LAKELAND, Fla., Nov. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Florida Southern College proudly announces that President Dr. Anne B. Kerr has been recognized in the 2023 edition of Florida Trend’s Florida 500 Florida’s Most Influential Business Leaders, a prestigious list highlighting the 500 most influential executives across various economic sectors throughout the state.
For the fourth year in a row, President Dr. Anne B. Kerr was selected to the prominent Florida 500 list.
For the fourth year in a row, Florida Southern College President Dr. Anne B. Kerr was selected to the prominent Florida 500 list, recognizing the most influential business leaders across the state.
This marks President Kerr’s fourth inclusion, underscoring her sustained impact on higher education in Florida. The annual publication by Florida Trend involves an exhaustive year-long research initiative to identify leaders who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their professions, personal interests, and philanthropic endeavors.
Dr. Kerr expressed her gratitude, saying, “It is a tremendous honor to be included alongside such exceptional leaders. Florida Southern’s reputation as a premier institution for engaged learning continues to attract students and capture national attention. The continuous recognition is only possible through the work of our world-class faculty and dedicated staff. Together, we are preparing our extraordinary students to make a consequential impact in the world, and I am privileged to be a part of this impressive journey and trajectory.”
Kerr, also recently named to Tampa Bay’s Power 100 list, has led the institution to unprecedented achievements. Under her innovative leadership, FSC has seen remarkable growth and gained national recognition. Florida Southern is ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Colleges of Distinction, Poets&Quants, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, the Fiske Guide to Colleges, and others. Her emphasis on experiential learning and creating an engaged campus experience is reflected in the introduction of 19 new undergraduate majors across FSC’s arts, sciences, education, business, and nursing programs; a focus on career services; and partnerships with organizations ranging from the Polk Museum of Art to The Washington Center, which have expanded student opportunities for research and hands-on learning. This has resulted in a remarkable 98 percent student placement rate post-graduation.
“One of Florida’s greatest strengths is the depth of talent in its business community, and we believe these individuals stand out for the difference they make far beyond their organizations and hometowns,” says Florida Trend Executive Editor Vickie Chachere.
Additionally, during Dr. Kerr’s tenure, the College’s impact on the Florida economy has risen to more than $388 million in gross domestic product, over $237 million in labor income, more than and $612 billion in overall sales, while providing over 4,500 jobs. With new graduate degree programs, such as master’s degrees in accounting, education, and nursing, in addition to new doctoral programs in education, physical therapy, and nursing practice, Florida Southern is further helping to meet the state and nationwide need for innovative and experienced professionals, who are making a positive and consequential impact in their fields.
Dr. Robert L. Fryer, Jr. ’70, chairman of Florida Southern College’s Board of Trustees, congratulated Dr. Kerr. “Florida Southern College has blossomed under her determined guidance and inspiring leadership. The Board of Trustees and the thousands of students who have launched successful careers because of her dedication to shaping a genuinely dynamic educational experience appreciate the many achievements of her service to FSC. We are privileged to have her at the helm.”
About Florida Southern CollegeFounded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. Florida Southern is ranked #11 among the “Best Regional Universities in the South” by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024 “Best Colleges” guide. It is included in The Princeton Review’s 2023-2024 Best 389 Colleges guide and the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024. The 2023-2024 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern’s AACSB-accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College’s School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Poets&Quants, U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, and The Princeton Review further laud the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences as foremost programs in the nation for business and nursing education. Home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC is ranked by The Princeton Review as the #6 “Most Beautiful Campus” in the nation. Connect with Florida Southern College.
SOURCE Florida Southern College
