Florida State University is bringing one of college football’s most iconic traditions to the Tallahassee International Airport. In the FSU Welcome Center, a new interactive display gives travelers an opportunity to “plant the spear” and commemorate their time in Tallahassee.

Created through a collaboration between University Marketing, FSU’s Master Craftsman Studio and FSU Athletics, the display features a 7-foot, hand-painted aluminum replica of FSU’s flaming spear anchored in turf against a floor-to-ceiling backdrop of Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. The installation builds on FSU’s expanded university and FSU Health presence throughout the airport.

“As a vital gateway to Florida’s capital city, Tallahassee International Airport is the perfect place to highlight FSU’s momentum across education, research and athletics,” said Dennis Schnittker, assistant vice president for University Communications and interim chief marketing officer. “This installation stands as a powerful symbol of our deep connection to the region, offering all travelers a memorable welcome that celebrates both our university and the community we call home.”

To construct the piece, Master Craftsman Studio adapted design elements from previous university projects, including the marquee spear outside the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Studio artists precision-cut metal feathers, hand-wrapped the spear’s shaft in leather and applied a specialized resin-layering technique to give the flame a realistic appearance.

“Our goal at University Marketing while creating this space was to provide an immersive experience that brings Florida State’s most storied traditions to life,” said Jared Milligan, FSU’s project manager for the space. “With the turf and stadium backdrop, the installation gives travelers a fun opportunity to share their connection to Tallahassee and Florida State University with an iconic pose.”

In addition to the spear installation, the refreshed Welcome Center features new furniture and displays highlighting FSU’s academics, research and athletics. Together, the updates strengthen the university’s presence throughout the airport.

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Florida State University awarded honors medallions to 45 high-achieving graduates during the July 30 Medallion Celebration at the Nancy H. Marcus Great Hall.

The FSU Honors Program supports the efforts and talents of some of the university’s most intellectually curious students who have the potential, dedication and drive for creating change.

The ceremony included remarks by Associate Dean of Honors, Scholars, and Fellows D. Craig Filar and Dean of Undergraduate Studies DeOnte Brown.

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Florida State University is expanding its partnership with the Stamps Scholars Program to provide the most generous scholarship in university history to five first-year students per year.

The scholarship will cover up to four years of each student’s full cost of attendance, plus $20,000 in enrichment funding to support internships, study abroad, undergraduate research and other experiential learning opportunities. Prospective students can apply now through FSU’s first-year applications for the 2027-2028 academic year.

“Florida State University is honored to partner with the Stamps Scholars Program to create this extraordinary opportunity,” said Joe O’Shea, vice president for Student Academic Success. “As FSU continues to attract outstanding students from across Florida and around the country, this partnership will provide new support for some of our most talented undergraduates as they pursue bold goals, broaden their impact and develop as leaders in their fields and communities.”

The Stamps Scholars Program was founded in 2006 by businessman, private investor and philanthropist E. Roe Stamps IV and his late wife Penny to help exceptional students achieve their education and life goals.

Stamps Scholars and alumni have earned some of the world’s most distinguished honors, including Rhodes, Marshall, Schwarzman, Fulbright and Goldwater Scholarships, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships and recognition on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Beyond these honors, alumni pursue advanced degrees at leading universities, build careers at influential organizations and emerge as leaders across academia, business, public service, science, technology and the arts. Their work is addressing complex challenges and advancing innovation in areas such as bias in facial-recognition technology, worker advocacy, medicine, scientific discovery and space exploration.

Other partner schools include the University of Chicago, Dartmouth College, Georgia Institute of Technology, New York University, University of Notre Dame, University of Oregon, University of Texas and Tulane University.

“As FSU continues to attract outstanding students from across Florida and around the country, this partnership will provide new support for some of our most talented undergraduates as they pursue bold goals, broaden their impact and develop as leaders in their fields and communities.”

– Joe O’Shea, vice president for Student Academic Success

In June, FSU launched the Stamps Veteran Scholars Program, the nation’s first Stamps Scholars Program for student veterans.

“We are pleased to expand our partnership with Florida State University and invite highly motivated students with ambitious goals to imagine what they could accomplish with the support of the Stamps Scholars Program,” Roe Stamps said. “FSU is already doing exceptional work to support talented students through its Presidential Scholars Program, and we look forward to building on that strong foundation and creating even more opportunities for students to learn, lead and use their talents with purpose.”

FSU and the Stamps Scholars Program seek students who are eager to pursue ambitious ideas, create opportunities and use their talents with purpose. Through the expanded partnership, FSU will select five Stamps Scholars to join the Presidential Scholars cohort, increasing the incoming 2027-2028 cohort from 60 to 65 students.

The Stamps Scholars will receive full cost-of-attendance support for up to four years, $20,000 in enrichment funding and opportunities to engage with the nationwide community of Stamps Scholars and alumni. Students who resonate with this mission are encouraged to apply to FSU and seek consideration through the Presidential Scholars selection process.

“We’re so excited for the opportunity to invite some of our Presidential Scholars to the Stamps Scholars Program,” said D. Craig Filar, associate dean of the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House and director of the Presidential Scholars Program. “FSU Stamps Scholars will be students who demonstrate vision, initiative and a deep commitment to creating meaningful change. This partnership will give them the support to pursue ambitious ideas, connect knowledge across disciplines and lead with purpose as they help shape the future.”

Interested students should complete the Honors Program supplemental application essay by Dec. 1. Those admitted to the Honors Program will be considered for the Presidential Scholars Program and the Stamps Scholarship, with selected applicants advancing first as semifinalists and then to a final round of in-person interviews. FSU will select 65 incoming students for the Presidential Scholars cohort, and five of those students will be named Stamps Scholars.

To learn more about the Presidential Scholars Program, visit its website.

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A new artificial intelligence tool developed by researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems could help make electric grids more reliable and reduce operating costs. The system improves forecasts of electricity demand and renewable energy generation, giving grid operators better information to balance supply and demand.

As more renewable energy comes online, today’s electric grid has become increasingly difficult to manage. Uncertainty in forecasts can force operators to keep too much reserve power, increasing costs, or too little, raising the risk of blackouts. The FSU-developed model addresses that challenge by treating the power grid as a connected network to generate more accurate forecasts. The research was published in IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering.

The forecasting system, called GridFusionX, combines information such as past electricity demand, power generated from renewable sources, energy market prices and other data points to generate predictions and confidence intervals, helping operators run the grid more efficiently and with less wasted reserve power.

“Our research looks at smart systems as a dynamic puzzle: every factor, from different energy sources, to shifting demands in cities and changing prices and how they fit together,” said study co-author Tuy Nguyen, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “What happens in one area can affect neighboring areas because they share power lines, weather patterns and energy markets. By continuously analyzing these pieces, we can predict energy needs more accurately and adapt to ensure both reliability and cost savings.”

How does GridFusionX work?

The main innovation in the AI tool developed in this research is multi-modality: the ability to use many sources of information in estimates.

“Whether we’re predicting power usage, traffic patterns or even weather, reducing uncertainty in our predictions lets us make smarter, more adaptive decisions that benefit daily life,” said Associate Professor Olugbenga Moses Anubi and a co-author of the study.

The system uses a graph neural network — a mathematical representation of connected objects — to map how what happens within one region in the power grid can affect neighboring regions. The tool addresses a critical gap in existing methods by providing both spatially connected predictions and measures of uncertainty.

The model’s precision allows grid operators to plan reserves more efficiently and respond proactively to sudden changes, such as spikes in demand or drops in renewable generation. In real-world tests across ten European regions, GridFusionX improved forecasting accuracy by up to 56% and cut reserve costs by as much as 66%, all while maintaining reliable service.

Why it matters

Today’s power grids have become increasingly complex. Regional power nodes are linked not just by electrical lines, but also by market economics, weather patterns and other issues that affect power usage.

“Right now, utility companies estimate your usage to make sure you never underpay, which almost always means you overpay,” Anubi said. “With our approach, predictions become more precise, so your bill matches what you truly use.”

Knowing how much energy is needed and when it is needed is a problem of predictability.

“The main vision is engineering intelligence,” said Associate Professor Ravikumar Gelli. “We want to help utility operator balance generation and load and help consumers pay less. That’s the vision behind it.”

A new generation of energy scholars

FAMU-FSU faculty are incorporating concepts used in this research into classes about cyber security systems for electric grids and artificial intelligence for power systems. Doctoral student researcher Quoc Bao Phan led the study.

“It benefits students to work on a project like this because they have the chance to work with four faculty instead of just one,” Anubi said. “This mentorship serves as a model for other students and other kinds of collaborations. There are good learning and research outcomes for students and that is also an important part of this project.”

Assistant Professor Abdulrahman Takiddin was also a co-author of this study. This work was supported by the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Visit the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering website for more information about the research at the college. Visit the Center for Advanced Power Systems website to learn more about advanced power system engineering research at the center.

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The FSU Board of Trustees will consider the proposal at its August 27-28, 2026, meeting (meeting dates and times are subject to change). Please continue to monitor the Board of Trustees website for potential changes to the next meeting date and time. 

Rationale and Use of Funds   

Local Fees: 

• Athletics Fee – This fee supports the operation, maintenance, and enhancement of student athletics and recreation facilities and programs. The proposed increase helps offset rising operational costs and ensures continued access to quality athletic and recreational opportunities for students. 

• Activity & Service Fee – This fee funds student government, campus organizations, and a wide range of student activities and services. The proposed increase reflects the growing cost of maintaining and expanding these programs on behalf of the student body. 

• Student Health Fee – This fee supports the cost of student health services, including clinical care, wellness programs, and expanded access to care. The proposed increase helps offset rising healthcare operational costs and supports continued service levels for students. 

Other Fees: 

• Student Facilities Use Fee – This fee supports the maintenance and upkeep of student facilities. The proposed increase helps address a growing maintenance backlog and rising operational costs, ensuring these spaces remain safe and functional for continued student use. 

Local fee increases were reviewed and approved by the student-majority Local Fees Committee following a public hearing. 

In accordance with state law, this notice is being emailed to all enrolled students.  

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The Florida Certified Public Manager (CPM) program will honor 456 new graduates this summer, bringing the total number of CPM graduates in Florida to about 9,425 — more than in any other state.

The CPM program is a nationally recognized leadership development program, delivered in 38 states. The purpose is to develop more effective public managers, thereby improving services to all Florida taxpayers.

There will be four CPM graduation ceremonies this summer, each the culmination of a three-day leadership conference:

• North Florida area: July 16 (144 graduates)
• East Central Florida area: July 30 (112 graduates)
• West Central Florida area: Aug. 6 (128 graduates)
• Southeast Florida area: Aug. 20 (72 graduates)

Florida has one of the most successful CPM programs in the country. The Florida Center for Public Management of the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University administers the CPM program.

The 456 new graduates have completed a rigorous two-year program, including 31 days of classroom instruction, plus required projects and exams. Over 100 government agencies — including cities, counties, state and constitutional offices — have participated in the Florida CPM program.

To learn more about the CPM program, visit its website.

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Roughly 20 million people receive a cancer diagnosis each year, and an estimated 1-in-5 people will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Cancer cells arise from damage to the cell’s instruction manual: DNA.

Researchers in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Florida State University’s College of Medicine are changing the way scientists think about DNA repair, a process that plays a key role in both cancer prevention and helping some cancers grow.

Our cells contain natural repair machinery that, under normal conditions, cuts out the damaged DNA and fills in the blanks, preventing healthy cells from becoming cancerous. When DNA damage is not repaired, mutations can accumulate in cells and begin growing rapidly. Many cancer cells rely on the same repair machinery but function imperfectly. This can lead to persistent DNA damage and additional mutations accumulating.

For decades, scientists believed polymerase beta (Polβ), one of the key enzymes in the repair process, would form multiple temporary bonds with DNA. The prevailing theory held that Polβ would bind to a DNA strand, detach and then bind again to fill in the missing sequence. New findings suggest the process works differently.

A research team, led by FSU Eminent Professor and Dorian and John Blackmon Chair in Biomedical Science Zucai Suo discovered that Polβ forms a chemical bond with DNA, and proceeds with cutting and repairing the damaged DNA while covalently bonded, or crosslinked, to the strand. By remaining attached during this critical stage of repair, the enzyme is less likely to disengage before the repair process is complete.

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Fresh off defeating Stanford to win the 2025 National Championship, the Florida State University Women’s Soccer team proved that elite execution starts with smart strategy. Celebrating on the field, trophy in hand, Head Coach Brian Pensky shared the secret behind their title run with FSU Provost Jim Clark: “You know how we won? We out-thought them.”

That game-winning mindset took center stage at the Turnbull Conference Center during FSU’s second annual Data Day Conference.

Hosted by the Office of Institutional Research and sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the daylong event brought together more than 250 faculty, staff, researchers and professionals to explore how data powers success across the university.

“One of the things I appreciate most about Data Day is that it brings together people from every corner of the university,” said FSU Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Jim Clark. “Faculty, administrators, analysts, researchers and technology professionals each bring a different perspective, but we share a common goal: using data to better serve our students, strengthen our institution and advance our mission.”

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Florida State University recorded the most successful fundraising year in its history during the 2025-26 fiscal year, with alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends and partners contributing a record $235.4 million.

The total surpassed the university’s previous fundraising record of $225 million, set in 2015-16, led by a $100 million gift from Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation.

The record-breaking total includes philanthropic support raised through the FSU Foundation, Seminole Boosters, Research Foundation, Alumni Association and The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. These investments support FSU’s strategic priorities leading to FSU’s powerful impact across Florida and beyond.

“This record-setting year reflects our momentum and the exquisite support of Florida State University’s future,” FSU President Richard McCullough said. “From Dr. Herbert Wertheim’s historic $65 million dollar gift to the over 41,000 donors who support Florida State each year, these gifts create new opportunities for students, accelerate groundbreaking research and advance initiatives that improve our lives. We are deeply grateful to every donor who is now part of our shared future.”

The record fundraising year advanced priorities across the university, from scholarships to faculty support, to improved healthcare, to research and capital projects.

The year’s largest gift came from visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr. Herbert Wertheim whose $65 million investment established the Herbert Wertheim College of Business and the Herbert Wertheim Center for Business Excellence. This is the largest endowment gift in university history and will transform the business of healthcare, create new opportunities for students and faculty and further strengthen one of the nation’s leading public business schools.

“We are deeply grateful to every donor who is now part of our shared future.”

– FSU President Richard McCullough

The university also received a $10 million gift from Bruce and Tracey Berkowitz and The Fairholme Foundation, the largest in the history of the FSU College of Nursing. The investment will expand undergraduate nursing education and innovation at FSU’s Panama City campus while helping address critical nursing workforce shortages across Northwest Florida.

“Every gift represents someone who believes in Florida State and the impact this university has on students, families and communities,” said Marla Vickers, vice president for University Advancement and president of the FSU Foundation. “I extend my deepest gratitude to FSU’s donors and commend their commitment to supporting our university through philanthropy. Their remarkable philanthropy directly empowers our students, strengthens our academic programs and fuels the work of our faculty in truly transformational ways.”

This was also one of the most successful fundraising years in Seminole Boosters history. Philanthropic support helped the Boosters and Athletics open the renovated Doak Campbell Stadium, creating an enhanced experience for fans, donors and student-athletes, as well as the Dunlap Football Center to further enhance recruiting, development and student-athlete support.

“This was among the strongest fundraising year in Seminole Boosters history, and it happened because our supporters don’t just give to Florida State, they are part of the Seminole family,” said Stephen Ponder, president and CEO of Seminole Boosters. “Their generosity strengthens our student-athletes, advances the university’s mission and demonstrates what’s possible when our community comes together behind Florida State.”

The university’s record fundraising year reflects the generosity of thousands whose investments are helping Florida State expand opportunities, advance discovery and prepare tomorrow’s leaders. As the university’s comprehensive campaign continues, those partnerships will play a vital role in shaping Florida State’s future.

To learn more about supporting Florida State University, visit give.fsu.edu.

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Florida State University President Richard McCullough has appointed Susan Glenn interim vice president for University Advancement and president of the FSU Foundation.  

Glenn begins the interim role immediately, succeeding Marla Vickers, who stepped down earlier this summer after serving as vice president since 2022.

“Susan Glenn brings deep advancement experience, steady leadership and a strong understanding of Florida State’s fundraising priorities to this interim role,” said President Richard McCullough. “She has already made a meaningful impact through her work with our colleges, schools and units, and I am confident she will provide thoughtful leadership during this transition. I also want to thank Marla Vickers for her service to Florida State and her contributions to our advancement efforts over the past several years.”  

Glenn, an advancement leader with more than 30 years of experience, has served as associate vice president of Advancement for Colleges, Schools and Units since December 2023.  

As interim vice president, Glenn will lead the university’s advancement and alumni engagement efforts. She will oversee fundraising, alumni relations, donor engagement and communications initiatives that support Florida State’s academic, research and student success priorities while providing executive leadership to the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees. 

Glenn has spent her career focused on higher education, academic health and health systems fundraising. She currently oversees major gift teams and operations across 23 colleges, schools and units and partners closely with academic leaders and deans to set and exceed annual fundraising goals. She also has played a key role in developing campaign goals and priorities for FSU’s next comprehensive fundraising campaign. 

Before joining FSU, Glenn held advancement leadership roles at the University of Central Florida, Rock Valley College, Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center, Duke University School of Nursing and other not-for-profit organizations. 

Throughout her career, she has led major, annual and planned giving programs, developed fundraising strategies and partnered with deans, faculty and institutional leaders to advance campaign priorities. 

Glenn earned a bachelor’s degree in corporate communications from Northern Illinois University. 

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