Florida Polytechnic in Lakeland makes hire for newly created vice president position

Florida Polytechnic University has appointed Bryan Brooks as vice president of student affairs, enrollment management and strategic communications, a newly created position within the university’s cabinet.

Brooks, 45, previously served as associate vice president for communications and community engagement at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. Florida Poly President Devin Stephenson, appointed in May, also came from Northwest Florida.

“Florida Polytechnic University stands at the threshold of possibility,” Brooks said in a news release. “This is an environment where collaboration fuels creativity, driving our progress to 3,000 students over the next several years while maintaining the highest quality of education. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?”

The Lakeland school, which opened in 2014, will have about 1,600 students this fall, the release said.

Brooks holds a master's of divinity degree from Nelson University in Texas and a master's of business administration from Washington State University. He is working toward a doctorate in executive leadership in higher education at the University of Miami.

Brooks worked as a landscaper at Nelson University before moving into other positions in higher education, the release said. After managing a landscaping team, he worked in information technology, admissions and marketing.

He has taught university-level economics courses and overseen departments of admissions, marketing, communications and athletics, the release said.

At Northwest Florida State College, Brooks led initiatives that yielded eight consecutive semesters of increased enrollment, the release said. He also supervised and managed the college’s Mattie Kelly Arts Center.

Brooks and his wife, Susan, and their five children will be moving to Lakeland from Destin.

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.