Florida Gulf Coast University Marieb College of Health & Human Services

Last week marked the beginning of our annual Immokalee Foundation Marieb College Healthcare Camp. This 4-week day camp for students in the Immokalee Foundation supports their Healthcare Career Pathways programing each summer and helps the campers get a better idea of the different careers that they can pursue in health at FGCU. This immersive camp truly lets participants experience activities that students in our various programs go through to become professionals and helps instill confidence in their ability to follow their dreams. In fact, 100% of college eligible students from our first camp cohort ended up enrolled in a college or university pursuing a career in healthcare! A big thank you to all the faculty and staff that helped make our first week a success! Stay tuned in for more pictures to come from our camp.

Another outstanding showing from Marieb College at last week’s American College of Sports Medicine National Conference. Our faculty and students delivered impressive research presentations that contributed meaningful insights to the ACSM community.

We were also honored with ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine – On Campus (EIM-OC) Gold-Level Recognition, celebrating our commitment to promoting physical activity awareness and wellness initiatives across FGCU.

Beyond the presentations and recognition, our team connected with leading experts from around the world to explore new collaborations that will continue elevating the MCHHS brand and expanding our impact in the field of sports medicine.

Congratulations to everyone who supports these ACSM-related efforts—your dedication continues to move us forward.

This week, Florida Gulf Coast University proudly served as one of six in‑person hubs for the 2026 Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) Regional Summit. Centered on the theme “From Classrooms to Care Teams: Workforce‑Ready Graduates,” the summit brought together academic and industry partners to explore innovative ways to strengthen collaboration and improve health outcomes.

Each hub contributed to a shared virtual dialogue, offering regional insights on preparing the next generation of health professionals. Our college was honored to partner with Nova Southeastern University to bring this important event to Southwest Florida.

A heartfelt thank‑you to everyone who helped make this summit possible—especially Associate Dean Beth Murray and Myrna King, whose leadership and coordination were essential to hosting such an engaging and impactful experience.

It’s official—dirt is now moving on the site of Marieb Hall South! As promised, we’ll continue keeping you updated on the progress, and this marks another exciting milestone in the journey. We’re looking forward to sharing more updates as development continues!

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

We are incredibly proud of the hard work, sacrifices, and persistence you demonstrated over the past several years. These efforts not only earned you your degree but also equipped you with valuable tangible and intangible skills that will benefit you throughout your lives.

Thank you—and thank you to your support networks—for choosing the Marieb College of Health & Human Services to help you achieve your goals. We can’t wait to see the heights you soar to next.

A big thank you as well to the faculty and staff who supported these graduates every step of the way. Your dedication, hard work, and perseverance through challenges make a lasting impact on our students’ success. We are truly grateful for all that you do.

Yesterday marked another milestone for FGCU and the Marieb College of Health & Human Services as we celebrated the groundbreaking of AB10 — the University’s 10th academic building and the future expanded home of our College.

Nearly 200 members of our campus and local community joined us to explore the building’s design, preview some of the innovative technology that will be housed inside, and witness the surprise unveiling of its future name: Marieb Hall South. We must say that Azul was really impressed!

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who came out to celebrate with us and to all who made this day possible. With construction beginning soon, we look forward to keeping you updated every step of the way. Stay tuned… and here we grow!

Good morning! Effective immediately, Azul will be serving as the new Dean of Marieb College of Health & Human Services. Azul has been a valued member of FGCU for 29 years, mainly serving as an ambassador for FGCU Athletics. However, Azul has subtly been preparing for more leadership roles and is ready for this next big opportunity. Azul brings unmatched passion to the job and has strong ties to the community that we serve. Azul's ability to fly will greatly reduce the travel time between meetings and other community engagement events that Deans are required to attend, making Dean Azul much more efficient than any other Dean we have on campus. Please join us as we welcome Dean Azul to Marieb College!

Last week, we gathered with community members from across Southwest Florida for 318 in Common Purpose — a powerful evening dedicated to advancing our region’s healthspan and launching the SWFL Healthspan Partnership.

Hosted by FGCU’s Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging, this wasn’t a conference or a lecture. It was exactly what the invitation promised: a founding moment.

We were honored to welcome keynote speaker, Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., , co‑founder of Age Wave and one of the world’s leading voices on longevity and the future of aging. His insights grounded our work in evidence, demographic reality, and the enormous opportunity ahead of us.

Together, we began shaping a regional movement committed to translating research into real‑world impact — uniting academic expertise, community partners, and bold vision to help Southwest Floridians live longer, healthier, more vibrant lives. Our bold goal is to extend healthspan in Southwest Florida by seven years by 2040.

We owe a big thank you to all those that attended and plan to contribute to our goal, those who behind the scenes to help make this amazing event happen, and all the students that volunteered to work the event with us!

The momentum is real, and this is only the beginning.

💙💚 Let's get early start on FGCU Give Day! 💚💙
No longer do you have to wait for one day to support Give Day. You can give today! Every gift—big or small—helps empower future healthcare leaders at the Marieb College of Health & Human Services. Your support fuels scholarships, hands‑on learning, and the next generation of Eagles ready to make a difference in our community.

Join us in giving back and lifting up our students:
👉 https://donate.fgcu.edu/g/marieb

Let’s soar together and show what Eagle pride can do! 🦅💙💚

donate.fgcu.edu