Photo courtesy of New College of Florida.

When people think about the economic engines of Sarasota and Bradenton, they often point to tourism, healthcare, construction, or the arts. Each of these sectors is essential to our regional identity and prosperity. But there is another driver of economic vitality, one that is stable, scalable, and compounding year after year, sitting on Sarasota Bay.

That driver is New College of Florida.

As Chief of Staff and Vice President of Finance and Administration, my role requires me to evaluate how public investment translates into real outcomes, for students, families, employers, and communities. From that vantage point, the economic trajectory of New College during the past several years is not only notable for its growth, but also for the clarity of its return.

According to a recent independent economic impact analysis, New College’s direct economic impact grew from $61.2 million in fiscal year 2023 to $104.5 million in 2025, representing a 71 percent increase in just two years. With responsible enrollment growth and continued strategic investment, direct impact is projected to reach $159.6 million by 2027–2028 and $270.9 million by 2033–2034 – more than 400 percent growth over a decade.

Those numbers are significant. But they only begin to tell the story.

When indirect and induced effects are included, local spending by students, employees, visitors, and vendors, the regional impact becomes even more compelling. In 2024–2025, New College generated a total economic impact of $209.1 million. That figure is projected to rise to $319.2 million by 2027–2028, and to approximately $542 million annually by 2033–2034.

This growth reflects deliberate choices: strengthening academic programs, investing in campus infrastructure, and aligning the college’s mission with Florida’s workforce and civic priorities. New College today educates more students, attracts more talent, and draws more families, visitors, and investment into the Sarasota–Bradenton region than at any point in its history.

Universities also provide something increasingly rare in a volatile economy: permanence. They do not relocate when markets fluctuate. They create long-term jobs, attract research funding, and generate consistent demand for housing, services, and cultural amenities. Every student who chooses New College represents years of local economic participation, often followed by long-term residency and workforce contribution. More than 1,100 New College alumni live in Sarasota today, reinforcing the institution’s lasting imprint on the region.

Higher education remains one of the most reliable vehicles for public return on investment. Independent analysis shows that New College delivers what economists describe as big returns on a relatively small public investment. That is not theoretical. It is measurable, repeatable, and already underway.

Geography amplifies that impact. Situated between Sarasota and Bradenton, New College functions as a connective institution, and a key driver strengthening cross-county collaboration, and supporting a truly regional economy. Students live, work, intern, and volunteer throughout both communities. Faculty and staff serve on nonprofit boards, contribute to civic leadership, and support local businesses across Sarasota and Manatee counties.

This is the point where investment matters most.

Institutions either capitalize on momentum or allow it to stall. Every additional dollar invested in New College does not simply preserve what exists; it multiplies regional return. Enrollment growth drives housing demand. Academic programs strengthen workforce pipelines. Campus development supports local contractors and suppliers. And a thriving public liberal arts college enhances the region’s ability to attract employers who value talent, innovation, and quality of life.

Communities that have transformed their economic futures, Austin, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, did not do so by accident. They made sustained, disciplined commitments to higher education as a cornerstone of growth. Sarasota and Bradenton face that same choice today.

From my seat overseeing budgets, strategy, and long-term planning, one conclusion is clear: New College of Florida is not a cost center. It is a growth engine. The returns are visible in the data, evident in our neighborhoods, and reflected in the people who choose to live, work, and build their futures here.

When Florida invests in New College, and when regional leaders align around its continued growth, the result is not incremental benefit, but compounding value. The impact is durable. The returns are shared. And the opportunity before us is substantial.

That is not optimism.

That is strategy.

Christie Fitz-Patrick is the Chief of Staff and Vice President of Finance and Administration at New College of Florida.

Photo courtesy of New College of Florida.