Florida Poly’s new VP to champion student growth and success
LAKELAND, Fla – Bryan Brooks is stepping into his role as Florida Polytechnic University’s new vice president of student affairs, enrollment management and strategic communications with the drive to rapidly build upon the University’s strong foundation and the experience to make it happen.
“Florida Polytechnic University stands at the threshold of possibility. This is an environment where collaboration fuels creativity, driving our progress to 3,000 students over the next several years while maintaining the highest quality of education. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?” said Brooks, who joined Florida Poly in July.
He previously was associate vice president for communications and community engagement at Northwest Florida State College.
The University expects to have an enrollment of over 1,600 students this fall.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for me to add value with slight tweaks here and there to our operations,” he said. “There is so much potential, especially in the space of public-private partnerships, which is incredibly innovative for universities and public institutions.”
Brooks, from Destin, Florida, said Florida Poly’s size and culture of responsiveness to industry needs make it well positioned to seize opportunities that may elude other universities.
“Being at the front-end of an institution’s growth allows us to have the flexibility and adaptability to change our plans and embrace technology quicker than many larger institutions,” he said. “To me, it sounds adventurous – and that’s the environment I want to be in.”
Brooks’ frame of reference comes from a deep background in higher education that dates back to his first higher ed position as a landscaper at Nelson University, just south of Dallas, Texas.
“I’ve done just about everything in higher education that you can possibly think of,” he said.
After early higher ed positions managing a landscaping team, working in information technology, admissions and marketing, Brooks transitioned into more than 15 years of increasingly higher-level leadership. He has taught university-level economics courses and overseen departments of admissions, marketing, communications, and athletics.
At Northwest Florida State College, he spearheaded initiatives that improved significant enrollment growth, resulting in eight consecutive semesters of increased enrollment. He also supervised and managed the college’s celebrated Mattie Kelly Arts Center.
“I’m probably in my sweet spot when I’m working with my team on a strategy and a plan,” Brooks said. “I really enjoy that aspect of it.”
In his most recent position, Brooks worked closely with Florida Poly President Devin Stephenson, which allowed him to lean into one of his core strengths: writing. He assisted Stephenson in his communications efforts over the last three years, working to ensure scripts, public messages, and other pieces were polished and presentation-ready. While that won’t be a major part of his Florida Poly duties, he’ll miss it.
“I have this fascination with presidential speeches throughout history,” Brooks said. “I go back and read those biographies and identify how they wrote those speeches, and I have always been fascinated by that. Why they said what they did and when they said it.”
This experience and passion for effective communication positioned Brooks well to steer Florida Poly’s strategic direction as it navigates the rapidly changing landscape of higher education.
While he embarks on the adventure of leading three critical Florida Poly areas toward success – Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, and Strategic Communications – Brooks is also pursuing another.
He is working toward a doctorate in executive leadership in higher education at the University of Miami. With a focus on strategic enrollment management, Brooks hopes to leverage his education to strengthen his contributions to both Florida Poly and his ongoing career growth.
Although Brooks’ demanding position and pursuit of his doctoral degree require intensive time demands, his devotion remains to his wife, Susan, and their five children, Ellie, Evan, Ava, Aaron and Ian, who have not yet joined him from their home in Destin, Florida.
“I can’t wait for my family to join me here in Lakeland,” he said.
In the meantime, Brooks will continue to work to make Florida Poly a top choice for students pursuing STEM degrees.
“I look around and see things that haven’t been built yet and I’m excited to see what we can all do together,” he said.
For the most recent University news, visit Florida Poly News.
About Florida Polytechnic University: Florida Polytechnic University is ranked the number one public college in the Southeast Region for three years in a row and a top 20 public engineering program without a Ph.D. in the nation. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and a member of the State University System of Florida. Florida Poly is the only state university dedicated exclusively to STEM and offers ABET-accredited degrees. Florida Poly is a powerful economic engine within the state of Florida, blending applied research with industry partnerships to give students an academically rigorous education with real-world relevance. Florida Poly’s iconic Innovation, Science, and Technology Building, designed by world-renowned architect Dr. Santiago Calatrava, has won more than 20 global awards and was named one of the 16 most breathtaking buildings in the world. Connect with Florida Poly.
