College Bound

Through the $1-million donation from Bonita Bay Group's David Lucas, FGCU is starting a real estate development and construction program. Its School of Engineering, with degree programs in bioengineering, environmental engineering and engineering management, is launching this fall.

"The promise that we could improve this area-its quality of life and its economy-that's why the institution was set here seven years ago. And we're just doing it," Merwin says.

In the same way, Edison officials pay attention to local workforce demands in hopes of providing qualified graduates to fill the jobs. New programs "require business partnerships and agencies, and businesses that can benefit from students going through those programs often will pitch in," says Maureen McClintock, vice president for institutional advancement.

Businesses pitch in by funding degree programs and scholarships, and via naming opportunities-one such opportunity being Edison's new conference center at its Collier campus.

Solomon says that while there's a certain amount of overlap among Southwest Florida's higher education institutions, most large businesses are finding a way to support more than one school. And there's an upside to the growth at all the schools. "It's raising the awareness in the community," Solomon says. "It's like a mass marketing program among all of us."

In the next five years, FGCU's enrollment is expected to double to 13,000, which Merwin estimates will yield a half-billion dollars annually in economic impact.

While the teachers' standards and the coursework pressure is much like what she experienced in Indiana, Allie says professors and students seem to enjoy their time in Southwest Florida.

"It's very much the same in the sense that the teachers still bring that university cutting-edge feel to the classroom," she says. "But it is a relaxed atmosphere in the sense of people are friendly and people are taking their time a little bit more."

Class Notes

EDISON COLLEGE

. The average age of students is 27.

. 57 percent of students are 24 years old or younger.

. 58 percent of Edison students work more than 30 hours per week; only 11 percent are not employed.

. In 2004, 80.5 percent of Edison College Associate in Arts transfer students at state universities had GPAs at or above 2.5; the Florida community college average with that GPA is 74.2 percent.

AVE MARIA

. Already more than 300

students from 41 states and seven countries are enrolled; eventually the school will be much larger.

FGCU

. Enrollment: 6,198.

. Most popular colleges: Business, 1,528 students; Arts and Sciences, 1,418 students; and Health Professions, 836 students.

. 90 percent of students are from Florida, 65 percent are from the local five-county area.

. Out-of-state students are from 45 different states, including the District of Columbia; 341 students are from other countries.

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

. Enrollment is about 1,700, which is expected to rise when the new Fort Myers campus opens later

this year.

. The median age of students is 33.

. A majority of students are adult learners who maintain full-time jobs. Students use flexible scheduling, online courses and accelerated programs that are designed to accommodate their busy

schedules.

. Since it opened in 1990, more than 3,000 students have graduated from International College.

Dean's List

Companies and business leaders have contributed to Southwest Florida's colleges and universities. Here are a few grade-worthy efforts.

Ben Hill Griffin III: FGCU would not be around without former Alico

chairman Griffin, who helped establish plans for the school and donated 760 acres for the university.

Barron Collier Cos.: Partners in developing Ave Maria University and the accompanying town with Ave Maria creator and Domino's pizza mogul Tom Monaghan. Barron Collier Cos. donated 750 acres for the university and owns the land for the town.

David Lucas: The Bonita Bay chairman and his wife, Linda, donated $2 million to establish the Lucas Institute for Master Planned Community Development and Finance. FGCU matched with another $2 million to create the institute, which expects to start course work towards the Real Estate Development Executive MBA in fall 2005.

NCH Healthcare System: The Naples organization is giving more than $1 million to Edison to establish an Associate in Science nursing program. Other local hospitals have committed an additional $822,000 to the program.

Jack Antaramian: The Naples developer has donated 75 acres of land

valued at $7.5 million to FGCU. The school plans to use the parcel for a biotechnology park-partly fueled by the demand for jobs expected to be created by Scripps Research Institute's arrival in Palm Beach.