university in Lee County, Florida, United States. Located near Fort Myers, it is part of the State University System of Florida and is its second-youngest member. The university was established on May 3, 1991, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). It offers 65 bachelor's degree programs, 27 master's degree programs, 7 doctoral degree programs, and 19 academic certificates.
FGCU's intercollegiate athletic teams, the Eagles, compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) in NCAA Division I sports.
== History ==
=== Establishment ===
In 1991, Charles B. Edwards, chair of the board of regents, lobbied the Florida Legislature to pass legislation recommending that Florida's 10th state university be built in the Florida Southwest Region. Florida governor Lawton Chiles signed the bill authorizing the school in May 1991.
The board of regents selected a 760-acre (310 ha) site in the south Fort Myers area donated by Ben Hill Griffin III on which to build the university. On April …
