3 min read February 2024 — Invest: spoke with Stacy Volnick, president of Florida Atlantic University, to discuss the school’s deep focus on student development and success and how that has led to exceptional enrollment growth over the past year. “It’s all about workforce needs and how our different majors and curricula can address labor gaps and demand,” she said.
What have been the key highlights for Florida Atlantic University over the past year?
I’m most proud of our enrollment this year. When you look at enrollment rates throughout higher education across the country, they have declined over recent years but not at Florida Atlantic. We have really improved our ability to attract and retain students. To that end, in the fall 2023 semester, we’ve welcomed our largest incoming freshman class in the school’s history, with 4,500 students who have an average GPA of 3.89. We’ve been focused on student success and providing resources to ensure they thrive. We are also shifting to more student-centered initiatives, whether it’s resources for first-generation students or undergraduate research opportunities.
During FAU’s historic Final Four run in spring 2023, we brought in $1.9 billion in earned media. To put that in context, if we weren’t involved in March Madness, that number would be closer to $250 million. That does not just impact enrollment and donations, it also has an impact on Boca Raton, Palm Beach County and the entire state of Florida. It is massive in helping local businesses, tourism and growing the reputation of the region.
What is your assessment of the Palm Beach County education sector right now?
Between having a large state research university and a number of state, public, community and private colleges, it is a very strong area for the region. Pair that with the geography and South Florida is a very attractive destination for students. There is also much more of an emphasis on STEM-based education, which has grown over the years. This is one of our rankings in performance funding metrics that the state uses but, most importantly, it is a way to meet evolving workforce needs. We’re also always looking at undergraduate and graduate programs and how we can add or make changes to meet this demand and give students more unique opportunities.
How is Florida Atlantic embracing a more diverse student population?
We’re the No. 1 public university for diversity in the state and among the top in the country. Regardless of their background, student success is the most significant factor here. Nearly one-third of our graduates are first generation, so we have programs and wraparound services to accommodate their experience. We’re ranked No. 26 in the nation for social mobility based on graduates who received Pell Grants. This is evidence of how we are able to transform lives through education.
How does Florida Atlantic keep student success as a main deliverable?
I’ll again emphasize our wraparound services that are offered outside the classroom to ensure student success. One of the most critical is career services. Incoming students all receive a career coach from day one, which is not typical in most colleges. By the time students graduate, they have already participated in a number of internships and often have a job lined up in a field of interest. Mental health is also a major focus for Florida Atlantic. We have added significant services to support students in their health and wellness.
How is the University preparing students for careers after graduation?
It’s all about workforce needs and how our different majors and curricula can address labor gaps and demand. We’re specifically expanding our enrollment in the College of Medicine and nursing programs to address the pressing need for highly qualified talent in healthcare. Our internship program has been a vital component in connecting students to the community and building a legitimate pathway to employment for our students. We have partnerships with many businesses in the community and our research park adjacent to campus provides excellent opportunities for our students. We have a whole team of career services professionals who are out making connections throughout the region to expand those opportunities. For example, we are very excited about our new Master’s in Artificial Intelligence, the first of its kind in the state. It illustrates how we innovate our curriculum to meet the demand for technological needs in any sector in the region.
To what do you attribute the school’s growing enrollment?
FAU is ranked No. 112 among the nation’s Top Public Schools in the U.S. News & World Report. We also have the largest advancement of any public school in Florida for the second year in a row and have no plan of slowing down. Our strategic plan is titled “Race to Excellence” and we are seeing that borne out in these rankings, which are valuable to students and families looking at education options. But most importantly, we maintain a small-school feel, where students know that support and resources are always available and near. Whether it’s tutoring, advising, healthcare or counseling, we are focused on the needs of our students and their success.
How is FAU addressing mental health with students?
We’ve been growing the number of mental health counselors on campus while expanding telehealth services. We’ve also developed more services for our student athletes, who are often stretched thin between their commitments to sports, academics and social lives. We also have crisis teams available if any intervention is needed. It’s all about being mindful of our students and knowing that it’s more than just about studying and getting a degree.
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