Message from Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Debbie Thorne
July 21, 2025
Dear colleagues,
I am thrilled to join the FGCU community as your Executive Vice President and Provost and to be part of our university’s ongoing journey to excellence. From Eagle View Orientation to the Board of Governors, my first days on campus have revealed an enduring passion, dedication, and innovative spirit. Thank you for the warm welcome.
Each one of us has a critical role in the university’s success. Every interaction we have with students, partners, and each other, whether in the classroom, research lab, community site, or office hallway, reflects and reinforces our culture of excellence and care. Together, we will continue to innovate for student success while building upon the strong foundation of collaborative learning, interdisciplinary scholarship, and community engagement that distinguishes FGCU from all other institutions.
I am eager to learn from your expertise, understand your priorities, and collaborate across the institution to advance our mission.
I joined FGCU because of its momentum and spirit of place—the remarkable intersection of academic innovation, community engagement, and sustainability that makes our university truly distinctive. As Southwest Florida’s living laboratory, I believe FGCU is uniquely poised to address the challenges and opportunities of our dynamic region and beyond.
As we move forward together in Year 2 of our strategic plan, Innovating for Student Success: FGCU’s Journey to Excellence, my commitment to you is clear: we will elevate academic excellence and student success, accelerate operational excellence, strengthen our partnerships and collective impact, and ensure FGCU remains a destination of choice for outstanding faculty, staff, and students.
I am eager to learn from your expertise, understand your priorities, and collaborate across the institution to advance our mission. In the coming weeks, I will be exploring more of our campus community to better understand how I can facilitate and embolden your important work. I look forward to seeing you at the President's Kickoff, college, school and department meetings, and many other campus events.
Thank you for your dedication to our students and our university. I am honored to be here.
Wings Up & Go Eagles!
Debbie M. Thorne, Executive Vice President and Provost
