Phase I · 2018–2023
Phase I: Executive Summary
Five years of transformative impact — enhancing graduate education for Black and low-income students in STEM and allied health fields. (Phase I predates the four-activity framework; it is summarized here by theme.)
564
students enrolled, 2018–2023
256
degrees awarded
81%
employed in field
Five years of impact
What Phase I achieved
Access & student success
- 4-year graduation rate rose from 17% to 28%; 6-year rate from 33% to 44%
- Fall-to-fall retention held at 63–77%
- 81% of graduates employed in field-related positions; MBA BIDA graduates averaged $75K starting salaries
- Overall university enrollment grew 9% (6,226 → 6,787)
Academic expansion
- New MBA concentrations: Business Intelligence, Health Informatics, Cyber Security, Cloud Management
- MAT programs with a STEM focus
- Master of Science in Nursing in Patient Quality & Safety (approved 2020)
- Industry partnerships: SAP Next-Gen Lab and IBM AI Training
Infrastructure & innovation
- Renovated computer labs and educational-technology spaces enabling remote learning
- Four undergraduate and six graduate courses integrated certification programs
- FSU exceeded global-average SAP certification rates
Resilience & legacy
- Weathered Hurricane Florence and COVID-19 by moving to virtual formats
- 2022 symposium drew 260 participants; 81% said scholarship support reduced pandemic stress
- SACSCOC reaffirmation (2022) with no recommendations