Eagle View Village, the employee rental housing community under construction north
of campus, represents what can happen when FGCU’s institutional values of curiosity,
commitment and collaboration come together in action. Seeking an innovative way to
invest in people and recruit and retain top talent, the university researched the
housing market and options for building and financing a more affordable housing option
close to campus. Project leaders collaborated with developers to design the best models for sustainability
and cost efficiency, and committed to offering rates below market price. The result:
the first rental community of its kind among Florida’s 12 state universities. The
grand opening for the first phase of 74 units is set for Dec. 1. This innovative project
was just one of the many ways that FGCU took action this year on initiatives that
strengthened organizational culture and commitment to employees. This new taskforce builds on the strong foundation laid by the Collaborative on Academic
Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Shared Governance Work Group. By taking a broader
approach that includes staff and faculty voices, FGCU is working to align institutional
values, improve communication and build a more connected, collaborative campus. The President’s Cabinet worked in consultation with Faculty Senate to ensure in-unit
faculty members are represented on all university-wide committees, such as the Institutional
Effectiveness and Accountability Council (IEAC), which is involved in providing recommendations
for resource allocation. The taskforce made recommendations on how to improve the
university’s governance model to best enable faculty and staff to participate in university-wide
decision-making. Together, employees reviewed and celebrated significant gains in the Great Colleges
to Work For survey over the past two years. We saw improvement across all survey categories
with no significant regressions — a clear sign that we are moving in the right direction
together, reflecting the strong connection with our mission, daily work and impact
on our surrounding community. The Internal Communications Committee also held a workshop to share ongoing initiatives
to improve the workplace and brainstorm ideas on how to continue building a better
FGCU. FGCU set an attendance record with nearly 890 staff and faculty coming together for
the annual lunch, where the president spoke about the institutional values of curiosity,
commitment and collaboration. The Eagle family also donated $1,000 and 654 pounds
of food to the FGCU Campus Food Pantry. Kimberly Hobart, administrative assistant in Marieb College of Health & Human Services,
won the Azul’s Most-Spirited Eagle Award for her creative outfit. President Aysegul Timur kicked off the 2026 Provost’s Seminar Series Jan. 15 with
a forward-looking conversation about the university’s role in Southwest Florida’s
future. From cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to global politics and presidential
history, the series brings scholars, authors and industry leaders to campus. The Employee Engagement Collective was established this year as a strategic initiative
to foster a sense of community, recognition and professional growth among all university
employees. The group recommends ways to enhance employee satisfaction, retention and
institutional alignment with the university’s mission. Complementing the collective’s efforts, the Internal Communications Committee continued
to encourage dialogue, share information and advance recommendations to leadership
through community forums, town halls and panel discussions. The committee hosted five
events this year, including the “Community Engagement Showcase: Discover Connections
Across Campus,” which it plans to present again in September. Together, these two groups work to promote a more connected, motivated and resilient
workforce. Their first joint collaboration, FGCU Family Night at Swanson Stadium,
will become an annual event. The university advanced initiatives for leadership excellence in partnership with
the Center for Transformation and Innovation that enhanced focus and impact for participants
through a leadership development program. Guided by COACHE and Great Colleges to Work
For survey insights, FGCU launched a yearlong, senior-level program with two cohorts:
Administrative Leadership and Faculty Leading Faculty Leadership. Each group collaborates
on initiatives designed to address pressing university challenges and opportunities,
with solutions aligned to FGCU’s strategic plan and institutional priorities. Jiehong Liao, Ph.D. Lucas Center for Faculty Development Tara McKenna, Ed.D. Hilal Peker, Ph.D. Vinod Ahuja, Ph.D. WGCU Public Media Sandra Pavelka, Ph.D.
Taskforce on FGCU Shared Governance
Building Our Best Workplace — Together
Fall Kickoff Celebration
Engaging Campus and Community
Building an Informed and Engaged Workforce
FGCU Leadership Academy
Faculty & Staff Awards
One of 25 Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network Campus Rising Stars named through
a competitive nomination process.
The Delphi Award, granted by the Pullias Center at the University of Southern California
and the American Association of Colleges and Universities, for work transforming support
for visiting faculty, instructors, adjuncts and lecturers.
The South Florida PGA Professional Development Award in recognition of her impact
on the Southwest Florida golf community.
2026 TESOL Outstanding Advocate Honor Award from TESOL International Association,
a leading global professional organization in English language education in multilingual
contexts.
Microsoft TechSpark Fellowship — FGCU is one of only 12 organizations nationwide to
receive this honor and the only one from Florida.
2025 Suncoast Emmy Awards for Public Affairs Program Single Program and for Short
Form Content Up to 10 Minutes.
2026 Research Award from the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice.
The University Library recognizes faculty and staff scholarship, including book publications
and creative works. In addition to the annual Authors & Artists Awards reception,
their work is featured on the library’s social media.
Strengthen Organizational Culture and Commitment to Employees
Celebrating Our Work
