The John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter was gripped with an odd sense of excitement and nostalgia on Sept. 2 as the staff prepared for the arrival of departing FAU President Frank Brogan.
Brogan, who’s served the university since 2003, visited the Jupiter campus as the final stop on his farewell tour. The tour covered each of FAU’s seven campuses over the course of two days and served as Brogan’s final chance to interact with his students before his departure for Tallahassee to serve as the chancellor of the State University System.
The event was held in the Student Resources Atrium, where students, faculty members and trustees gathered for one final retrospective on the president’s career. Attendees were treated to ice cream sundaes served by Chartwells staff as they discussed the impact that Brogan’s had on the university.
“It’s sad to see him leave the university, but … he’s going to a position where he can impact the State University System, and not just one university,” says Dr. John Pritchett, FAU’s interim president and former provost.
Brogan’s done a lot for FAU in his six-and-a-half-year tenure, including instituting numerous academic partnerships with organizations such as the Scripps Research Institute.
The accomplishments made by Brogan have left a strong impression on FAU, and he plans on continuing this work as chancellor of the State University System. In his farewell presentation he spoke of the importance of higher education in Florida’s new “knowledge-based economy,” while also reflecting on his time at the university.
“[Being amongst the students is] what I’ll miss most about being at FAU,” said Brogan after his presentation. “I’ve [been in education for 30 years], and the thing that keeps me in education, got me into it in the first place, [and] kept me in it every day since then, is the students. The thing I’ll absolutely miss the most is being in close contact with students.”
The event, which was organized by Vice President and Associate Provost of Regional Campuses Dr. Joyanne Stephens, concluded with the presentation of a hand-painted owl to Brogan by art instructor Jackie Kern. This continues the campus tradition of presenting a hand-painted owl to each of the trustees.
As Brogan departs for Tallahassee with “Owlexander the Great,” and Pritchett takes his place as interim president, FAU’s immediate future is unclear. But one thing is certain: Brogan will always hold a special place in the memories of his faculty and students.
