Allie Sundermeier believes that one FGCU course dramatically altered her career trajectory.

In 2015, she and seven other students in a hybrid engineering-and-business class developed a startup business called Illumitize, which is a visual alert system designed to improve hand hygiene compliance in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Illumitize took a second-place prize of $5,000 at the State of Florida Healthcare Innovation Pitch Competition in 2016, and Lee Health’s HealthPark Medical Center later announced a partnership to beta-test four prototypes of the device.

“My ‘Engineering Entrepreneurship’ course changed my entire college experience,” she says. “I was able to start a company, which allowed me to understand my strengths and discover my passion."

“Starting a company in college has given me countless opportunities. I have been able to expand my professional network, present at statewide conferences and experience first-hand all that is involved with a small startup.”

She has landed internships in four different areas: photosynthesis research (Algenol); program management (Structure Medical); marketing (FGCU Institute for Entrepreneurship); and digital marketing (ACI Worldwide). Through the internships, she has discovered her field of interest and acquired new skills.

“The College of Engineering at FGCU provides an abundance of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom,” she says. “The small class sizes allow you to build strong relationships with faculty, which plays a huge role when applying for jobs and internships. Take advantage of the resources available to you and get involved. It’s worth it.”​