Testament to excellence: UWF aligns with State University System goals | Guestview
Earlier this year, Chairman Brian Lamb presented the State of the System report to the Florida Board of Governors. He highlighted system accomplishments and provided clear, compelling guidance on future goals for the state. Building on the theme "Better Together," he outlined four focus areas for the coming year: Student Success, Faculty Excellence, Innovation & Research, and Good Governance and Efficient Operations. Chairman Lamb’s thoughtful and strategic leadership has guided the State University System towards these ambitious goals.
I am pleased with how well UWF has aligned with Chair Lamb’s vision for the system. When we presented our annual accountability plan to the Board of Governors recently, the University of West Florida stood out in several key areas.
UWF soars: UWF hits new highs in retention, wages for recent graduates
Student Success
UWF consistently demonstrates strong performance on the Performance-Based Funding metrics. This year, we achieved a record for our Academic Progress Rate, with 86.8% of students retained for a second fall semester with at least a 2.0 GPA. This metric underscores our commitment to student success, particularly during the critical first year of college.
Our efforts extend beyond academic support to include job readiness programs that yield impressive results. Nearly 80% of our graduates are employed and earning at least $40,000 or continuing their education within a year after college, clearly indicating that our programs effectively prepare students for the workforce and contribute to the economic development of the region and the state.
Faculty Excellence
Faculty members continue to receive recognition for their exceptional contributions to education and research. They frequently collaborate with colleagues across campus and other universities. For example, an interdisciplinary team from UWF has served as the program evaluation team for the Florida Department of Health’s Cancer Prevention and Control Implementation Program since 2018. The team’s contract was recently renewed after receiving strong feedback from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, a research team composed of faculty from UWF, the Florida Institute of Technology, Florida Gulf Coast University, and New College of Florida was recently awarded a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Alliance for their project on Vibrio bacteria prediction and control.
Our faculty efforts are often rewarded with global recognition. Dr. Eman El-Sheikh was honored with the prestigious 2024 GISEC Global Educator of the Year award. This accolade, presented at the Global 2024 Cyber Excellence awards in Dubai, highlights her remarkable impact on cybersecurity education at a global scale.
Innovation & Research
We are focusing on innovation and research. In addition to a $1.5 billion annual economic impact, UWF contributes to the regional economy in several ways. Our record-breaking student population represents an opportunity for business leaders to retain talent in Northwest Florida. UWF’s newly developed Office of Workforce Development aims to bridge the gap between education and career success.
The UWF Haas Center works with policy leaders to visualize the region’s economic progress on various metrics, including job and population growth. Our Mechanical Engineering program will grow applied research endeavors at the Port of Pensacola and expand the success of the SEA3D lab, which connects Science, Engineering, and Art to local startups and existing businesses with product design and improvement capabilities.
Last year, UWF researchers earned grants and contracts from federal and state sponsors, such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, the Florida Department of Health, the National Security Agency, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering is considering an annex to house applied research projects like the Predictive Analytics and Modeling Lab, the Institute for Analytics and Industry Advancement, and the Computational Intelligence Research Center.
Good Governance
UWF stays true to its mission of delivering a learner-focused university education that enables students from varied backgrounds to meet their career and life goals. UWF research and community partnerships advance the body of knowledge and enhance the prosperity of the region and the state. We are proud to be a part of the State University System of Florida and to align closely with the vision and goals set forth by Chairman Brian Lamb and the Board of Governors. We are indeed "Better Together."
Martha D. Saunders is president of the University of West Florida.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida University System: UWF aligns with state goals
