Janelle Irwin Taylor
Florida Polytechnic University is dropping the “interim” from one of its top leaders’ titles, officially naming Brad Thiessen Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.
He’s been serving in an interim capacity since last Summer. With his role now permanent, Thiessen will continue on as Florida Poly’s chief academic officer, guiding the all-STEM university’s academic mission with quality and integrity.
“I am honored to serve Florida Poly at such a pivotal time for our University,” Thiessen said. “As we grow our enrollment, expand our academic offerings, and challenge the traditional models of higher education, I see tremendous opportunity to work with our talented faculty to shape a future where students are not only prepared for the world ahead — they’re leading it.”
Thiessen aims to expand academic offerings at Florida Poly while retaining and recruiting world-class faculty and improving student success. Thiessen also plans to expand the school’s research and intellectual property footprint.
“Throughout his time as interim provost, Dr. Thiessen has demonstrated exceptional leadership, a deep understanding of our academic mission, and a strong commitment to student success,” Florida Poly President Devin Stephenson said. “His continued service in this role ensures momentum and stability as we pursue ambitious goals for academic growth and excellence.”
Prior to joining Florida Poly, Thiessen served eight years at New College of Florida, where he held a range of leadership and academic positions, including Vice Provost, Interim President, Interim Provost, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, Chief of Staff, Director of Institutional Performance Assessment, institutional accreditation liaison, and professor of statistics. His stint as Interim Provost came as the school underwent a major restructuring, pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Thiessen also spent a decade as chair and professor of mathematics and statistics at St. Ambrose University in Iowa. He also held the roles of Director of Institutional Research at the University of Hawaii, and Director of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Strategic Planning, as well as Associate Professor of Education, at Touro University in California.
Thiessen holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in measurement and statistics from the University of Iowa, and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and secondary education from St. Ambrose University.
