is a public,
State University , founded in
1961 in
Boca Raton ,
Florida , USA. Classes started in
1964 , with 867 students. By
2006 , enrollment had grown to more than 26,000 students spread over seven campuses, with student housing on the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses. The University offers 18 NCAA Division-I atheltic teams and hundreds of student clubs and activities.
FAU offers more than 170 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees within its eight colleges including: the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Education, College of Business, College Of Architecture, Urban and Public Affairs and the
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College .
In 2004, FAU launched a medical school program in conjunction with the
University Of Miami (UM). Medical students spend the first two years of their education at the Boca Raton campus before transferring to
Miami for rotations and receiving their degree from UM. The school is expanding the program to allow students to complete the entire program at the Boca Raton campus. Boca Raton Community Hospital is considering moving to the Boca Raton campus as well.
FAU also runs one of the nation's largest continuing education program known as the Lifelong Learning Society. The LLS includes audit options for
Senior Citizen s.
In addition to the original Boca Raton campus, there are campuses in the south Florida cities of
Dania Beach ,
Davie ,
Fort Lauderdale ,
Jupiter , and
Port St. Lucie . FAU was also the first university to establish a campus at the
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution near
Vero Beach .
- Frank Brogan , former Lieutenant Governor of Florida , and current President of FAU
- Alberto "Al" R. Cardenas , attorney, and trustee at Florida A&M University
- Judith Ortiz Cofer , Puerto Rican author
- Yolanda Griffith , basketball player in the WNBA
- George L. Hanbury II , Executive Vice President of Nova Southeastern University
- Carol W. Hunstein , Presiding Justice Supreme Court Of Georgia
- Peachy Kellmeyer , tennis player and administrator who changed the sport for women
- Henry Latimer , first African-American circuit court judge in Broward County , Florida
- Patricia McKay , Chief Financial Officer of Office Depot
- Robert "Skip" Orr , President of Boeing Japan
- David Paulison , acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Carrot Top , comedian
- Maynard Webb , President of EBay Technologies
- Phil Zimmermann , Creator of Pretty Good Privacy
• The Boca Raton FAU campus was designated a
Burrowing Owl sanctuary in
1971 by the
Audubon Society . The owl prefers the campus because there are not many predators, other than cats, near an airport. The feisty bird, traditionally associated with wisdom and determination, serves as the University's mascot.
• FAU offers 18
NCAA Division I sports including baseball, basketball, football, and softball. FAU has attracted top coaches for all teams including
Howard Schnellenberger (football) and
Matt Doherty (men's basketball).
• FAU plays in the annual
Shula Bowl against in-state rival
Florida International University (FIU).
• FAU's president is former Florida Lt. Governor Frank T. Brogan. (Brogan is also an alumnus of the University.)
• Sponsored research at FAU reaches more than $60 million per year.
• FAU has awarded more than 100,000 degrees to more than 95,000 alumni worldwide since opening its doors in 1964.
•
The Scripps Research Institute is currently in the process of developing a sister campus at the Jupiter FAU campus. Scripps Florida now operates with approximately 160 scientists, technicians, and administrative staff at a 40,000 square-foot lab facility. Upon completion Scripps will operate out of a 364,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art biomedical research facility focusing on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development.
