Florida Atlantic University

Fun FAU Facts

DID YOU KNOW?

The Princeton Review named FAU to their 2009 list of the “Best Southeastern Colleges”

FAU's football team is the youngest in NCAA history to win back-to-back bowl games

234 new inventions have been created by FAU faculty

FAU College of Education alumni have been named “Florida Teacher of the Year” three times

The FAU Libraries Klezmer Company Orchestra is the only professional ensemble-in-residence at an
academic library in the U.S.

FAU created the nation's first ocean engineering program in 1965

Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, FAU's own record label, was the first student-run, full-service record label in the U.S.

FAU has the only Wall Street trading room simulator at a public university in Florida

FAU's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing offered Florida's first Ph.D. in nursing

More than 110,000 alumni have graduated from FAU since the university opened its doors in 1964

FAU has the largest university-based lifelong learning program in the U.S.

FAU was the site of the Miami Dolphins' first training facility

FAU is the most diverse public university in the state of Florida with minority and international students making
up 40 percent of the student body

47 percent of Treasure Coast campus classrooms and meeting spaces are equipped with state-of the art
distance learning equipment, easing the inter-campus commute and decreasing our environmental footprint

During the past four years, FAU's baseball program has had more than 20 players sign professional contracts

FAU Libraries Marvin and Sybil Weiner Spirit of America Collection has the first printing of the Declaration of Independence printed in a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Evening Post, Vol. II., Philadelphia, 1776

Success magazine named FAU's College of Business as one of America's “Top 50 Business Schools for Entrepreneurs”

More True Blue Stories
	“FAU gave me the tools to launch my own career and now I am fortunate that I can give back to others. The Adams Center for Entrepreneurship in FAU's Barry Kaye College of Business, with its hands-on, solutions-based approach, cultivates the remarkable minds of the future.” Scott Adams ’87 Share Your True Blue Message

“Obtaining a Bachelor's of Science in nursing from Florida Atlantic University was the key to a fantastic career path. Although I now work in an administrative capacity, I still call upon the excellent clinical education provided by FAU to resolve a myriad of complex healthcare issues. GO OWLS!”

Kimberly Lansford ’00, ’89

“Since 1996 I have been both an employee and student of FAU's College of Education. When I moved into the dorms on my very first day I met my now husband! We are both alumni of FAU and our children very proudly yell "Hoo Hoo Go FAU" any time they see an owl”

Traci Catto ’00, ’09

“I'm an alumnus of FAU (criminal justice). I went on to retire from active police work to teaching in the two-year criminal justice degree program at Broward Community College (now Broward College). I owe it all to FAU's criminal justice professors and their dedication to the educational process. They gave me a dedication to teaching. I humbly thank you.”

Pete Eckert ’80

Top of my playlist Frank Sinatra • Best advice I ever received My father was a New York City Fireman. He volunteered for the Rescue Company program (there were only three in the entire city and they responded to all the disasters). He told me never to go into the fire service, so I became a cop: go figure!! • I would write a fan letter to Mother Teresa

“Florida Atlantic University gave me a great education that started me on a successful journey. FAU in the early years had a great faculty and small classes. It was like attending a small private college, rather than a big University. Forty years later, I am proud that FAU has become a BIG University. In addition, I met my wife of forty years at FAU... I won on two counts. I have been back to FAU on multiple occasions over the past several years and I marvel at the expansive opportunities that are available to today's students. I am pleased to help the students and faculty strive to make our University a standout institution in Florida.”

Kenneth Steel ’69

“Since the first day my son Sam entered FAU in Fall 2006 we became part of the FAMILY. My wife entered FAU in Fall 2007 after 30 years away from college to finish a bachelor's degree and graduated in Spring 2008. Now my daughter is a freshman. It is that feeling of FAMILY that drives our enthusiasm for FAU.”

Lee Rosenfeld

Top of my playlist 60's and 70's Rock and Roll Country Music

“Not only am I an employee of FAU, I am an alumna, an Owl Club member, a Stadium donor, and an overall FAU donor. Watching this university grow since my sister graduated from here in 1986 is exciting and inspirational. I am proud to be part of the transformation and hope to continue to be a part of it for as long as I am able.”

Brenda Coto ’09

“My experience at FAU was one of the best experiences that I've had in my life. The encouragement that I received from my professors was immeasurable. When I started attending FAU I hoped to at least make a "C" grade in my classes, but because of the quality education, and incredible encouragement and support I received from my professors, I was able to graduate magna cum laude.”

Susan Moore ’06

“FAU is our family school! My brother was in the first graduating class when FAU became a 4-year school. My sister also graduated from FAU and followed her dream to become an MD. I have a BA in human resources from FAU and will be going back soon to obtain a bachelor's in economics and hopefully a master's as well. I also have two cousins and about seven friends who are all OWLS! FAU is practically part of the family!! GO OWLS!!!”

Prakash Sharma

Best advice ever received It was a memorable line from the movie City Slickers. Curly: “Do you know what the secret of life is? One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don't mean squat.” Mitch: “But, what is the “one thing?” Curly: [smiles] “That's what you have to find out.

“I am TRUE BLUE to FAU because I love Harbor Branch. I have been going to Harbor Branch since it began. I think it does wonderful work. I have always felt that more should be done under the sea not in space. I think we have many more helpful things found in the water than it space.”

Roberta Lynch

“I am a big fan of Coach Schnellenberger since he is responsible for the success of both the FAU and the University of Miami football programs. I graduated from the University of Miami in 1949, before FAU was created, but the Owls are my second football love.”

Dr. Alan Rosen

Best advice ever received I'm originally from New York. While traveling one day, I was told to go West but I took the wrong plane and ended up in South Florida.

“FAU helped me mature and grow into the person I am today. FAU gave me the chance to become a leader both on and off campus. Although I live in San Antonio now, I am helping to build an FAU chapter in Texas, and helping to organize events around the nation. They seem to be getting easier to plan because more and more alumni are becoming PROUD FAU alumni. Our recent success in both academic and athletics have helped to put FAU's name on the national scene; and with alumnus Steve Swanson traveling into space, we are all over the universe - literally!”

Rick "$mitty" Smith ’07

“I attended three different universities during my undergraduate years; FAU was my third, but also the only university where I became actively involved in student activities, engaged with professors outside of the classroom and excelled academically within my major.”

Kristina Allen ’09

“I have always been proud of my experience at FAU. It has helped me in more ways than I can share in a short message. I just want to thank you for the opportunity.”

Michael Haydock ’76

Top of my playlist Santana • Best advice I ever received Best advice I ever received Work hard, keep at it • I would write a fan letter to I would write a fan letter to my wife