Florida Gulf Coast University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Florida Gulf Coast University

Motto	"Truth, Knowledge, Wisdom"
Type	Public university
Established	May 3, 1991; 34 years ago (1991-05-03)
Parent institution	State University System of Florida
Accreditation	SACS
Academic affiliation	Space-grant
Endowment	$129.3 million (2022)
Chairman	Blake Gable
President	Aysegul Timur
Provost	Mark Rieger
Academic staff	526
Administrative staff	875
Students	15,373 (2020)
Undergraduates	14,024
Postgraduates	1,056
Location	Fort Myers , Florida , United States
Campus	Large suburb, 800 acres (320 ha)
Media	Eagle Media
Colors	Cobalt blue and emerald green
Nickname	Eagles
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – ASUN CCSA
Mascot	Azul the Eagle
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is a public university in Lee County, Florida, near Fort Myers. It is part of Florida's state university system. The university started on May 3, 1991. It offers many different study programs, including 58 bachelor's degrees, 25 master's degrees, and 6 doctoral degrees.

FGCU's sports teams are called the Eagles. They compete in NCAA Division I sports as part of the ASUN Conference.

History of FGCU

How FGCU Started

In 1991, a plan was made to build Florida's 10th state university in Southwest Florida. Florida's governor signed the bill to start the school in May 1991.

A large piece of land, about 760 acres, was given for the university. It was located in the Fort Myers area. On April 26, 1993, Roy E. McTarnaghan became the first president of the new university. Classes officially began on campus on August 25, 1997.

One of the main buildings, Academic Building 5, was later named Charles B. Edwards Hall. This was to honor Charles B. Edwards, who helped get the university started.

Growing Over the Years

In 1999, William C. Merwin became FGCU's second president. He worked to make FGCU a full four-year university. He also raised a lot of money, over $250 million, which helped the school grow quickly. Many new buildings were added, like the Lutgert College of Business and Holmes Hall for engineering. The student center, called the Cohen Center, also expanded.

Student numbers at FGCU grew a lot. From about 2,000 students in its first year, it reached almost 15,000 students by 2017.

In 2007, Dr. Wilson G. Bradshaw became the third president. He was followed by Michael V. Martin in 2017. In 2023, Aysegul Timur became FGCU's fifth president. She is the first woman to lead the university.

FGCU also started a program called "Soar in 4" in 2016. It helps students graduate in four years by giving them back some tuition money if they meet certain goals.

Campus Life and Buildings

Main Campus Area

FGCU's main campus is about 807 acres. It is located in Lee County, about 21 miles from Naples. The main part of the campus, called the Academic Core, is 150 acres. This is where most classrooms and labs are found.

There are three main areas for student housing: North Lake, South Village, and West Lake Village. North Lake Village is next to Lake Como, where students can enjoy activities like boating. A new boardwalk and dining area opened there in 2017.

Campus Expansion and New Facilities

Many new buildings have been added to FGCU over the years. The Lutgert College of Business building opened in 2008. Holmes Hall, which houses the U.A. Whitaker School of Engineering, opened in 2009. The Herbert J. Sugden Hall, home to the School of Resort & Hospitality Management, also opened in 2008.

Academic Building 7, for the College of Arts and Sciences, was finished in 2010. It was later named Seidler Hall. In 2012, Academic Building 8 was completed and named Marieb Hall. This building is for the College of Health Professions.

Other projects include expanding the Cohen Center, the student union building. FGCU also has one of the largest solar panel fields at a university. This helps power some of the campus buildings.

The Everglades Wetland Research Park (EWRP) is another important part of FGCU. It is located in Naples, about 35 miles south of the main campus. This park focuses on teaching and research about wetlands and water science.

In 2019, FGCU began building The Water School. This large building has research labs and classrooms. It focuses on water quality in Southwest Florida. The Water School opened in November 2022.

Other Campus Locations

FGCU has a few other smaller campus locations. These include sites in Naples, Fort Myers, and Punta Gorda. These locations offer continuing education and other classes.

The university also bought a former resort in Bonita Springs in 2007. This is now used as a marine research lab. It has boat slips and labs for studying the ocean.

Environmental Sustainability

FGCU is very focused on protecting the environment. Since it started, 400 acres on the main campus have been set aside for nature. The campus also has several lakes that are home to many animals.

The university's goal is to be environmentally friendly. Seidler Hall, a science building, has the highest level of green building certification. The university's 15-acre solar field provides about 85 percent of the energy for three main academic buildings. This helps FGCU use less power from the electric company.

New student dorms use solar panels on their roofs to heat water. This shows FGCU's commitment to using clean energy.

The Library

FGCU's Library Complex

The Library Complex is on FGCU's main campus. It has more than 1.5 million items for students and visitors to use. The library also has access to over 400 online databases. These databases offer more than 700 million articles.

The east side of the library has a large computer lab with 115 seats. This lab was updated in 2023 with new furniture and computers. The library also displays various art pieces, including seven signed lithographs by Salvador Dalí.

The Archives and Special Collections unit on the third floor holds different exhibitions. The library complex also includes the ArtLab Gallery and the Writing Center. In 2019, the library was named after FGCU's third president, Dr. Wilson G. Bradshaw.

Academics at FGCU

FGCU has eight main colleges where students can study. In 2017–18, new students had an average ACT score of 23.3 and an average SAT score of 1143. Their average high school GPA was 3.9.

The Lutgert College of Business offers degrees in areas like accounting, computer information systems, and finance. It also helps local businesses.

FGCU's School of Entrepreneurship is highly rated. It offers degrees and programs for students who want to start their own businesses. This includes a student business incubator.

The Resort and Hospitality Management Department helps students get experience in hotels and spas. FGCU also has a special program for professional golf management.

A unique requirement for all FGCU graduates is the University Colloquium. This course teaches students about the importance of ecology and sustainability. Students also have to complete service learning hours. This means they volunteer in the community. FGCU students have volunteered over 2.2 million hours since the university opened.

The College of Engineering offers degrees in civil, environmental, bioengineering, and software engineering. These programs are approved by ABET, a group that checks engineering programs.

In 2017, FGCU started an Honors College for high-achieving students.

Research at FGCU

FGCU is involved in a lot of research. In 2015–2016, nearly $10 million was given for research projects. There are many research centers at FGCU. These include groups that study biotechnology, real estate, and coastal environments. Other centers focus on leadership, government, and youth justice. Since FGCU opened, over $204.8 million has been given for research.

University Rankings

FGCU is recognized in national university rankings. In 2022-23, U.S. News & World Report ranked FGCU among the top National Universities. It was also named among the top Public Schools.

In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked FGCU #68 among Regional Universities South. It was also named the #16 Most Innovative School in the South.

In 2020, The Princeton Review ranked FGCU's entrepreneurship program as the 30th best in the country. It was ranked 1st in Florida.

FGCU Athletics

FGCU Eagles baseball

FGCU's sports teams are called the Eagles. They compete in NCAA Division I sports. This is the highest level of college sports. The Eagles joined the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) in 2007.

FGCU has many different sports teams:

• Men's and women's golf
• Men's and women's tennis
• Men's and women's basketball
• Women's softball
• Men's baseball
• Men's and women's cross country
• Women's volleyball
• Men's and women's soccer
• Women's swimming and diving
• Women's beach volleyball

The Eagles play basketball games at Alico Arena. Baseball games are played at Swanson Stadium. There are also other sports facilities on campus. In spring 2017, FGCU student athletes had an average GPA of 3.27.

Baseball Team Success

The FGCU baseball team has sent several players to professional leagues. This includes Major League Baseball pitchers like Richard Bleier and Chris Sale. Casey Coleman was the first Eagle to reach the major leagues in 2010.

Basketball Team Success

The front of Alico Arena on the campus of FGCU

In 2007, FGCU's women's basketball team had a great season, finishing 35–1. In 2008, they became the first team to play in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) in their first year in Division I. They also became the first ASUN Conference team to win a post-season game since 1998. The women's team has won many ASUN championships since then.

In 2013, the men's basketball team won the ASUN championship. This earned them a spot in the 2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. As a No. 15 seed, the Eagles surprised everyone by beating the No. 2 seeded Georgetown Hoyas. They then beat the San Diego State Aztecs. This made them the first No. 15 seed ever to reach the "Sweet 16" round of the tournament. The team was nicknamed "Dunk City" because of their exciting style of play. The Eagles won two more ASUN championships in 2016 and 2017.

Student Life at FGCU

Where Students Live

Lake Como and North Lake Village student housing

FGCU has three main areas for on-campus housing: North Lake Village, South Village, and West Lake Village. North Lake Village is located on an 80-acre lake. It has apartment-style dorms with fun activities on the water.

South Village (SoVi) has suite-style dorms. There are five buildings: Everglades, Biscayne, Palmetto, Osprey, and Eagle Hall. These house over 1,720 first-year students. In 2013, South Village opened the SoVi Pool, which is like a resort pool.

About 3,200 students live on campus each year. Freshmen do not have to live on campus, but the dorms are usually full.

The Eagle Express is a shuttle that helps students get around campus. It takes them from their dorms to classes and activities.

Fraternities and Sororities

FGCU has 28 fraternity and sorority chapters. These groups are part of Greek life on campus. There are no separate houses for these groups on campus.

Campus Fun and Sports

The Campus Recreation department plans many trips each year. These include activities like rock climbing, skydiving, and kayaking. There are also 27 official sports clubs on campus. Many of these clubs compete against other colleges.

Student Groups

FGCU has more than 250 student organizations. The Student Government helps fund many of these groups.

University Media

The university runs public broadcasting stations, WGCU television and WGCU-FM radio. WGCU is part of PBS, and WGCU-FM is part of NPR.

Eagle Media is the student-run media group. It started in 1997 as "The Eagle" newspaper. Now, it publishes a weekly newspaper, updates a website daily, and has TV and radio programs.

Notable Alumni

Richard Bleier

Chris Sale

Many successful people have graduated from FGCU, including:

• Eli Abaev, professional basketball player
• Jacob Barnes, professional baseball player
• Richard Bleier, professional baseball player
• Sherwood Brown, professional basketball player
• Matt Caldwell, former member of the Florida House of Representatives
• Don Carman, professional baseball player
• Ross Chastain, professional racecar driver
• Casey Coleman, professional baseball player
• Kutter Crawford, professional baseball player
• Dane Eagle, member of the Florida House of Representatives
• Tiffany Esposito, member of the Florida House of Representatives
• Chase Fieler, professional basketball player
• Brandon Goodwin, professional basketball player
• Courtney Jolly, professional monster truck driver
• Derek Lamely, professional golfer
• Priscila Navarro, concert pianist
• Spencer Roach, Florida state representative
• Chris Sale, professional baseball player

See also

• Hertz Arena, a facility 2 miles south; home to FGCU's ice hockey clubs
• List of Florida Gulf Coast University people

Images for kids

• 

  FGCU's Academic Core

• 

  Lutgert College of Business