He says he has a lot of memorable experiences with his students, but Hall of Famer Francesca Moloney really stands out. Moloney worked on a research project sponsored for the Florida Department of Transportation entitled, “Evaluation of Driver Behavior to Hydroplaning in the State of Florida Using Driving Simulation,” and participated in Villiers’ Florida–Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program. She embraced the advice he gives all his students: get involved and get to know your teachers.

“She is a true leader,” he says. “She organized the meetings, served as liaison between the program director and the other students, and prepared reports for the National Science Foundation.”

Villiers, who joined FGCU as an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental & Civil Engineering in August 2006 and was promoted to the rank of associate professor in 2011, said an engineering degree from FGCU is a “passport for a great job opportunity within Southwest Florida and beyond.”

After 11 years, he has seen just how unique FGCU’s civil engineering program is.

“At FGCU, the engineering college fosters excellence in teaching by incorporating innovation, including integrated lecture lab style methods in all the engineering classes,” he says. “We have qualified and experienced teachers who enjoy their jobs and champion students’ learning. There are small class sizes, a collaborative environment within the student body and friendly faculty/student relationships based on mutual respect.”

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