five main-stage shows a year in the Buckner Theater, including two musicals. A musical theatre major was added in Fall 2013. The institution's Festival of Fine Arts is the longest-running theater and musical performance in Polk County and has hosted artists Kathleen Battle, André Watts, I Musici di Roma, Jennifer Larmore, Sylvia McNair, and The Munich Symphony Orchestra. As of 2017, Florida Southern College was rated #19 Best Theatre Program by the Princeton Review.
=== Rankings ===
Florida Southern College was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as No. 11 out of 135 institutions in Regional Universities South in the 2025 Best Colleges rankings. The institution was also ranked No. 20 in Best Value Schools and tied for No. 9 in Most Innovative Schools.
== Athletics ==
Florida Southern's athletic teams are known as the Moccasins, often shortened to Mocs. Prior to 1926, Florida Southern athletes were known as the Southerners. The official colors are scarlet and white, though athletes sport red, white, and blue …
