Frank T. Brogan became the fifth President of
Florida Atlantic University in March 2003. Previously, he was lieutenant governor of Florida,
the state's commissioner of education, superintendent of schools in Martin County, Florida,
and a principal, assistant principal, dean and fifth-grade teacher in Martin County public schools.
President Brogan and his twin brother, John,
were born in Cincinnati, the youngest of six children. The first member of
his family to graduate from college, President Brogan received a bachelor's
degree in education magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati in
1976. Two years later, he moved to Florida to teach at Port Salerno
Elementary School on the Treasure Coast. He continued his education at
Florida Atlantic University, earning a master's degree in education in 1981.
In rapid succession, he became dean of students at Indiantown Middle School,
assistant principal and then principal at Murray Middle School, Martin County's
superintendent of schools, Florida's Commissioner of Education (the youngest
person ever to hold that office), and, in 1999, lieutenant governor on the
Bush-Brogan ticket. He had just been elected to a second term as
lieutenant governor when he decided to seek the presidency of his alma mater,
Florida Atlantic University.
President Brogan has been a champion of public
education all his life. He considers his most important achievement as
commissioner of education to have been building greater accountability into
Florida's public schools system, and he is a strong advocate of accountability
in higher education as well. His goals for Florida Atlantic University
include supporting its continued growth as an important center of teaching,
research and public service activities; increasing access to higher education
across the University's seven-county service region; encouraging diversity in
FAU's student body, faculty and staff; supporting world-class research
initiatives; fostering close, mutually supportive relationships with the
communities the University serves; and making FAU an ever-stronger engine of
economic development for South Florida.
In addition to championing education, President Brogan has served as a
leader for other important causes. During the past few years, he has
become especially involved in the fight against cancer - a disease that claimed
the life of his first wife, Mary. He has used his remarkable speaking
ability to crusade in the fight against breast cancer, and he currently serves
as statewide chairman of Florida's Dialogue on Cancer. He has received a
public service award from the Pioneers in Prostate Cancer.
President Brogan is married to Courtney S. Brogan,
who has a law degree from Florida State University. They are the parents
of Colby John Brogan, born in 2005.
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