 | |
| Motto | "Where Tomorrow Begins." |
|---|---|
| Type | Publicresearch university |
| Established | July 15, 1961; 64 years ago (July 15, 1961) |
Parent institution | State University System of Florida |
| Accreditation | SACS |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $285 million (2022)[1] |
| Budget | $982 million (2022) |
| President | Adam Hasner |
| Provost | Russell Ivy (interim) |
Academic staff | 1,600[2] |
Administrative staff | 1,500[2] |
| Students | 30,171[2] |
| Undergraduates | 23,683[2] |
| Postgraduates | 4,804[2] |
| 1,684 | |
| Location | , United States 26°22′16″N80°06′07″W / 26.371°N 80.102°W /26.371; -80.102 |
| Campus | Small city[4], 850 acres (340 ha)[3] |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | University Press |
| Colors | Blue and red[5] |
| Nickname | Owls |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot |
|
| Website | fau |
 | |
 | |
Florida Atlantic University (Florida Atlantic orFAU) is apublicresearch university with its main campus inBoca Raton, Florida, United States. The university is a member of theState University System of Florida and has satellite campuses inDania Beach,Davie,Fort Lauderdale,Jupiter, andFort Pierce.[3][6] FAU was established as Florida's fifth public university and isclassified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".[7]
FAU has quickly grown to become one of the largest institutions in the state by enrollment.[8] Florida Atlantic offers more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs within its 10 colleges.[9] The university is accredited by theSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
FAU opened in 1964 as the first public university in theMiami metro area, offering only upper-division and graduate level courses. Initial enrollment was only 867 students, increasing in 1984 when the university admitted its first lower-division undergraduate students.[10] As of 2021, its enrollment had grown to over 30,000 students representing 180 countries, 50 states, and theDistrict of Columbia.[11] The university has an annual budget of $900 million and an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion.[12] Since 1964, Florida Atlantic University has awarded degrees to over 185,000 alumni.[13]
FAU's intercollegiate sports teams, theFlorida Atlantic Owls, compete inNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)Division I and theAmerican Athletic Conference (AAC). With 19 varsity athletic teams, the Owls have found success in winning titles and championships in theC-USA (FAU's previous athletic conference) and garnering attention on the national scale. On October 21, 2021, Florida Atlantic accepted the invitation to join the AAC and became a full-member on July 1, 2023.[14]
On July 15, 1961, to meet the burgeoning educational demands of South Florida, the state legislature passed an act authorizing the establishment of a new university in the city of Boca Raton. Thomas F. Fleming Jr, founder of Boca Raton's First Bank and Trust Company negotiated with the federal government to secure the title to the air base lands and also established the Endowment Corporation to raise money for planning.[15] Florida Atlantic University was built onBoca Raton Army Airfield, a 1940s-era army airbase. During World War II, the airfield served as theArmy Air Corps' sole radar training facility. The base was built on the existingBoca Raton Airport and on 5,860 acres (23.7 km2) of adjacent land.[16] A majority of the land was acquired fromJapanese-American farmers from the failingYamato Colony. The land was seized througheminent domain, leaving many Japanese-Americans little recourse in the early days of World War II.[16]
The airbase was used for radar training, anti-submarine patrols along the coast, and as a stop-over point for planes being ferried to Africa and Europe via South America. The airfield was composed of four runways, still visible on the Boca Campus today and mainly used for parking.
By early 1947, the military decided to transfer future radar training operations toKeesler Air Force Base inMississippi. The departure of the air force in 1947 would leave Boca Raton Army Airfield essentially abandoned.
Florida Atlantic University opened on September 14, 1964, with an initial student body of 867 students in five colleges. The first degree awarded was an honorary doctorate given to PresidentLyndon B. Johnson on October 25, 1964, at the dedication and opening of the university.[17] At the time of its opening, there were 350 employees, of which 120 were faculty. On-campus housing for students was first added in September 1965, when Algonquin Hall opened.[18][19]
Florida Atlantic's history is one of continuing expansion as the university's service population has grown. The university originally served only upper-division and graduate level students, because the state intended the institution "to complement the state's community college system, accepting students who had earned their associate degrees from those institutions."[19]
Florida Atlantic began its expansion beyond a one-campus university in 1971, when it opened its Commercial Boulevard campus in Fort Lauderdale. Due to a rapidly expanding population in South Florida, in 1984 Florida Atlantic opened its doors to lower-division undergraduate students. The following year, the university added its third campus in downtown Fort Lauderdale onLas Olas Boulevard.
In 1989, theFlorida Legislature recognized demands for higher education in South Florida by designating Florida Atlantic as the lead state university serving Broward County. To fill this role, the university would establish a campus inDania Beach in 1997 and another campus in the City ofDavie in westernBroward County in 1990. Florida Atlantic later purchased 50 acres (20 ha) of land inPort St. Lucie in 1994 to establish a campus on theTreasure Coast. This would be the institution's fifth campus. The university continued its expansion in 1999 when it opened itsJupiter Campus, named for the lateJohn D. MacArthur. This campus houses the university's honors college.
Florida Atlantic University and theUniversity of Miami'sMiller School of Medicine established amedical training program within theCharles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science in 2004. Plans originally called for the construction of a newteaching hospital in coordination withBoca Raton Community Hospital on the main campus. Following successive budgets deficits in 2007, the hospital delayed its participation indefinitely. However, Florida Atlantic later established its own College of Medicine in 2010.[20][21][22][23] TheHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (HBOI) also joined the university in 2007, creating Florida Atlantic's seventh campus.[24] To bring HBOI into the university family the Florida Legislature allocated $44 million to Florida Atlantic to acquire the institution.[25]
Florida Atlantic has changed dramatically since its opening in 1964. There are now more than 30,000 students attending classes on seven campuses spread across 120 miles (193 km). The university consists of ten colleges and employs more than 3,200 faculty and staff. As of 2020, the university's endowment has increased to over $240 million.
Since its founding, the university has been led by seven presidents. The university's immediate past president isMary Jane Saunders. She was named president on March 3, 2010, then resigned on May 15, 2013. Her appointment followed the resignation ofFrank Brogan. Brogan, a formerLieutenant Governor of Florida, left the university in late 2009 to become Chancellor of theState University System of Florida. Past university presidents also includedAnthony J. Catanese, Helen Popovich, Glenwood Creech, and Kenneth Rast Williams. On January 17, 2014, the Board of Trustees announced the selection of John W. Kelly, formerly a vice president ofClemson University, to be the seventh president of the university with a starting date of March 1, 2014.
As of 2021, the university's student body consists of 24,663 undergraduates, 3,380 graduate students, 440 doctoral students, and 254 medical students.[27] In 2021, the undergraduate student body consisted 61% ethnic minorities and includes students from more than 180 countries. Florida Atlantic has long ranked as the most racially, ethnically and culturally diverse institution inFlorida's State University System.U.S. News & World Report has ranked FAU the 27th most diverse university in the nation.[27][28] For the incoming freshman class of fall 2021, the acceptance rate was 60%.[27]
The university has ten colleges which altogether offer over 180 differentbachelor's,master's anddoctoral degree programs:[29] theCharles E. Schmidt College of Science,Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine,Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing,College of Social Work and Criminal Justice,College of Business,College of Education,College of Engineering and Computer Science,Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters,Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, and the Graduate College.[30]
The university offers two honors options: the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College and a University Scholars Program. The Wilkes Honors College is located on the John D. MacArthur campus in Jupiter, Florida. It offers aliberal arts education in the platform of a public university, yet is comparable to a private liberal arts college.[31] The Boca Raton campus houses the University Scholars Program, which offers special honors seminars, forums, courses, and advanced course substitution for freshmen.
The fall 2021 incoming freshmen profile for the middle 50% was a 3.73–4.33 high schoolGPA, a 23–29ACT composite score, and a 1100–1270 SAT total score.[32] Additional admission requirements are needed for the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the School of Architecture, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the College of Science.
The average class size at FAU for undergraduates is 33 students, and for graduate classes, 12 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 20:1.[2][33] The top three undergraduate majors by enrollment areelementary education, accounting, and management, respectively. The top three graduate majors by enrollment arebusiness administration, educational leadership, and accounting, respectively.[34] The average age for first-year students is 18; however, the average age for all undergraduates is 24 and the average age for graduate students is 33.[2] The average 4-year graduation rate in 2021 was 47.5%.[35]
Enrichment opportunities include internships, hands-on research, study abroad experiences, and 310 clubs and campus organizations.[36] The Lifelong Learning Society operates programs that serve the educational interests of more than 19,000 senior citizens by providing classes focusing on subjects of specific interest, and audit options for regular university classes.[37] Under the university's Commercial Music Program, Hoot/Wisdom Recordings was created in 2002, enabling students to work in all creative and business aspects of the music industry. This program generated music that landed a Top 10 spot on theBillboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales Chart during its first week of release.[38][39] The university provides financial education using its computer lab. A second lab provides full audio/visual connectivity and additional workstations. Florida Atlantic allows local financial businesses to use its computer labs and facilities for training.[40]
| Academic rankings | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Forbes[41] | 188 |
| U.S. News & World Report[42] | 189(tie) |
| Washington Monthly[43] | 46 |
| WSJ/College Pulse[44] | 183 |
| Global | |
| ARWU[45] | 801–900 |
| QS[46] | 1001-1200 |
| THE[47] | 801–1,000 |
| U.S. News & World Report[48] | 1,067(tie) |
| Biological Sciences | 203(tie) |
| Business | Unranked |
| Chemistry | 201(tie) |
| Computer Science | 148(tie) |
| Earth Sciences | 149(tie) |
| Education | 107(tie) |
| Engineering | 130(tie) |
| Fine Arts | 178(tie) |
| Mathematics | 160(tie) |
| Medicine: Primary Care | Tier 3 |
| Medicine: Research | Tier 3 |
| Nursing: Doctorate | 78(tie) |
| Nursing: Master's | 41(tie) |
| Physics | 167(tie) |
| Psychology | 185(tie) |
| Public Affairs | 76(tie) |
| Rehabilitation Counseling | 36(tie) |
| Social Work | 83(tie) |
| Speech-Language Pathology | 193(tie) |
For 2025,U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida Atlantic University as the 103rd best public university in the United States, and 189th overall among all national universities, public and private.
In 2023,U.S. News & World Report ranked the undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering programs 93rd, 164th, and 165th nationally, respectively.[50]
The university was named one of the "Best Southeastern Colleges" in the United States by thePrinceton Review for 2023.[51]
In 2024, Florida Atlantic was ranked 41st in the nation byWashington Monthly in their 2024 National University Rankings.[52]
Forbes ranked FAU 188th out of the top 500 rated private and public colleges and universities in America for the 2024-25 report. FAU was also ranked 84th among public colleges and 44th in the south.[53]
FAU is classified bythe Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a research university with very high research activity.[55] The university has established notable partnerships with major research institutions such asthe Scripps Research Institute, theTorrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, and theMax Planck Society.[56][57][58]
The university is the home of two centers of excellence: the Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology and the Center for Ocean Energy Technology. These centers have been selected by Florida's Emerging Technology Commission to receive grants to continue and increase their operations. FAU beat out some of Florida's top research universities, including theUniversity of Florida andFlorida State University, for the initial funding from the state.[59]
Since receiving its startup funding, Florida Atlantic has secured additional funds from other sources, including federal and private research grants. As a result, both centers have engaged in academic and industry partnerships, combining expertise inocean engineering,marine biotechnology,functional genomics,proteomics, andbioinformatics. Researchers, scientists, and students at the centers are designing technologies to explore the sea, harvestrenewable energy, discover new medicines, and develop new therapeutics to combat agents ofbioterrorism.[60][61] As a result of this research, in 2007 the university andLockheed Martin announced an exclusive licensing agreement to develop and produce a rapidly deployable and autonomous mooring buoy system for military and scientific uses.[62]
In 2010, theUnited States Department of Energy designated FAU as one of three national centers for ocean energy research and development. The Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center joins centers in the Pacific Northwest (University of Washington andOregon State University) and in Hawaii (University of Hawaii). The Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center is undertaking research and development of technologies capable of generating renewable power from ocean currents and ocean thermal energy.[63]
The university houses both an Imaging Technology Center and aNASA Imaging Technology Space Center. Located in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the centers specialize in digital imaging research and development for use in both government and commercial applications in the areas ofmedical technology,surveillance, communications, education,inspection,scientific observation, manufacturing, visual recognition and identification, and motion picture anddigital video. The Florida Atlantic Imaging Technology Center is developing a curriculum fordigital imaging and processing, thereby establishing Florida Atlantic as the only university in the nation to offer this technical concentration.[64] The NASA Imaging Technology Center is one of 12 NASA Research Partnership Centers throughout the nation which develop dual-use research and development with the participation of NASA and other related industries in the US. The center occupies two sets of laboratories and administrative offices, one on Florida Atlantic's main campus in Boca Raton, the other at the Fort Lauderdale campus.[61]
FAU is affiliated to theResearch Park at Florida Atlantic University, with properties in Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton. The Research Park provides outside research facilities for companies which enable them to interact with the university community and its facilities, resources, and expertise. The Research Park operates the Technology Business Incubator;[65] which fosters the start-up and growth of technology-based businesses, seeking to scale them and build relationships for them with the university. The Boca Raton campus is also home to the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences.
Florida Atlantic University's geographical distribution is located on six campuses spread acrossPalm Beach,Broward, andSt. Lucie counties. The region is home to more than three million people.[66][67] The university's main campus is located in the City of Boca Raton in Palm Beach County. The county is also home to the John D. MacArthur Campus located in Jupiter. FAU operates three campuses in the Broward County cities of Dania Beach, Davie, and Fort Lauderdale. Florida Atlantic University also operates a campus in theSt. Lucie County city of Fort Pierce. In addition to students who attend classes on the universities campuses, there are 1,612 distance learning students who conduct their studies over the internet or through other means. These students account for 6% of the university's student body.[68]
FAU is a signatory of the American College & University presidents Climate CommitmentAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. This commits the institution to ensuring all new construction projects meet theU.S. Green Building Council'sLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards.[69] In 2011, the College of Engineering and Computer Science Building was LEED Platinum certified.
FAU's main campus inBoca Raton was established on the remnants of a World War II AmericanArmy airbase in 1964. Spanning 850 acres (3.5 km2), the site is located between the cities ofPalm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. The campus was designated aburrowing owl sanctuary in 1971 by theAudubon Society. The owls find the campus appealing because there are few predators, due to the university's proximity to the Boca Raton Airport, and because the campus was originally cleared of vegetation when operating as an airbase during World War II. "The feisty bird, traditionally associated with wisdom and determination, serves as the university's mascot."[70]
The Boca Raton campus is home to a wide variety of university programs and facilities. These facilities are labs and classrooms, housing for students, a 6,000-gallon shark tank for aquatic research, a movie theater, athletic and recreational facilities, and the student-run record label Hoot/Wisdom Recordings.[71] In addition to academic and cultural programs, the campus also houses Florida Atlantic'sDivision Iathletics program. The main campus serves approximately 19,077 students, or 70% of the university's student body, offering a number of academic programs, activities, and services.[2][68][71]
The Boca Raton campus also houses a number of other institutions, including theA. D. Henderson University School,FAU High School, one of Florida Atlantic University's Research Parks, and the Lifelong Learning Society.
In addition to the Boca Raton campus in southernPalm Beach County, FAU operates a campus in northern Palm Beach County, inJupiter. The John D. MacArthur Campus, named after businessman and philanthropistJohn D. MacArthur, was established in 1999 to serve residents of central and northern Palm Beach and southernMartin counties. The MacArthur Campus occupies 45 acres (0.18 km2), upon which are eight classroom and office buildings, a library, a 500-seat auditorium, three residence halls, a dining hall, museum building, and utility plant.[72] The MacArthur Campus also houses theHarriet L. Wilkes Honors College,Scripps Florida, FAU Brain Institute, and theMax Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience. The campus serves approximately 1,262 students, or 4% of the university's student body.[68]
TheDania Beach Campus, also known as SeaTech, was founded in 1997 as a state-funded Type II research center.[73] The institute is part of FAU's Department of Ocean Engineering which was founded in 1965 as the first ocean engineering undergraduate program in the nation. The campus is located on 8 acres (0.03 km2) of land between the Atlantic Ocean and theIntracoastal Waterway. SeaTech is home to university faculty and students engaged in sponsored ocean engineering research and development in the areas ofacoustics, marine vehicles,hydrodynamics andphysical oceanography, marine materials andnanocomposites.[73] The Dania Beach Campus serves approximately 70 students, roughly 1% of the university's total student body.[68]
TheDavie Campus of Florida Atlantic University was established in 1990 on 38 acres (0.15 km2) of land in western Broward County.[74] The campus serves approximately 3,488 students, or 13% of the FAU student body, making it the university's second largest campus by enrollment.[68] The campus features a multi-storystudent union with offices forstudent government and student organizations, a multipurpose area and student lounge, a bookstore, and cafeteria.[75] The union also contains a student health center that provides medical services and health counseling.[75] Davie is also the home of "environmental research initiatives focused onEverglades restoration."[76] FAU colleges offering courses at the FAU Davie campus include Social Work and Criminal Justice, Arts and Letters, Business, Education, Nursing, and Science. The campus is located onBroward College's Central Campus. Students may enter BC as freshmen and graduate from FAU with undergraduate degrees in over 14 disciplines. More than 315,000 square feet of carefully designed classrooms, laboratories and faculty, staff and student offices are located on this campus along with a shared-use, 112,000 square-foot FAU/BC library designed for the 21st century.
Other support facilities include a shared Childcare Center, a student Wellness Center and a multi-service Student Union. The campus also offers a rich and varied program of student activities provided by the Division of Student Affairs. Students have all of the services they require for career counseling, wellness, testing and evaluation, tutoring, health services, student government and financial aid, among others. Like a small college within a large university, the Davie Campus is seen as a "model" branch campus for the state of Florida and the nation.[74]
The university has two buildings in downtownFort Lauderdale, both of which are considered part of one Fort Lauderdale campus. The Askew Tower (AT) and the Higher Education Complex (HEC) onLas Olas Boulevard. The campus offers courses in communication,graphic design, architecture, and urban and regional planning.[77] The campus is home to approximately 900 students or 3.2% of the university's student body.[68]
In addition to the Treasure Coast Campus, FAU operates a campus inFort Pierce at theHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institution. Harbor Branch merged with the university in 2007 to become the HBOI at FAU.[2][3][24] The Florida Legislature allocated $44 million for the university to acquire the institution and its 600-acre (2.4 km2) campus.[25][78][79]
Treasure Coast Campus of Florida Atlantic University operated through a partnership withIndian River State College (IRSC). Florida Atlantic purchased 50 acres (0.2 km2) of land in Port St. Lucie in 1994. At the end of spring 2012 class term, Florida Atlantic University ended offering classes at the Port St. Lucie campus.[80]
Florida Atlantic's 19 varsity sports teams, theOwls, compete in NCAA's Division I. The Owls joinedConference USA for the 2013–14 season. The university's athletics program began in 1979, when Florida Atlantic first started sponsoring intercollegiate teams.[81] Since then, the university has worked to expand the quality of its intercollegiate program by attracting coaches such asHoward Schnellenberger,Carl Pelini,Matt Doherty,Rex Walters,Lane Kiffin,Mike Jarvis,Dusty May,Willie Taggart,Tom Herman and women's softball and golf coachJoan Joyce. The university's colors are FAU Blue, FAU Red, and FAU Silver.[5]
On October 21, 2021, Florida Atlantic accepted the invitation to join theAmerican Athletic Conference (AAC) and became a full-member on July 1, 2023.[14]
FAU is home to a number of sports-related traditions and school spirit organizations.
Every fall before the first football game of the season, FAU's Student Government Association sponsors the annual football "Bonfire"[83][84] where the opposing team's mascot is burned in effigy. This event typically includes a concert and a speech by the university's head football coach.
Also in football, Florida Atlantic challenges its rivalFlorida International (FIU) in the annualShula Bowl. This intercollegiate football game is named after legendary coachDon Shula; so named because at the time of its inception, both head coaches, Florida Atlantic'sHoward Schnellenberger and Florida International coachDon Strock, had worked under Shula at some point during their careers. Even though both universities have since moved on to new head coaches, the Shula Bowl is still played. As a home game, the competition takes place at university's own stadium; as an away game, the bowl is played atFIU Stadium.[70]
For basketball, Florida Atlantic celebrates the "Red Hot Madness and Stroll Off" pep rally that introduces fans to the team and coaches, host a number of basketball-related contests such as 3-point shoot-outs and slam dunk competitions, and features step performances by the school'sNational Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities.[85] During the regular season, the "Bury the Burrow in Red" event calls for Florida Atlantic students to wear as much red as possible and fill theBurrow, the university's multi-purpose arena, during the annualbasketball rivalry game between Florida Atlantic and Florida International University.[86]
The official spirit group supporting Florida Atlantic athletics is the "prOWLers". The group began in February 2002 to support the men's basketball program during the team's run for theAtlantic Sun Conference Championship. The group is funded by the Student Alumni Association, and can now be found at most sporting events cheering for Florida Atlantic.[87] The prOWLers are joined by the Owl Rangers,[88] a fan group that paints their bodies in the Florida Atlantic school colors. The hOWLetts are a student club that attend gameday events and assist in recruiting athletes.[89]
Since 2002, Florida Atlantic students have been using Owl Fingers (the "OK" hand sign) to show school pride and wish the athletic teams luck during football point after attempts (PATs) and basketball free throws.[90]
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 42% | ||
| Hispanic | 29% | ||
| Black | 17% | ||
| Asian | 4% | ||
| Two or more races | 4% | ||
| International student | 3% | ||
| Unknown | 1% | ||
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income[a] | 37% | ||
| Affluent[b] | 63% | ||
Residential housing at FAU is available on the Boca Raton and John D. MacArthur campuses. "All full-time freshmen are required to reside in university housing," however, "exemptions from this policy are made for students who: are 21 or older by the first day of class, reside with parent(s) or legal guardian(s) within a 50-mile (80 km) radius of the Boca Raton campus, or are married."[92] As of 2021, over 4,000 students live on-campus in Boca Raton.[93] The Wilkes Honors College on the MacArthur Campus requires all students live on-campus within its three residence halls, however, exceptions are made for students who are 26 years of age, married, or have dependent children.[94][95]
Boca Raton's on-campus housing facilities are: Indian River Towers (opened 2001), Heritage Park Towers (opened 2004), Glades Park Towers (opened 2007), Parliament Hall (opened 2013), University Village Apartments (UVA), and Innovation Village Apartments (IVA) (opened 2011). Heritage Park and Glades Park Towers each offer 602 beds with 96 single rooms.[96] UVA and IVA exclusively serve upperclassmen while the other residence halls exclusively serve freshmen students. The university also offers upper-division undergraduate and graduate student housing in the Business and Professional Women's Scholarship House for women with a strong academic background.[97][98]
One of the newest residences on the Boca Raton campus is the Innovation Village Apartments (IVA), consisting of two buildings: IVA North and IVA South. It is a 1,200-bed apartment-style housing facility for upperclassmen, graduate, and medical students. It offers amenities that one would find in a high-rise apartment complex: lounges, retail dining, fitness centers, a pool/cabana, a volleyball court, common areas, and more. The facility opened in fall 2011.[99][100] FAU's newest residence hall is Parliament Hall, a lakeside freshmen housing facility offering 614 beds, a fitness center, lounges, retail dining, and views of the nearby Atlantic Ocean from top floors.[101]
Within its existing residential life programs, FAU offers a number of Learning Communities for freshmen and students with similar interests and concentrations. Participants meet people with similar interests, live on the same floor and take courses with others in their community, while receiving additional guidance related to those interests.[102] The university's Learning Community programs are divided into two categories, Freshman Learning Communities and Living Learning Communities. The freshman program offers 16 different concentrations, including business, nursing, and education. The Living program offers six concentrations for students residing in the Glades Park Towersdormitory, including engineering, computer science, and a Women's Leadership program.[102]
The university's Department of Housing and Residential Life and the university's fraternities and sororities sponsor a program forfreshmen and other students returning to Florida Atlantic in the fall semester. This program, called the "Weeks of Welcome", spans 11 days and all campuses, and works to acclimate students with university life and to build a good on-campus community.[103] On each day, a number of different events are scheduled, including Hall Wars, which are athletic competitions between dormitories,Luaus, and a number of other events.[104] The Weeks of Welcome is the second largest campus-wide event held by Florida Atlantic.[103]
| FAU residence hall | Year opened | Students | Accommodations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Professional Women's Scholarship House (BPWSH) | 1996 | 16 | Female residence requiring dedicated application |
| Indian River Towers (IRT) | 2001 | 611 | Freshmen |
| Heritage Park Towers (HPT) | 2004 | 603 | Freshmen |
| Glades Park Towers (GPT) | 2007 | 602 | Freshmen |
| Parliament Hall (PAR) | 2013 | 614 | Freshmen & Upperclassmen |
| University Village Apartments (UVA) | 1995 | 524 | Upperclassmen |
| Innovation Village Apartments South (IVA-S) | 2011 | 605 | Upperclassmen |
| Innovation Village Apartments North (IVA-N) | 2011 | 611 | Upperclassmen |
| Atlantic Park Towers (APT) | 2020 | 600 | Freshmen |
| Total | – | 4,917 students | – |
FAU has approximately 300 registered student organizations. Among the groups are academic organizations, honor societies, spiritual/religious organizations, diversity-appreciation organizations, service organizations, personal interest organizations, sports clubs, and student government agencies. These clubs and organizations run the gamut fromsailing toUltimate Frisbee, from varsity and club sports and ajazz group to apotteryguild, from political organizations to chess and video game clubs.[105] These organizations are funded by student tuition, from which $12.32 per credit hour goes toward an activities and service fee fund.[106] This generates approximately $10 million per year that is then given tostudent government for allocation to student clubs and organizations. The student government also finances other student life programs, including career fairs, theUniversity Press, OWL TV and Owl Radio, and Homecoming.[107]Florida Atlantic'shomecoming, also known as the "Owl Prowl," is celebrated annually in the fall semester. Events occur mainly on the Boca Raton Campus, but a number of other campuses host their own events as well. In the past, homecoming has had kickoff parties, costumed dances,bonfires, comedy shows, alumni events and dinners, a golf cart parade, andtailgating.[108][109][110] Florida Atlantic students have an organized football tailgating area known as the Rat's Mouth.[111] The name references the Spanish translation ofBoca Raton.
FAU completed an $18.6 million Recreation and Wellness Center in spring 2010. The facility houses an outdoor leisure and lap pool, a cardio equipment and free weight room, two multipurpose rooms, three indoor courts and health club-style locker rooms.[112] In 2011, the facility won the NIRSA Outstanding Sports Facilities Award. Other recreation facilities include a $4.2 million[113] track and field complex,[114] with synthetic turf (opened January 2007), a ropes challenge course[115] and the 6.5 acre Henderson Fields, utilized most often by the FAU Intramural Sports and Club Sports programs.[116]
FAU is home to approximately 28 chapters of nationalfraternities and sororities, encompassing approximately 1,077 members or 5% of the undergraduate population.[117][118] The highpoint of Greek life at Florida Atlantic is "Greek Week". This event is held annually during the spring semester and showcases a number of themed competitions between the university's Greek organizations. There are currently no on-campus Greek houses.[119] However, a Greek Life Housingtask force has been formed to explore various housing models, including the cost of construction, "and make recommendations on how to improve the overall quality of the Greek housing...."[120]
Since its opening in 1964, Florida Atlantic has awarded degrees to over 185,000 alumni. The most influential include:
| Rafael "Ralph" de la Vega (B.S. 1974) | Former Vice Chairman ofAT&T Inc. and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions and AT&T International |
| Jorge Jraissati[121] (B.A. 2019[122]) | Economist from Venezuela;[121] President of the Economic Inclusion Group. |
| Fern Kellymeyer (M.A. 1974) | Professionaltennis player, administrator, and 1999 ITA Hall of Fame inductee |
| Patricia McKay (B.B.A. 1978) | Executive Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer ofOffice Depot |
| Carrie P. Meek (Hon Ph.D.) | Former U.S. Congresswoman from Florida's17th district |
| Luis Alberto Moreno (B.B.A. 1975) | 4th and current President of theInter-American Development Bank |
| Maynard Webb (B.A.) | Member of the Board of Directors ofSalesforce.com, and former Chief Operating Officer, and President of Technologies foreBay |
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