Nova Southeastern University Chancellor Wins Distinguished Service Award

Award presented to Ray Ferrero Jr. by the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE Fla. — Nova Southeastern University Chancellor Ray Ferrero Jr. J.D, was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award 2010 from the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities (FACU).

NSU Chancellor Ray Ferrero Jr.

The award recognizes outstanding and dedicated individuals who have demonstrated exceptional involvement or made significant contributions to not-for-profit higher education in Florida, both public and private.

FACU is an association that represents all 67 Florida not-for-profit colleges and universities in Florida. Founded in 1933, it is the state’s oldest and most inclusive educational association.

“I am honored to be chosen for this prestigious award,” Ferrero said. “It reflects the success NSU has enjoyed together with other state institutions of higher learning, collaborating to build a better higher education system.”

Ferrero is a past president of the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities, the only non-governmental organization in the state of Florida that represents the common interests of all three sectors — private, state universities and state colleges, — of the Florida higher educational system.  He is a previous chairman of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF), a diverse association of 28 not-for-profit, private institutions of higher education.  He is also a past chairman of the Broward Education Consortium, which includes Nova Southeastern University, Florida Atlantic University, Barry University, Broward Community College and the Broward County School District.

Ferrero became Nova’s chancellor of in January 2010. Prior to that, he served as the university’s fifth president from January 1998 to December 2009.

His involvement with the university began in 1984 as a member of the Board of Trustees. During his six years as chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ferrero played a major role in bringing about the merger of Nova University and Southeastern University of the Health Sciences. NSU is the largest independent university in the southeast and the seventh largest in the U.S.

In Ferrero’s 12 years as president, enrollment increased 72 percent, from 16,921 in 1998 to 29,154 in 2009. In addition, Nova’s student population has grown more diverse under President Ferrero and Nova regularly ranks first in the number of doctoral degrees awarded to minorities.

Ferrero has also overseen a transformation of Nova’s main campus with more than 2 million square feet of construction projects completed during his tenure. He is largely responsible for the creation of the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center through a partnership with the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.

Other additions to the campus include the Jim & Jan Moran Family Center Village, the Carl DeSantis Building as the 261,000-square-foot home to the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship, the Don Taft University Center, a 366,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multiuse facility that stands as the largest structure on the main campus, and The Commons, a new state-of-the-art 526-bed residence hall.

Ferrero has also expanded the university’s presence in Florida and beyond with Student Educational Centers in all major Florida cities east of Tallahassee, including Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Southwest Florida.

Ferrero served as Chairman of the Board for The Broward Alliance for the fiscal year 2009.  He practiced law before becoming President of NSU.

About Nova Southeastern University: Located in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited Florida University dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 29,000 students and is the seventh largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The University awards associate’s, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, specialist, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences.  Classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU was also awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification in 2010 for the University’s significant commitment to and demonstration of community engagement.   For more information about NSU visit www.nova.edu.

Media Contact:
Ken Ma, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5408 (office), 954-830-4177 (cell), ken.ma@nova.edu