Study
in the “Sunshine State”
It’s no
wonder that it’s nicknamed “The Sunshine State”
and is known for its beautiful climate. It’s no wonder
that several professional sports teams call Florida home.
And it’s no wonder that Florida is a vacationer’s
paradise…but what could all of these things possibly
have to do with getting an education?
Easy…Florida
Metropolitan University (FMU)! With approximately 6,000
students enrolled, FMU is currently the 3rd largest private
university in Florida. FMU is owned and operated by Rhodes
College, Inc., a division of Corinthian Colleges, Inc. Corinthian
Colleges, Inc. is one of the largest privately owned postsecondary
school organizations in the United States, operating 45
colleges and institutions nationwide. FMU consists of nine
campuses located in the cities of Jacksonville, Clearwater,
Fort Lauderdale, Melbourne, Orlando, Lakeland, and Tampa.
Not sure which city sounds most enticing? Well, let’s
“visit” each city…and you can see what you
think.
Let’s start
in Northeast Florida. In Jacksonville, you’ll find
the perfect combination of two worlds, a metropolitan city
bordered to the east by miles of beaches. Jacksonville offers
a sunny, warm climate year round…perfect for enjoying
the miles of white sand beaches and rolling surf. The St.
Johns River, while both beautiful and a bit odd, runs south
to north (that’s what’s odd about it!). The river
runs through the city’s downtown area, offering pretty
vistas and scenery. The city is home to the Jacksonville
Landing, a festive waterfront marketplace with unique shops
and restaurants, two Riverwalks, the Jacksonville Zoo, and
Kingsley Plantation.
Come
to Clearwater, home of FMU, Pinellas, and you’ll find
all the water-oriented recreation you can imagine and lots
of outdoor activities...and about 361 days of sunshine a
year! Besides jetski, water bike, and parasail activities
at the Clearwater Beach marina, you can rent boats for everything
from a relaxing sail to a deep sea fishing adventure. More
than 300 species of fish populate the waters, making the
area one of Florida’s best fishing locales. How about
an outdoor concert, local festival, or an orchestra performance
at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall? Or taking the Pinellas
County Recreational Trail for a stretch of the 47 miles,
from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs? There are all sorts
of things to do in Clearwater!
Enjoying your
tour so far? Let’s move our way to Fort Lauderdale.
Located in Southeast Florida, Fort Lauderdale has, in recent
years, undergone a “face-lift.” Before the year
2001, the area will have invested $2 billion in tourism-related
activities, with $502.5 million in new attractions. Some
of the developments in place, or expected soon, are the
New World Aquarium, the African-American Research Library
and Cultural Center, the Las Olas Riverfront entertainment
and retail complex, and a major expansion at Sawgrass Mills
(the world’s largest outlet mall).
Don’t
forget your sandals and suntan lotion as we move to Central
East Florida, where we find the city of Melbourne. Or maybe
you’ll need your space gear. Known as the “Space
Coast,” you can find yourself spending the day at the
beach, learning about space exploration at the Kennedy Space
Center, or communing with nature at Canaveral National Seashore
and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.Melbourne is
centrally located near Cape Canaveral in Brevard County,
and is only an hour drive from all of the major attractions
of Central Florida, including Disney World, Universal Studios,
and Sea World. Luxury cruise ships depart daily from Port
Canaveral, which is a thirty-minute drive from the FMU,
Melbourne campus. Melbourne residents enjoy a wide range
of recreational activities including boating, surfing, fishing,
golf, tennis, and horseback riding, not to mention the excitement
of viewing every spectacular space shuttle launch from Cape
Canaveral.
Now let’s
move on to world-famous Orlando. Orlando’s ideal climate
brings an average annual temperature of 72 degrees and approximately
360 days of sun to the area…so you’ll want to
make sure to keep the sandals and suntan lotion you had
with you in Melbourne with you here! Orlando lies in the
heart of Central Florida and is a dynamic, yet charming,
metropolis that is richly endowed with beauty. Orlando offers
a wide variety of cultural and recreational facilities.
Nearby Disney World and EPCOT Center welcome over a million
visitors each month and are continuing sources of pleasure
and entertainment to visitors from all countries. FMU has
two campuses in this great location!
Just a short
distance from Orlando’s many attractions you’ll
find Lakeland, where hundreds of lakes dot the landscape.
These lakes provide some of the best bass fishing in the
country, as well as many opportunities for boating and other
water sports. In addition to Disney World, the area has
several major tourist attractions including Cypress Gardens,
Fantasy of Flight, Bok Tower, and Busch Gardens. Money Magazine
ranked Lakeland as the 14th best place in America to live.
Our visit around
the state wouldn’t be complete without visiting Tampa.
Tampa is home to four Florida Metropolitan University campuses
and is also home to some of the area’s top attractions
including Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, the Florida Aquarium,
and the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). There is
plenty of recreation available in Tampa, including salt
water sports, beaches, and fresh water lakes that are great
for fishing and hunting. Ybor City, Tampa’s historic
Latin Quarter, is rich in Spanish and Cuban tradition and
is known for a festive nightlife.
I hope you’ve
enjoyed your “tour” of Florida and have come to
see why it’s such a much sought after place to live
and visit…and study! Florida Metropolitan University
is a major stepping stone in educational success and because
of the multi-cultural foundation of Florida, the state is
a natural host for people of diverse backgrounds seeking
quality education. Gain the competitive edge and invest
in your future with an education from Florida Metropolitan
University…and enjoy the beautiful state of Florida
while you’re there!
