Nova Southeastern University (NSU or, informally, Nova) is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

nonprofit

research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...

with its main campus in

Davie Davie is a surname and a form of the masculine given name David. It can refer to: Surname * Alan Davie (1920-2014), Scottish painter and musician * Alexander Edmund Batson Davie (1847-1889), Canadian politician and eighth Premier of British Co ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. The university consists of 14 total colleges, centers, and schools offering over 150 programs of study. The university offers professional degrees in the social sciences, law, business,

osteopathic medicine Osteopathy () is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. Practitioners of osteopathy are referred to as osteopaths. Osteopathic manipulation is the core set of techniques in ...

, allopathic medicine, allied health, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy,

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...

, occupational therapy, and

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

. As of 2019, 20,576 students were enrolled at Nova Southeastern University, with more than 170,000 alumni. With a main campus located on 314 acres in Davie, Florida, NSU operates additional campuses in Dania Beach, North Miami Beach,

Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater ...

- Clearwater and centers throughout the state of

. There is also a center in

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the juri ...

. The university was founded in 1964 as the Nova University of Advanced Technology on a former

naval outlying landing field An outlying landing field (OLF) is an auxiliary airfield, associated with a seaborne component of the United States military. When associated with the United States Navy (who operate the majority), they are known as naval outlying landing fields ...

built during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and first offered graduate degrees in the physical and social sciences. In 1994, the university merged with the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences and assumed its current name. NSU is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity"; it also classified as a "community engaged" university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and also has numerous additional specialized accreditations for its colleges and programs. Nova Southeastern University's intercollegiate athletic teams are collectively known as the

Nova Southeastern Sharks The Nova Southeastern Sharks are the athletic teams that represent Nova Southeastern University, located in Davie, Florida, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Sunshine State Conference ( ...

and compete in Division II of the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...

. The Sharks have won eight NCAA national championships.

History

1960s

The university, originally named Nova University of Advanced Technology, was chartered by the state of Florida on December 4, 1964. The name comes from the site where the Nova Education Experiment was conducted, a project funded in part by the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...

and the federal government with the goal of creating a series of schools spanning elementary to university-level education. With an inaugural class of 17 students, the university opened as a graduate school for the social and physical sciences. The university was originally located on a campus in downtown

Fort Lauderdale A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

but later moved to its current campus in

Davie, Florida Davie is a town in Broward County, Florida, United States, approximately north of Miami. The town's population was 110,320 at the 2020 census. Davie is a principal town of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,198,782. ...

. A portion of the site of this campus was once a naval training airfield during

, called the "Naval Outlying Landing Field Forman". The remnants of the taxiway surrounding the airfield are still present in the form of roads used on the campus. After World War II, the federal government made a commitment to the Forman family, from whom the land was purchased, that the land would only be used for educational purposes. This led the land to be used for the creation of the South Florida Education Center, which includes Nova Southeastern University, as well as

Broward College Broward College is a public college in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System. It was established in 1959 as part of a move to broaden Florida's two-year colleges. In 2008 it adopted its current name, reflecting that ...

, McFatter Technical College, and satellite campuses of

Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University (Florida Atlantic or FAU) is a public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, and satellite campuses in Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, and Fort Pierce. FAU belongs to the 12-ca ...

and the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

1970s

On June 23, 1970, the board of trustees voted to enter into a federation with the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). The president of NYIT,

Alexander Schure Alexander Schure (August 3, 1920 – October 29, 2009) was an American academic and entrepreneur. Schure founded the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) in 1955. He also served as the Chancellor of Nova Southeastern University (NSU) from 1970 ...

, PhD, became chancellor of Nova University, and

Abraham S. Fischler Abraham S. Fischler (January 21, 1928 – April 3, 2017) was an American academic, and was the second president of Nova Southeastern University. Fischler graduated from Columbia University in 1959 with his Ed.D. He went on to serve as assista ...

became the president of the university. The university charter was amended and "of Advanced Technology" was dropped from its corporate name. In 1971, Nova University received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). In 1972, the university introduced its first off-campus course of study in education. In 1974, NSU opened a law school, with an inaugural class of 175 students. The law school was named after one of the university's founders, Shepard Broad. The same year, the university began offering evening courses on campus for undergraduates, and changed its name to Nova University. The following year, in 1975, the law school received approval from the

American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of aca ...

1980s

In the early 1980s, the university received a $16 million gift from the Leo Goodwin Sr. Trust. In 1985, NSU ended its collaboration with NYIT and began offering its first online classes. In 1989, enrollment reached 8,000 students, with nearly 25,000 alumni. In 1981, outside of Nova University, a group of osteopathic physicians, wanting to enhance medical education in the region, established the Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine in North Miami Beach. This was the first osteopathic medical school established in the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

. Rapid expansion over the course of the decade also resulted in the addition of several new programs at Southeastern College. Pharmacy and optometry, amongst other programs, were added to the school. The school then renamed itself into the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences.

1990s

During the 1990s, both Nova University and Southeastern University expanded, adding a dentistry program and increasing distance education programs. In 1994, Nova University merged with Southeastern University of the Health Sciences to form Nova Southeastern University (NSU), adding the colleges of

, pharmacy, optometry and

allied health Allied health professions are health care professions distinct from optometry, dentistry, nursing, medicine, and pharmacy. They provide a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and support services in connection with health care. Definitio ...

to the university. Following the merger, many of the health programs relocated to their current location on the Davie campus. In 1993, the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...

opened a training center on campus.

2000s

The William and Norma Horvitz Administration Building, a two-story postmodern structure, was built at a cost of $3 million, which houses the office of the president and numerous other administration departments. In 2001, the Alvin Sherman Library for Research and Information Technology Center was completed and also serves as the largest public library facility in the state of Florida. In 2004, the Carl DeSantis Building opened at a cost of $33 million, which houses the

H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship The H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship is the business school of Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, United States, and is accredited by Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and School ...

. The building is a , five-story facility, and cost about $33 million. In 2006, the University Center opened, which includes a 5,400-seat arena, a fitness center, a performance theater, art gallery, a food court, and a student lounge. Five residence halls on the main campus serve undergraduate, graduate, health professions, and law students, with a capacity for housing 720 students in approximately of living space. In 2007, a 501-bed residence hall called "The Commons" opened. The university attracted negative attention in 2006 when it ended a contract with subcontractor UNICCO after more than 350 of its employees, almost all of them minorities, opted to unionize with

SEIU Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union representing almost 1.9 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States and Canada. SEIU is focused on organizing workers in three sectors: healthcare (over half of members ...

; the university's action contrasted with the reactions of the administrations of other south Florida universities to the organization of their janitorial staff. In 2008, NSU, in partnership with the National Coral Reef Institute and the International Coral Reef Symposium, held the largest coral reef symposium in the world, which included representation from 75 countries in attendance. In 2008, the

Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale The NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale is an art museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Originating in 1958 as the ''Fort Lauderdale Art Center'', the museum is now located in an modernist building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes. The current buildin ...

joined the university. Originally founded in 1986 and located in Fort Lauderdale, the museum focuses on contemporary art work, particularly of the cultures of South Florida and Latin America. The NSU Art Museum is based in a 83,000 square-foot building, with a 256-seat auditorium and permanent collection of more than 7,000 works. Fort Laud FL MoA01

2010s

In 2014, NSU opened a new campus in

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

, with master and doctoral programs. In April 2015, NSU announced a significant restructuring of its schools and colleges, adopting an all-college framework, to take effect the following July. Two new colleges were established: the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine and the Farquhar Honors College. The inaugural class of the medical school consisted of 53 students, with courses commencing on July 30, 2018. The college became South Florida's fourth traditional (allopathic) medical school. In January 2018, the university opened the NSU Write from the Start Writing and Communication Center in the Alvin Sherman Library on the main campus in Davie. The center offers writing and communication assistance to all NSU students as part of the university's Quality Enhancement Plan, which is part of reaccreditation through the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priva ...

. Following a $50 million donation from the Kiran C Patel Foundation, NSU's Tampa Bay campus was relocated to Clearwater. It now houses the second DO degree program, which accepted its first class in fall 2019, along with several additional allied health programs. George L. Hanbury II is the sixth and current president of Nova Southeastern University, and assumed the position of president in January 2010.

2020s

In 2020, NSU announced the establishment of the Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation, scheduled to open in July 2021. The $20 million center will occupy the on the fifth floor of NSU's Alvin Sherman Library. In March 2020, NSU received criticism for hosting 150 visitors on campus during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, despite known cases of confirmed COVID-19 on campus at the time. Two weeks prior, six cases were identified in individuals who traveled to

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

as part of a school-affiliated trip. In July 2020, the

U.S. Department of Labor The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the United States federal executive departments, executive departments of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government. It is responsible for the administration of fede ...

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. OFCCP is responsible for ensuring that employers doing business with the Federal government comply with the laws and regulations requiring nondis ...

found more than 80 women were subject to pay disparities compared with male colleagues; the university agreed to pay $900,000 in back pay.

Campuses

Nova Southeastern University has a main campus located in Davie, Florida, with several branch campuses throughout the state, and one in Puerto Rico.

Fort Lauderdale/Davie campus

The main campus consists of 314 acres and is located in

. The main campus includes administrative offices, classroom facilities, library facilities (including the

Alvin Sherman Library The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, is one of the largest library buildings in the state of Florida. The Alvin Sherman Library is a unique joint-use facility serving the residents of Broward County as well as N ...

), health clinics, mental health clinics,

Don Taft University Center Nova Southeastern University’s 366,000 square-foot Don Taft University Center is a critical piece in the infrastructure of the university. It was constructed over a period of two years. The inaugural event hosted the comedian Jamie Kennedy on ...

, residence halls, cafeterias, computer labs, the bookstore, athletic facilities, and parking facilities. The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center is the largest library building in the state of Florida. The library was opened to the public in December 2001, and offers workshops on a variety of topics each semester online and at NSU campuses. The Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography operates at both the main campus and an additional campus at the entrance to Port Everglades. The campus is home to both the College of Osteopathic Medicine, which confers the

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO or D.O., or in Australia DO USA) is a medical degree conferred by the 38 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. DO and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees are equivalent: a DO graduate may become lice ...

(D.O.) degree, and the College of Allopathic Medicine, which confers the

Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

(M.D.) degree. This makes Nova Southeastern the first institution in the Southeast to grant both M.D. and D.O. medical degrees. In 2016, the Collaborative Research opened in a 215,000 square foot facility. In 2018, construction began on a 500-600 unit undergraduate residence with an additional parkade structure on campus. The College of Psychology and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are based in the Maltz building on the Davie campus. In 2021, HCA Florida University Hospital, along with a new medical office building and a new parking structure, opened adjacent to the main campus.

NSU University School

The main campus hosts the NSU University School. The University School is a fully accredited, independent, college preparatory school that serves grades pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and is located on the Davie campus. This school, often referred to as just the "University School", is organized into three academic sections: lower, middle, and upper schools. These represent, respectively, elementary, middle and high school divisions within the school.

Dania Beach Oceanographic campus

The Dania Beach campus is located on 10 acres in the

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park is a Florida State Park located in Dania Beach, Florida off Florida State Road A1A. The park is named for late civil rights activists Von Mizell and Eula Johnson, who first pressured Broward County (fo ...

and houses the Oceanographic Center. The Dania Beach campus includes the Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Research. Completed in 2012 at a cost of US$50 million, the center is the largest research facility dedicated to studying

coral reefs A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...

in the United States.

North Miami Beach campus

The North Miami Beach campus, also known as the Southern campus, is located on and serves as the main location for the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. The College of Education is named after

, who served as the second president of Nova University (prior to merging with Southeastern University). The Special Needs Dentistry Clinic moved to the North Miami Beach campus in 2013.

Tampa Bay regional campus

The Tampa Bay regional campus is a newly constructed 27-acre, 325,000 square foot campus located in Clearwater, Florida. Construction began in March 2018 and was completed in August 2019. The Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Patel Family Foundation committed to a $200 million donation to support the development of the campus. The former Tampa Bay regional campus was previously located in

Brandon, Florida Brandon is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 114,626 at the 2020 ...

. Approximately 1,200 students will be registered for classes during the Fall 2019 semester. The university expressed plans to offer additional programs at the Tampa Bay campus, including osteopathic medicine, anesthesiologist assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and nursing.

Student education centers

Nova Southeastern operates student education centers and satellite campuses in

Fort Myers Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in southwestern Florida and the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 92,245 in 20 ...

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, Miramar,

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

- Kendall

Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...

, Palm Beach-

Palm Beach Gardens Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida, 77 miles north of downtown Miami. , the population was 59,182. Palm Beach Gardens is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6 ...

- Clearwater, and San Juan,

. These centers provide computer labs,

videoconferencing Videotelephony, also known as videoconferencing and video teleconferencing, is the two-way or multipoint reception and transmission of audio and video signals by people in different locations for real time communication.McGraw-Hill Concise Ency ...

equipment, and other resources for distance students, who are not located near the main campus.

Academics

Through its 15 colleges, the university awards associate, bachelor's,

master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

, doctoral, and professional degrees. The university offers 33 degrees at the doctoral level and master's degrees are offered in 52 subjects. About 175 programs of study are offered, with more than 250 majors. Additional programs of study include engineering and computing, arts, humanities and social sciences. Several degrees are offered online (

distance education Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...

). NSU maintains a Health Professions Division, currently composed of eight colleges, including two accredited medical schools. The College of Osteopathic Medicine operates the Center for Bioterrorism and All-Hazards Preparedness (CBAP), which is one of six training centers in the US funded by the

Health Resources and Services Administration The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in North Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for peop ...

. Through the respective colleges, residency training is offered in medicine, dentistry and optometry.

Institutes and centers

In addition to its colleges, NSU has various other centers and institutes. NSU offers programs for families on

parenting Parenting or child rearing promotes and supports the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Parenting refers to the intricacies of raising a child and not exclusively for ...

preschool A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary sch ...

, primary education, and

secondary education Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final pha ...

, which are provided through the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies. The Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine is located on both the main campus in Ft. Lauderdale and on the Kendall campus. This center aims to advance the science of treatment for individuals with neuro-inflammatory diseases via integration of education, research, and patient care.

Accreditation

The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and also has numerous additional specialized accreditations for its colleges and programs. The Center for Psychological Studies is accredited by the

American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It ha ...

and recognized by the

Florida Department of Education The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) is the state education agency of Florida. It governs public education and manages funding and testing for local educational agencies (school boards). It is headquartered in the Turlington Building (n ...

. The NSU University School is accredited by AdvancED and recognized by the Florida Kindergarten Council and the Florida Council of Independent Schools. The College of Allopathic Medicine received Preliminary Accreditation by the

Liaison Committee on Medical Education The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) is an accrediting body for educational programs at schools of medicine in the United States and Canada.''Glossary.'' ACGME website. The LCME is sponsored by the Association of American Medical Co ...

(LCME) on October 10, 2017, becoming the eighth M.D. degree granting medical school in Florida. The business school is accredited by the

International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education The International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), formerly the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, is an educational accreditation agency for college and university business programs founded in 1997. It ...

Rankings

NSU is ranked by the

Washington Monthly ''Washington Monthly'' is a bimonthly, nonprofit magazine of United States politics and government that is based in Washington, D.C. The magazine is known for its annual ranking of American colleges and universities, which serves as an alterna ...

as the 391st best national university. In 2015, NSU was ranked by ''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Eco ...

'' at 290 of 1,275 colleges based on income of graduate, compared to expected income. In 2015, NSU was ranked 9th for diversity by ''U.S. News & World Report''. In 2016, NSU was selected as one of 20 global universities by the ''Times Higher Education and World University'' that could challenge the elite and become a world renowned university by 2030. In 2019, NSU ranked 22nd in number of professional doctoral degrees awarded to minorities in the US. In 2000 and in 2014, Nova Southeastern University was ranked 3rd for highest total debt burden amongst its students.

Student life

In Fall 2019, 20,576 students were attending Nova Southeastern University, including

undergraduates Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...

graduate students Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree. The organization and str ...

, and professional programs. About 71% of undergraduate students are female, and 29% are male. The average student age is 22 years, and 25% are from out-of-state, while the remaining 75% of students are from Florida. About 36% of students are Hispanic/Latino, 27% are White/non-Hispanic, 14% are black/African American, 11% are Asian, 3% identify as two or more races/ethnicities, and 4% of students are of unknown ethnicity. About 49% of students attend classes at the Davie Campus, whereas 30% attend class at other campuses and 21% take courses online. The North Miami Beach Campus accounts for about 5% of the student population. The university is a designated

Hispanic-serving institution A Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) is defined in federal law as an accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institution of higher education with 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time equivalent (FTE) stud ...

, a federal grant program for institutions whose student body is at least 25% Hispanic/Latino.

Organizations

There are over 100 clubs and organizations on campus for students. There are a total of 20 student government associations that form PanSGA with the addition of the College of Allopathic Medicine. The Nova Southeastern's Undergraduate Student Government Association is the primary organization for the government of the undergraduate student body. About 9-10% of students participate in the Greek Life system through a fraternity or sorority. There are a total of five fraternities on the campus and six sororities on the campus. The school's student-run newspaper, ''The Current'', is published weekly. There is also a school-sponsored, student-run radio station called "WNSU Radio X", which broadcasts in the evenings and weekends on 88.5 FM

WKPX WKPX 88.5 FM is the non-commercial, educational radio station owned and operated by the Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), broadcasting at 3000 watts and reaching all of Broward County. In mid-2020, production studios were relocated from Piper ...

, a station owned by

Broward County Public Schools Broward County Public Schools is a public school district serving Broward County, Florida, is the sixth largest public school system in the nation. During the 2016–2017 school year, Broward County Public Schools served 271,517 students enroll ...

. Radio X is a student-run radio station which was established in 1990 and began broadcasting over WKPX in 1998. Sharks United Television (SUTV) is a student-run media outlet at NSU.

Housing

About 26% of students at NSU live in university owned or operated housing. The newest residence hall is the Rolling Hills Apartments, which opened in 2008. Rolling Hills Apartments is a renovated residence hall that was originally the "Best Western Rolling Hills Resort." This residence hall is for graduate and doctoral students. The oldest dorms, Farquhar, Founders, and Vettel, each house 55 students and were named in 1975 for founders of Nova University. In August 2019, Mako Hall opened that holds apartment style living accommodations with individual kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom on campus.

Student series

Several projects have been established that allow students to voluntarily listen to speakers brought in from outside the campus. The Farquhar Honors College hosts the ''Distinguished Speakers Series'', which brings experts and notable persons from diverse fields to the campus. Past speakers have included

Salman Rushdie Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and We ...

, Prime Minister Ehud Barak,

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

Maziar Bahari Maziar Bahari ( fa, مازیار بهاری; born May 25, 1967) is an Iranian-Canadian journalist, filmmaker and human rights activist. He was a reporter for '' Newsweek'' from 1998 to 2011. Bahari was incarcerated by the Iranian government fr ...

Bob Woodward Robert Upshur Woodward (born March 26, 1943) is an American investigative journalist. He started working for '' The Washington Post'' as a reporter in 1971 and now holds the title of associate editor. While a young reporter for ''The Washingt ...

, Elie Wiesel,

Paul Bremer Lewis Paul Bremer III (born September 30, 1941) is an American diplomat. He led the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States, from May 2003 until June 2004. Early life and education Born on ...

Dr. Jack Kevorkian Murad Jacob "Jack" Kevorkian (May 26, 1928 – June 3, 2011) was an American pathologist and euthanasia proponent. He publicly championed a terminal patient's right to die by physician-assisted suicide, embodied in his quote, "Dying is not ...

, Desmond Tutu, and

Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama (spiritual name Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, known as Tenzin Gyatso (Tibetan: བསྟན་འཛིན་རྒྱ་མཚོ་, Wylie: ''bsTan-'dzin rgya-mtsho''); né Lhamo Thondup), known as ...

. The ''Life 101 series'' brings leaders from business, entertainment, politics and athletics to Nova Southeastern University to share their life accomplishments and "life lessons" learned. Past speakers have included

Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the develop ...

Wayne Huizenga Harry Wayne Huizenga Sr. (; December 29, 1937 – March 22, 2018) was an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He founded AutoNation and Waste Management Inc., and was the owner or co-owner of Blockbuster Video, the Miami ...

, Vanessa L. Williams,

Dan Abrams Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, legal commentator, and author. He is currently the host of the prime-time show ''Dan Abrams Live'' on NewsNation, ''On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz and ''The Dan Ab ...

, Jason Taylor,

Michael Phelps Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold med ...

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

, and

Alyssa Milano Alyssa Jayne Milano (born December 19, 1972) is an American actress. She has played Samantha Micelli in '' Who's the Boss?'', Jennifer Mancini in '' Melrose Place'', Phoebe Halliwell in ''Charmed'', Billie Cunningham in '' My Name Is Earl'', Sa ...

Athletics

The Nova Southeastern (NSU) athletic teams are called the Sharks. The university is a member of the

NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...

ranks, primarily competing in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) since the 2002–03 academic year. The Sharks previously competed in the Florida Sun Conference (FSC; now currently known as the Sun Conference since the 2008–09 school year) of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...

(NAIA) from 1990–91 to 2001–02. NSU competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming & diving and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country,

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...

, soccer,

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

, swimming & diving,

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

, track & field and

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

. Former sports included

women's rowing Women's rowing is the participation of women in the sport of rowing. Women row in all boat classes, from single scull to coxed eights, across the same age ranges and standards as men, from junior amateur through university-level to elite athlete ...

until after the 2019–20 school year.

Accomplishments

Since joining the NCAA in 2002, the NSU Sharks have produced several NCAA All-Region selections and NCAA All-Americans, and have been nationally ranked in numerous sports. The NSU Sharks have won four straight championships in women's golf from 2009 to 2012. In 2016, for the first time in school history, the NSU baseball team won the Division II National Championship.

Nickname

Many athletic events at NSU take place at University Center Arena. In 2005, students voted for a new school mascot, and the student body selected the Sharks. NSU's athletic teams had previously been known as the Knights.

Notable alumni

NSU has produced over 170,000 alumni, who live in all 50 US states and over 116 countries worldwide. Alumni work in various fields, including academia, government, research, and professional sports. Prominent alumni include

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player J.D. Martinez of the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

, Isabel Saint Malo, the former

Vice President of Panama The vice president of Panama is the second-highest political position in the Government of Panama. Since 2009, the position of Vice President has been held by only one person. Before 1945 there were positions of presidential designates elected ...

Marilyn Mailman Segal Marilyn Mailman Segal (Marilyn Segal; died 2014) was an American developmental psychologist, author and educator specializing in early childhood. She is the founder and dean emeritus of the Family Center at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Laud ...

, prominent

child psychologist Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult developmen ...

, Ivy Dumont, first female

Governor-General of the Bahamas The governor-general of the Bahamas is the vice-regal representative of the Bahamian monarch, currently King Charles III, in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The governor-general is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime ...

Tyler Cymet Tyler C. Cymet, D.O., FACP, FACOFP, FACHT (born 1963 Smithtown, New York) is a physician in Baltimore, Maryland. Cymet attended Emory University for his premedical undergraduate degree and majored in psychology and anthropology. He then attend ...

, internist, Cathy Areu, author and journalist,

Somy Ali Somy Ali ( ur, سومی علی, ar, سومي علي; born 25 March 1976)Singh, Prashant (30 April 2012Salman helps Somy Ali's charity foundation ''Hindustan Times'' is a Pakistani-American actress, writer, filmmaker, model and activist who has ...

, former

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

actress and activist,

Geisha Williams Geisha J. Williams (born Jimenez, c. 1961/1962) is a Cuban American businesswoman. She was the president and CEO of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) from March 2017 to January 13, 2019. Early life Williams was born Geisha J. Jimenez in ...

, former CEO of

PG&E The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is an American investor-owned utility (IOU). The company is headquartered in the Pacific Gas & Electric Building, in San Francisco, California. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 5.2 millio ...

, Kristine Lefebvre, lawyer and contestant on ''

The Apprentice ''The Apprentice'' is a reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States. Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with various professional backg ...

'',

Scott W. Rothstein Scott W. Rothstein (born June 10, 1962) is an American disbarred lawyer, convicted felon, and the former managing shareholder, chairman, and chief executive officer of the now-defunct Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law firm. He funded an extravag ...

, lawyer,

Syra Madad Syra Madad ( ur, , née Sikandar; born October 22, 1986) is an American pathogen preparedness expert and infectious disease epidemiologist. Madad is the Senior Director of the System-wide Special Pathogens Program at NYC Health + Hospitals where ...

epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...

and infectious disease control expert and, and Dr.

Will Kirby William Terence Kirby (born January 2, 1973), popularly known as Dr. Will, is an American aesthetic dermatologist, an associate clinical professor of dermatology, and a reality television personality. He is known for winning the CBS reality show ...

, a

dermatologist Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medica ...

and

television personality Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in sports ...

. File:Secretary of State Pompeo shakes hands Panamanian Vice President and Foreign Minister Isabel Saint Malo (46073053435).jpg, Isabel Saint Malo, former

vice president A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

File:Will Kirby 2020 (cropped).jpg,

, winner '' Big Brother 2'' File:J. D. Martinez Boston Red Sox August 2018 (crop).png, J.D. Martinez,

player File:Gopradi Geovanni.JPG, Geovanni Gopradi, actor File:Louie L. Wainwright.jpg,

Louie L. Wainwright Louie Lee Wainwright (September 11, 1923 – December 23, 2021) was an American corrections administrator who served as Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections from 1962 to 1987. He is known for having been the named respondent in two ...

, former Secretary of the Florida Division of Corrections, known for being the named respondent in 2 seminal

U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

cases File:Carole Ward Allen.jpg,

Carole Ward Allen Carole Ward Allen is an American politician, professor, and political consultant. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and serves as the chief executive officer of CWA Partners, LLC. As a mass transportation executive in the State of Califor ...

, politician and professor

Research

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". One notable area of NSU's research looks at the impact of sharks on the health of the ocean. NSU also has its research on other various fields such as biotechnology, life sciences, environment and social sciences. NSU faculty are funded by extramural grants of over $107 million for various projects to advance research works, academics. Their projects include basic, applied and clinical research projects on drug discoveries, mental health disorders oceanic studies.

Gallery

File:Nova Library West.JPG, The Alvin Sherman Library File:NSU Physical Sciences Building.JPG, Parker Physical Sciences Building File:HPDatnsu.jpg, Terry Building - Administration for all of the Health Professions Division File:NSU Health Care Center.JPG, Sanford Ziff File:NSU College of Dental Medicine.JPG, College of Dental Medicine building File:NSU Student and Media Arts Center.jpg, Performing and Visual Arts in the Don Taft University Center File:NSU DeSantis Building.JPG, Carl DeSantis Building File:Nova Southeastern University Psychology Building.jpg, Maxwell Maltz Building File:Huizinga BSchool Back.JPG, The Dr. William Spears Atrium File:NSU Student Center.JPG, Rosenthal Student Center File:NSU Physical Plant.JPG, Physical plant facilities File:The Commons - NSU.jpg, The Commons undergraduate housing File:NSU Rolling Hills Graduate Housing.JPG, Rolling Hills - graduate housing File:Dolphins training camp.jpg, Former Miami Dolphins Training Facility on NSU's main campus. File:Miniaci.jpg, Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center File:Jimandjanmorancenter.jpg, Jim & Jan Moran Family Center.

References

External links

*
Nova Southeastern athletics website
{{authority control Universities and colleges in Broward County, Florida Private universities and colleges in Florida Educational institutions established in 1964 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Schools of public health in the United States North Miami Beach, Florida World War II airfields in the United States 1964 establishments in Florida Universities and colleges formed by merger in the United States