Florida State University and Miami Dade College have formalized a new articulation agreement to create clearer pathways and enhanced advising for MDC students to transfer to FSU.

This agreement, signed by FSU President Richard McCullough and Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega in a ceremony Thursday in Miami, takes effect Nov. 1. It strengthens the statewide articulation agreement that allows MDC students who earn an associate in arts degree to transfer to FSU with junior standing and continue pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

MDC plays a key role in the university’s transfer student population. It is the second largest feeder school to FSU’s Tallahassee campus, behind only Tallahassee State College.

McCullough highlighted the importance of the agreement in broadening access to higher education.

“FSU and Miami Dade College are committed to providing students with clear pathways to achieve their academic and professional goals,” said McCullough. “This agreement reflects our shared values and creates a smoother transition for MDC students to continue their academic journey at Florida State University. By collaborating with MDC, we are providing students with a solid plan for success at FSU.”

The first eight MDC2FSU programs selected for new academic maps are fields of high interest to MDC students: social work, cyber criminology (both criminology and computer science) and entrepreneurship (commercial, retail and STEM). Programs in psychology and criminology/criminal justice, which traditionally see the most MDC transfer students, are also included.

“This agreement reflects our shared values and creates a smoother transition for MDC students to continue their academic journey at Florida State University. By collaborating with MDC, we are providing students with a solid plan for success at FSU.”    – FSU President Richard McCullough

MDC students will be encouraged to declare their intended FSU major before completing 30 credit hours to ensure a smooth transition. While the agreement does not guarantee admission, it offers a framework for students to follow and helps them align their courses with FSU’s degree requirements.

Upon transferring, students will be supported through FSU’s Transfer Student Services and other resources, including enrolling in the IDS 3003 Transfer Connections and Success course during their first semester.

“MDC’s partnership with FSU accelerates seamless pathways, ensuring our students have a clear path to opportunity,” Pumariega said. “By expanding access in fields like STEM, cyber criminology and entrepreneurship, we are empowering the next generation to succeed and shape Florida’s future workforce.”

The agreement, which currently runs through July 31, 2027, will be reviewed and updated as needed to ensure students are receiving the most up-to-date guidance for their academic journeys.

Both FSU and MDC committed to ongoing collaboration through student advising workshops, information sessions and sharing data to track student success.

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Florida State University is one of 18 universities nationwide receiving a first-of-its-kind award from the National Science Foundation that will boost translational research and help scientists scale their work into products and solutions that can ultimately move from the lab into the public sphere.

The Accelerating Research Translation (ART) investment provided more than $100 million to 18 teams at academic institutions across the nation. Florida State University will receive $6 million over four years to identify and build research that shows commercialization potential, mature our technology transfer expertise, and to support the training of entrepreneurial faculty and students.

“FSU is rapidly growing its entrepreneurial culture,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “We are committed to empowering our faculty and others to transform their research into successful startups. As the founder of two companies myself, I understand the impact that promoting entrepreneurship can have on both the university and the surrounding community. This investment from the National Science Foundation is an exciting step toward realizing our vision.”

FSU’s winning proposal, IGNITE-FSU (Inspiring the Generation of New Ideas and Translational Excellence at Florida State University) lays out an ambitious four-year plan to provide programming and other training opportunities for the FSU and broader Tallahassee community, the creation of mentoring programs for budding entrepreneurs, the launch of new seed funding programs aimed at translational research and new partnerships that support an innovation ecosystem.

“Universities are uniquely positioned with expert talent, a culture of curiosity, and the complex facilities needed to explore the art of the possible and develop and translate innovation to keep our competitive edge,” said Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson. “This award builds on momentum across the university to build our translational research portfolio and transform those research projects into entrepreneurial ventures. We are excited to work with NSF and our other partners on ART.”

This award builds upon several policies and initiatives FSU senior leadership has put in motion over the past year to spur entrepreneurship at the university, including:

• Fast Start, a simplified tech transfer program that will allow FSU researchers to bring their own technology to market quickly.
• 1Clik Licensing, a program that allows industry to license FSU technologies the same way a shopper puts something in an Amazon cart.
• A new partnership with Tallahassee-based incubator Domi Station, allowing greater access to FSU’s research and development resources while giving FSU faculty and students the opportunity to work with DOMI businesses on projects and internships.

The university also hired the first-ever Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Innovation, Valerie Landrio McDevitt, who started in December.

“I’m excited to have joined FSU at a transformational time for the university,” McDevitt said. “As the university enhances its translational research work, we are also building the infrastructure to be able to move that work from the lab into the commercial sphere. This support from NSF is a major boost to that effort.”

IGNITE-FSU will be rolled out in phases and will include significant programming for students, faculty and staff. Additional announcements will be made in the coming months detailing new opportunities and milestones related to the project.

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Florida State University has hired a new associate vice president of strategic partnerships and innovation to boost the commercial development of the university’s innovations, with a particular focus on the technology transfer process and business engagement.

Valerie Landrio McDevitt, currently an executive director with the AdventHealth Research Institute in Orlando, will assume the post on Dec. 7.

“We are thrilled to have a leader with Valerie’s wealth of experience joining our team,” said Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson. “In this new role, McDevitt will be responsible for driving transformative and sustainable initiatives to expand our innovation ecosystem.”

McDevitt is an established leader in the higher education research community with 25 years of experience in the development and commercialization of technology. She was the former Associate Vice President for new venture development at the University of South Florida where she spent over 18 years supporting research and technology commercialization including incubation, strategic planning, startup funding, technology transfer, economic development, external engagement, and related grants and contracts.

At USF, McDevitt elevated the technology transfer program to one of the top 20 ranked by the prestigious Milken Institute. In 2019, McDevitt moved to the AdventHealth Research Institute, where she has had leadership and operational responsibility for sponsored programs, research integrity and compliance, corporate site management, portfolio management and technology transfer.

She has been an investigator on several grants related to building economic development programs and serves on the BioFlorida Executive Committee and AUTM Public Policy Committee.

McDevitt received her master’s degree from the University of Florida in analytical chemistry and her law degree from Emory University. She is a member of both the Florida and Patent Bars.

“I am passionate about the role of research and innovation in driving social and economic growth,” McDevitt said. “I look forward to contributing to the efforts of the outstanding leadership team, faculty and staff at Florida State to further expand the university’s impact in innovation and partnerships.”

As AVP of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation, McDevitt will oversee the FSU Office of Commercialization and the Office of Business and Industry Solutions as well as faculty recognition efforts. She will report to Patterson and serve as a member of the Office of Research’s senior leadership team.

“Entrepreneurship and business engagement are major priorities for FSU, and I am looking forward to working with Valerie to build upon our efforts in this area,” Patterson said. “We have been spending a lot of time on this, and Valerie coming on board is an important piece of that puzzle.”

In addition to hiring McDevitt, FSU has put a number of policies and initiatives in motion over the past year to spur entrepreneurship at the university, including:

• Fast Start, a simplified tech transfer program that will allow FSU researchers to bring their own technology to market quickly.
• 1Clik Licensing, a program that allows industry to license FSU technologies the same way a shopper puts something in an Amazon cart.
• A new partnership with Tallahassee-based incubator Domi Station, allowing greater access to FSU’s research and development resources while giving FSU faculty and students the opportunity to work with DOMI businesses on projects and internships.

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