FGCU’s Marieb College of Health & Human Services prepares well-rounded practitioners
The healthcare industry is booming. It’s projected to add more jobs than any other field in the next several years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A growing and aging population, technological advancements and changes in the way healthcare is delivered are among the primary reasons the industry is expanding so rapidly.
That translates into a wealth of career opportunities for well-trained professionals, and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is Southwest Florida’s leader in educating these caregivers — your caregivers. With comprehensive academic programs, rigorous clinical training and faculty grounded in professional practice, FGCU’s Marieb College of Health & Human Services prepares well-rounded practitioners to meet the mounting health and wellness needs of Southwest Florida.
Our graduates are your nurses, counselors, social workers, lab scientists and physical and occupational therapists. They are breaking new ground in research, clinical and leadership roles in public health throughout the region and beyond.
Marieb College Continues to Grow
When FGCU welcomed its first students in 1997, what was then the College of Health Professions enrolled 178 students in a nursing bachelor’s degree program and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health science. Today, Marieb College of Health & Human Services educates more than 2,700 students a year in 15 degree programs in its School of Nursing and Departments of Social Work, Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Science and Counseling. The college also houses FGCU’s Counseling and Psychological Services for students as well as the Community Counseling & Education Center.
And Marieb College continues to grow. In the 2024 legislative session, FGCU secured final funding for the construction of a new health sciences building on campus, Academic Building 10. The facility will complement Marieb Hall, the college’s home, where students learn in state-of-the-art classrooms and practice laboratory facilities. The new building will support further expansion of the college and further cement its ability to train the needed healthcare workforce.
With support from community partners in the healthcare industry and matching state funds, the college’s School of Nursing has also been able to expand its programs and faculty to address the widespread shortage of professionals in the field.
Generous gifts from private foundations have also fueled growth in specialty research and outreach initiatives that have broad regional impact, leading to the establishment of the Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging and the Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disability Initiative.
We Create Well-Rounded Practitioners
Compassion. Skill. Discipline. Critical thinking. Professionalism. The healing professions require all in equal degree. Marieb College delivers the preparation practitioners need through hands-on learning, intensive clinical experience and personalized attention.
Our graduates consistently score higher than peers from other institutions on national licensure exams, achieving 100% first-time pass rates in six program areas. It’s no wonder Marieb boasts a 100% six-month employment rate for new graduates.
Last year marked the seventh time that Marieb’s bachelor of science nursing students led the state university system in first-time licensure pass rates. In fact, ours was the only such program to claim a 100% first-time pass rate.
But Marieb College’s licensure success do not end there. For the 10th year, our master of science occupational therapy program maintained a 100% overall pass rate. Moreover, the doctor of physical therapy program secured a 100% first-time pass rate on the Florida Board of Physical Therapy licensing examination, with four students posting perfect scores. Our master of physician assistant studies program also secured a 100% overall pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, marking five consecutive years with this success.
To build on this history of success while preparing graduates to work in fields that are quickly and constantly changing, Marieb College is committed to pursuing innovation in educational practices and experiences. We have a renewed focus on interprofessional education that has been accelerated with gracious gifts from the Marieb Foundation and the hiring of our first director of interprofessional education and emerging technology.
Interprofessional education is a strategic learning approach that brings together healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds within a simulated setting to enhance collaboration and communication among practitioners. This fosters an environment where they can learn from one another to effectively improve health outcomes.
Marieb College is committed to advancing this initiative by establishing an Interprofessional Simulation Center in the coming years that will serve as a hub for collaborative efforts among various programs, academia and partners, thus facilitating preclinical and simulation-based training.
As always, our mission is to advance the education, health and well-being of our students through teaching excellence, impactful scholarship and service. By achieving this mission, we help improve our community and make Southwest Florida the best place for education and living.
Learn more about FGCU’s Marieb College of Health & Human Services at fgu.edu/marieb.
Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Boulevard South
Fort Myers, FL 33965
(239) 590-1000 | fgcu.edu