Top Left: FSW President Jeff Allbritten welcomes newest FSW Trustee John Dulmer.
Top Right: Trustee Danny Nix spends time with students observing the meeting.
Bottom Left: Professor Matthew Hoffman and Business Law students take in the Board of Trustees meeting.
Bottom Right: Provost Judy Bilsky speaks with Trustee Keith Arnold while Trustee Jullia du Plooy discusses the new semester with Dr. Martin McClinton, associate vice president of Academic Affairs.
The fall semester is off to a positive start at FSW, with new leadership on the FSW Board of Trustees, an expanded partnership with Lee Health and students gaining a firsthand look at how decisions are made at the college.
At Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting, trustees approved a new facility use agreement with Lee Health that will expand opportunities for hands-on health care training at FSW. Under the agreement, Lee Health will use FSW’s operating room suite and simulation lab for training physicians, nurses, interns and residents, bringing additional expertise and equipment into FSW’s already robust health care learning environment.
“This mutually beneficial partnership gives FSW students the opportunity for greater utilization of simulation technology, gaining the hands-on experience that will prepare them for their careers,” said FSW President Dr. Jeff Allbritten. “As the largest supplier of nursing students in the region for Lee Health, FSW is proud to help build the health care workforce our community needs.”
The meeting also marked the beginning of a new term for several trustees and new leadership for the Board. Denise Murphy was elected chair, with Danny Nix, a member of the Florida House of Representatives, elected vice chair. President Allbritten welcomed the new trustees and thanked the entire Board for its continued service to FSW and the Southwest Florida community.
The meeting offered a valuable real-world learning experience for students in Professor Matthew Hoffman’s Business Law class. As part of a class field trip, students attended the meeting, observed the Board’s proceedings and saw firsthand how business and institutional decisions are conducted in a public setting.
Experiences like these give students an opportunity to connect what they learn in the classroom with the professional environments they will encounter after graduation.
From expanding health care training opportunities to welcoming new trustees and engaging students outside the classroom, Tuesday’s meeting reflected the momentum and collaboration that are helping move FSW forward as the new academic year gets underway.