Throughout his career, Florida Tech's new president, Dr. John Nicklow, has emphasized the importance of making a difference for each student.Florida Institute of Technology Photos
New president starts plans to expand FIT's potential
As Florida Tech's new “Campus Moms and Dads,” Drs. John and Stacey Nicklow are passionate about providing access for students, faculty, and staff.
He has experience wrestling bulls and knocking them to the ground and is a certified professional hydrologist. He works as a bartender and holds a PhD in civil engineering from Arizona State University. He delivered pizza and was president of the University of New Orleans. He works in a lumberyard, is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and holds a degree from the American Institute of Water Resources. He was a fit offensive tackle for an NCAA Division I team as well as a passionate scholar and researcher.
She is a self-proclaimed math geek and has a PhD in American Literature. She completed her five-year dual degree program in Mechanical Engineering and English while playing as an NCAA Division I volleyball player. She worked as an energy conservation engineer and was assistant director of the Writing Center at Southern Illinois University.
Doctors. John and Stacey Nicklow are not your typical college president and spouse. But Florida Tech is no ordinary university. The school, founded in 1958 by missile developer and nuclear physicist Jerome Kuiper for engineers moving to Brevard to join the space program, has always been a unique institution of higher learning. It continues to exist. It's no surprise that the extraordinary couple will lead the university into its next chapter.
Following a highly successful investiture ceremony held in January of this year, Mr. Nicklow was officially appointed as Florida Tech's sixth permanent president. When the board hired him to replace T. Dwayne McKay at the beginning of the school year, they gave him a 2-for-1 contract. Nicklow considers his wife an essential partner in her work. “Stacey is my sounding board and my hardest working volunteer,” he said.
As Florida Tech's new “Campus Mom and Dad,” the couple is passionate about providing access for students, faculty, and staff. Mr. Nicklow, who promotes an open-door policy, is always keen to hear from students and those who work for him. The couple frequently eats in the school's Panther Dining Hall, answering questions from students and staff who stop by for a chat during dinner.
“Florida Tech has a family atmosphere that you don't find at other universities,” Nicklow said. Throughout his career, he has emphasized the importance of making a difference in each student. Even after all these years, his students still remember his guidance. “The number of students who stay in touch with me is incredible,” he said.
Nicklow's experience, energy and passion for education convinced the school's board of directors that he was the right person for the job. “His success as the current president of the University of New Orleans, his extensive background in scholarship and research, and his approach to teamwork and collaboration have already strengthened our university and positioned Florida Tech for a very bright future. It helped me start drawing,” said Travis Proctor, chairman of the Florida Institute of Technology Board of Trustees. “During his 25-year career in higher education, Dr. Nicklow has a proven track record of driving enrollment growth and student success, strengthening campus research enterprises, and expanding strategic and philanthropic partnerships. is excited about what will happen at Florida Tech.”
Nicklow talks about the benefits of an education at Florida Tech while filming an episode of The College Tour. The show, hosted by Alex Boylan, is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
Nicklow congratulates students during graduation exercises at Florida Institute of Technology.
bigger impact
With an “anytime, anywhere” philosophy, Nicklow wasted no time in tackling the many challenges and opportunities facing his new school.he recently released Moving forward together, endless possibilities, This strategic plan provides the framework the school needs to develop initiatives that advance Florida Tech as a premier national research university, with input from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community. .
The STEM-focused private university offers more than 180 degree programs and currently enrolls approximately 10,000 students. Its well-deserved reputation for excellence extends far beyond county lines. “There are people around the world who know Florida Tech better than people in this region,” said Nickloe, who plans to increase the school's visibility both locally and internationally.
“My priority is to further raise the profile of Florida Tech by telling its impressive story whenever and wherever I can, because more visibility means more impact. My Vision is to make Florida Tech the first choice for STEM fields.”
In a recent program, 2,500 local ninth-grade students participated in an on-campus motivational program. “We want our 2,500 students to know that Florida Tech is here,” he said. Additionally, to make the school more accessible to high-achieving local students, the newly created Brevard Boundless Opportunity Grant covers the difference between tuition and fees and other gift assistance to students. intend to do something. Eligible students do not have to pay tuition fees to the university.
busy person
One of Nickloe's goals at Florida Tech is to foster university partnerships and upgrade infrastructure. Among the school's latest projects is construction of the new Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. An infrastructure master plan is being developed to guide future expansion.
Nicklow's schedule is filled with a variety of tasks, from speaking at Space Coast Cities League meetings to attending chamber of commerce events around the county. Engaging the school's 68,000 alumni means strengthening the support of her 68,000 people who can celebrate the school and also provide financial support. To that end, the Nicklows will spend the next few months visiting alumni groups across the country.
Fostering partnerships between industry and government is also a top goal. Approved by the Board of Regents and in its early stages of operation, the Florida Institute of Technology (its Applied Research Division) will enable the University to engage in collaborative research that benefits government and industry partners and will enable the University to It will bring in a lot of money.
Upgrading the school's infrastructure, especially student housing, is high on Niklow's to-do list. When you visit the school, you will notice that it has two different campuses. One is a newer, well-designed complex on the south side of University Boulevard, and the other is an older, sprawling campus with buildings plucked from it on the north side. 1960s.
“We're at a maxed-out supply of housing, and that's a bottleneck to growth,” Nickloe said. At 155 acres, the university still has room to expand and reconfigure. The first infrastructure master plan in 15 years is being developed to ensure that growth is unbroken and well planned.
The Nicklows chat with Viera Company President Todd Pokriwa at a Civil-Military Council event in Port Canaveral.
partner
During his first week on campus, Nicklow took time to personally greet faculty and staff. The Nicklow family frequently eats at the university's Panther Dining Hall.
His wife will be by Nicklow's side as he steers Florida Tech. “I have enjoyed the best parts of Niklow’s job without any problems,” she said.
Initially, the Nicklows did not envision a career in academia. Nicklowe graduated from Bucknell University with the help of a football scholarship and then headed to Arizona State to earn a doctorate in civil engineering. A stint as an environmental engineering employee at the U.S. Public Health Service inspired him to aspire to the teaching and research he enjoyed at Bucknell University. By the way, he met his wife there during his second year.
The couple decided that Niklow would work and pay her bills while she completed her final degree. Her positions then reversed as she earned a doctorate in American literature from Southern Illinois University. Nicklow quickly rose through the ranks, and she served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Southern Illinois University. For his seven years, he served as president and CEO of the University of New Orleans, the largest public university in the New Orleans metropolitan area.
Stacey Nicklow also worked in engineering after graduating from college. Her job as an energy conservation engineer required her to write a lot, but she discovered that she loved it. That gave her motivation to pursue graduate studies in her English. As a graduate teaching assistant at Southern Illinois University, she discovered that she loved teaching. She was an adjunct professor at SIU, then assistant director of the Writing Center, and later a tenured faculty member at Shawnee Community College in Illinois.
So the Nicklow family is equally passionate about the life-changing potential of academia. “Education transforms people, families and communities,” Nicklow said.
Florida Institute of Technology Look at the numbers
Registration
Melbourne campus: Number of students: 4,669
Off-campus site: 374
Online program: 4,613
total: 9,656
Student dormitory
Lives in Florida: 34.4%
Residents outside of Florida: 48.2%
International: 17.4%
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