September 9, 2025

TOP NEWS

Announcing the 2025-26 Provost's Seminar Series Line-up

Get ready for the 2025-2026 Provost’s Seminar Series, featuring an exceptional lineup of top scholars and thought leaders. This partnership between FGCU and the Naples Discussion Group (NDG) continues to connect our campus with regional community members, creating shared spaces for intellectual growth and engagement.

The series offers the entire Eagle community and external partners a unique opportunity to engage with experts on topics impacting society today. Faculty are encouraged to bring students to these interactive discussions, where they can meet experts, ask questions, and participate in meaningful exchanges.

Students, faculty, and staff consistently engage in lively discussions, gain new perspectives, and interact directly with experts in specialized fields. These seminars advance intellectual development across campus while strengthening community connections.

This season’s highlight includes our very own FGCU President Aysegul Timur speaking on January 15!

The series kicks off with Dr. Michael Osterholm from the University of Minnesota discussing pandemic preparedness, followed by cutting-edge presentations on cybersecurity, presidential history, negotiation strategies, and artificial intelligence.

SERIES PROGRAM



December 5 (Friday) 

Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy Research and Innovation Office, University of Minnesota. “The Big One Is Still Coming: Lessons We Should Have Learned from the Covid-19 Pandemic.” Location: Seidler Hall,

Room 114.

January 15              

Aysegul Timur, Ph.D., FGCU President. “FGCU – Your University.”

January 29              

Brian Fonseca, Director, Gordon Institute for Public Policy, Executive Director Cybersecurity, FIU. “Securing the Digital Future: Threat Landscape, AI Workforce, Cyberhygiene, and Geopolitics.”

February 12            

Dr. Steve Knott, Emeritus Professor of History, US Naval War College. “Conspirator-In-Chief: Conspiracy Theories and the American Presidency.”

February 26            

Ron Shapiro, Esq. Shapiro Negotiations Institute. NYT Best-Selling Author, Sports Agent, Civic Leader. "NICE: A Soft Approach to Tough Conversations.”

March 12               

Dr. Luis Martínez-Fernández, Pegasus Professor of History, UCF, “The World Has Turned Upside Down and Is Not Likely to Turn Right Side Up Again.”

March 26                 

Sheri Cunningham, Head of AI Platform and Infrastructure Science, Generative A.I. Leader, Google Cloud. “AI: Trends and Transformation”

April 9                      

Patrick Mork, Startup CEO coach, motivational speaker, author of Step Back and Leap. Three-time Chief Marketing Officer, led team that created Google Play. “Becoming Unstoppable: 5 Pillars to Build Resilience in the Age of AI.”

All seminars run 3-4:30 p.m. in AB9, Room 106, except for the opening seminar with Dr. Osterholm on Friday, December 5, which takes place in Seidler Hall, Room 114. Mark your calendars and plan to join us!

More details to come.

Canvas QuickTip

Our newest newsletter section, brought to you by the Digital Learning team, features routine tips to help you use Canvas more efficiently and effectively. Each edition delivers practical, bite-sized guidance to streamline your Canvas experience and enhance your teaching toolkit.

Click to view the complete tips:

Decluttering Day

How to add student accommodations in Canvas

Check out past editions of the Academic Affairs newsletter: Academic Affairs Events

Have you seen a faculty member or academic team exhibiting academic excellence and going the extra mile for student success? Email us: academicaffairs@fgcu.edu.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Roots of Compassion & Kindness (ROCK) Center

Caregivers Survey

Questions? Email rock@fgcu.edu

Digital Learning Online Workshop

Integrating GEN AI In Your Course

Scan the QR Code to Enroll

SAVE THE DATE!

Graduate & Professional School Fair

October 28, 2025

Academic Building 9 Room 138

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

The entire Eagle community is invited!

This fair is open to all FGCU students interested in exploring graduate and professional school opportunities. Three easy ways you can help:

• Promote the event by adding it to your undergraduate course syllabi as an assignment, a class activity, extra credit, or an announcement. 
• Encourage attendance by highlighting the value of early graduate and professional (law, medicine, etc.) school exploration. 
• Showcase your graduate program by attending the fair and engaging with prospective students who are eager to learn more about FGCU’s graduate offerings. 

Questions? Contact Dr. Dawn Kirby, Shannon Acosta, Jessica Rhea

SAVE THE DATE!

Faculty, join us for food, fun, drinks, and friends!

November 14, 2025

EagleLink: getinvolved.fgcu.edu/event/11559895

The Global Engagement Office and the

Lucas Center for Faculty Development invites you to a

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) session

September 22, 2025

Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP)

Notice of Hanover Grant Academy 2025-2026



The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (OSRP) is soliciting nominations for the Hanover Grant Academy. The goal is for eight faculty to undergo an intensive proposal development plan over a one-year time frame. 

The Academy consists of approximately 4-6 in-person meetings during the year and one-on-one meetings with the Hanover experts. The requested information for application is listed below. A key factor in selection will be the goal of submitting a proposal for extramural funding. 

Hanover will provide grantsmanship training, proposal critique, guidance on project and alignment with grant opportunities, and proposal revision assistance. Faculty selected are expected to submit a proposal for extramural funding at the completion of the grant academy. 

Faculty are permitted to apply for an additional round of intensive proposal development assistance provided an application for extramural funding was submitted during their previous participation. 

The deadline is September 15, 2025, by 5 PM. Please submit the application as a single pdf to Dr. Rosemary Higgins (rhiggins@fgcu.edu). Questions can be referred to Dr. Higgins. 

FGCU continues to use our negotiated Federal Rate Agreement

The indirect rates continue to be 43% for on-campus activities and 19% for off-campus activities. ORSP staff will work with faculty to ensure proper rates are applied.

Please reach out to ORSP if you have questions.

Socrates Café Dialogue 13 | September 24, 2025

Lucas Center for Faculty Development

 Lucas Center Symposium on Teaching & Learning

A Celebration of Passionate Teaching

The Lucas Center is excited to announce the return of the Lucas Center Symposium on Teaching and Learning, to be held in-person on February 17 and 18 in the Bradshaw Library.

Call for Proposals Opens on September 29!

Symposium Dates:

Day 1: Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Day 2: Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Specific presentation dates, times and locations to be determined! 

FGCU Golisano Intellectual Developmental Disabilities Initiative (GIDDI) 

American Sign Language Classes

Expand your communication skills and cultural understanding by joining our beginner American Sign Language (ASL) classes

FGCU GIDDI MOD 2

Wednesdays 1:30 PM- 2:30 PM .

These sessions offer an introduction to ASL, focusing on practical conversational skills and foster a more welcoming environment at the FGCU campus. Participants are invited to attend as their schedules permits , these classes are open to all of the FGCU community ( faculty, staff and students).

PAST ANNOUNCEMENTS

Missed an announcement? We've got you covered.

FGCU's Office of the Ombuds is here to assist faculty, staff, and students! Employees who may be experiencing a university-related concern or conflict are encouraged to reach out to the Ombuds Office as an informal and confidential resource | Visit the Ombuds’ webpage for more information.

Global Engagement Office Launches ABEONA:

New International Travel Registry | Click here for the complete announcement. For any inquiries, please contact us at abeona@fgcu.edu.

New attendance tool in Canvas | Click here for the complete announcement.

FREE entrance into the Naples Botanical Garden: FGCU faculty and staff receive free entrance into the Garden | Clear here for the complete announcement.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR STUDENTS

Service-Learning & Civic Engagement

Bring Service Learning to Your Classroom: Request a Custom Presentation Today

Looking to introduce your students to service-learning opportunities at FGCU? The Office of Service-Learning & Civic Engagement offers in-class presentations tailored to your course—making it easy to connect students with meaningful, community-based learning experiences.

Whether you're teaching a Foundations of Civic Engagement course, integrating service-learning into your curriculum, or simply want to spark student interest in community Engagement, our team is here to help.



Presentations can include:

• Overview of FGCU’s service-learning graduation requirement
• Guidance on finding approved service opportunities
• Information on hours tracking and reflection expectations
• Tips for connecting service to career

Requesting a presentation is easy—just fill out this quick form and save space in your syllabus: 👉 Request a Presentation.

FGCU Golisano Intellectual Developmental Disabilities Initiative (GIDDI) 

School of Resort & Hospitality Management

Submission requests must be sent to academicaffairs@fgcu.edu by end of business on the Wednesday of the prior week. Submissions received after this deadline will not be shared until the following newsletter.

Please send attachments as either a .PNG or .JPEG file 250kb or less.

.PDFs are NOT accepted.

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Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and content expressed in these programs, events, and materials are those of the author(s)/presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, positions, or endorsements of Florida Gulf Coast University's Academic Affairs Division.