FGCU = Community Engagement
Community engagement is the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional, state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.
Curricular Community Engagement
A list of these classes is available and promoted to students each semester. See HERE for a list from the most recent semester.
Faculty who are teaching community engaged classes can access online resources, get personal guidance, and register for workshops and training using the landing page HERE.
Faculty can also find assistance connecting their research to community needs through the support of offices such as the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Office of Scholarly Innovation and Student Research and the Office of Service-Learning & Civic Engagement.
Course integrated community engagement is recognized and awarded through a variety of means including campus-wide events such as Eagle X and Celebration of Excellence Awards such as the Faculty Excellence in Service Award and the Student Excellence in Civic Engagement Award.
Co-Curricular Community Engagement
Students are recognized for the breadth and depth of their community engagement efforts while at FGCU through opportunities such as the Excellence in Civic Engagement Award, Community Engagement Day at Eagle X, and more.
Students have resources and information always available to continue community engagement efforts while at FGCU. One available resource page can be found HERE.
Additionally, students are encouraged and provided resources to connect all experiences in the community to their major as well as the transferable skills that employers are looking for. Learn more here: https://www.fgcu.edu/studentlife/servicelearning/aboutus#CareerReadiness
Civic Learning
FGCU encourages Civic Learning through participation and resources provided from national partners such as The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Unify America, The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), and more.
- Several student organizations provide opportunities for students to dive more deeply into civic learning.
- The Office of Public Policy Events connects students and the community by fostering civil discourse on contemporary public policy events. See a list of past and upcoming events HERE.
- Unify America’s College Bowl program is integrated into multiple classes at FGCU
- FGCU partners with the following initiatives to support civic learning and political engagement:
Faculty & Staff Service to the Community
At the heart of Florida Gulf University is service to the community. FGCU community engagement through our faculty, staff, and programs ranges from business and personal development to continuing education and environmental sustainability. The following links can be used to explore a variety of these reciprocal relationships.
FGCU & Southwest Florida
Opening in 1997, Florida Gulf Coast University serves the five-county region comprised of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.
Southwest Florida is home to around 1.4 million people, and is characterized by high risk from climate hazards and high social vulnerability. FGCU serves the residents of five counties: Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades. Our communities are urban (Naples, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda), suburban (Cape Coral, Bonita Springs), and rural (Clewiston, Moorehaven, Immokalee and LaBelle), with residents living in extreme wealth and extreme poverty. (For public data reports on these topics published by FGCU’s Regional Economic Research Institute, see the community profile at https://www.fgcu.edu/cob/reri/files/other/cabinet-study-2022.pdf, a report on Population and Income Migration Dynamics written by an undergraduate research assistant at RERI at https://www.fgcu.edu/cob/reri/files/ibs/ibs202501.pdf, and fast facts about each of the five counties the University serves at https://www.fgcu.edu/cob/reri/research/almanac.)
FGCU is committed to the success of all community partners. In fact, during the 2024-25 academic year, FGCU employees held positions on over 120 boards or committees in the community. The university maintains a Community Partner Database to help students, faculty, staff, and community members connect with nonprofit and government agencies.
Faculty and staff community engagement is recognized and awarded through a variety of means including campus-wide events such as Celebration of Excellence and awards such as SAC (Staff Advisory Council) Scholarships and SAC (Staff Advisory Council) Finest of the Flock.
Overall, alumni continue to serve the local community as shown in a recent survey, where approximately 50% still call Southwest Florida home. These graduates bolster the local economy as they stay within the region to work, serve, and raise families.
Read more about Florida Gulf Coast University’s history and timeline.
