed to improve the private STEM university.
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In sum, this "completely living document" collected input from 716 students, 487 faculty and staff members, 14 board members and five peer institutions, among other voices. Wide-ranging goals include:
Creating a Florida Tech Research Institute focusing on federal-government classified research in areas such as cybersecurity, space and applied electromagnetics, and biomedical engineering and science.
Partnering with a master-planning organization to assess all of Florida Tech's physical spaces and determine what needs renovation and enhancement based on sustainability and needs and desires of students, faculty and staff.
Augmenting campus facilities to support large events that accommodate attendance from the local community.
Nicklow cited Florida Tech landing No. 6 on The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2024 Student Experience ranking list of "the best colleges in the U.S. to have a great experience while attending."
"That's great. I would really like to be first," he said.
Nicklow's inaugural address to detail plan
July 2023 story: Meet new Florida Tech President John Nicklow, who's getting his feet wet on campus
Nicklow was formally installed as Florida Tech's sixth permanent president Friday afternoon during an investiture ceremony at the Clemente Center.
“Forward together. Boundless potential. That’s the theme for our 65th anniversary this year and, ultimately, our new vision and strategic plan,” Nicklow said from the stage. “To me, that phrase resonates and is far more than some tag line. It represents the limitless opportunities that lay before us and speaks to how we will capitalize on them, together.”
Florida Tech's 155-acre Melbourne campus accommodated 4,669 students as of fall 2023, the most recent enrollment data available. Another 4,613 students attended online programs and 374 attended off-campus sites, comprising a total enrollment of 9,656 students.
Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the university has more than 70,000 alumni.
When Nicklow's hiring was announced, FIT officials showcased the fact that he led the first major comprehensive fundraising campaign at the University of New Orleans in the institution's 65-year history. He has now initiated an Florida Tech philanthropic feasibility study, and he plans to start a "silent campaign" this year securing donors before going public with fundraising.
In 2016, former Florida Tech President Anthony Catanese spearheaded a a $123 million fundraising effort that added the 100,494-square-foot Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovative Design on Palm Bay Road, expanded the Nathan Bisk College of Business, and added other infrastructure.
Catanese's previous $60 million campaign in 2009 built facilities and created programs for the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research, Scott Center for Autism Treatment, Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts and Northrop Grumman Engineering and Science Student Design Showcase, among others.
"We need to focus on making sure that we have the assets and the resources necessary to support student success. And that's the facilities. That's the labs. That's the programming," Nicklow said.
"And I think that's where everybody in this community, and every alum, should have some sort of passion or alignment with this university," he said.
Chief academic officer hired from UNC-G
Last week, Nicklow announced he has hired John Kiss as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs as the university’s next chief academic officer. A national candidate search produced more than 100 applicants.
Kiss, who serves as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of biology at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, will join Florida Tech on May 1. He previously served as a principal investigator on eight spaceflight experiments aboard NASA's space shuttles and the International Space Station.
"The outcomes he's charged with are increasing retention and student persistence, graduation rates and success rates to become a far more premier and successful institution. We want to be the first choice for students interested in STEM," Nicklow said.
Student-themed bullet points in the strategic plan include:
Develop and streamline a pipeline of incoming students through graduation with career-aligned job offers.
Deploy an early alert system for students to assess early academic struggles and financially at-risk students.
Develop and sustain a mentorship program for students, faculty, and staff.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida Tech president launching strategic plan, fundraising drive
