New Address to use University Drive, Which Was Named Due to NSU
FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is finally getting its due.
After all, it’s because of the school that one of Broward County’s main thoroughfares got its name – University Drive. And now, to reflect this significant contribution to the South Florida community, NSU is changing its official mailing address!
The new mailing address is now 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004.
So, just how did we get here? Well, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane to see what came first, the road or the school – it’s kind of a chicken and egg thing…
For many, the story was that the road was named after what was then called University Hospital in Tamarac. But looking at the historical record debunks this notion – the road was already named University Drive before the hospital was built. In fact, the hospital got its name from the roadway, not the other way around.
So that takes care of that. Which brings us back to Nova Southeastern University.
Back in the day, 1964 to be exact, the school was initially called Nova University. It held its first classes downtown Fort Lauderdale but moved out west just three years later.
At the time the roadway was called Annapur Road (its Florida designation is State Road 817). Records show that in 1971, the name was changed locally to University Drive, based on a couple of factors, including the relocation of Nova University. Another mitigating factor was that the owner of dairy fields in the area donated them with the stipulation that the land be used for educational purposes, and what sounds more “educational” than university?
But the fact remains: it was Nova University, established in 1964 and relocated to Davie in 1967 that led to the renaming of what is now one of the most traveled roads in Broward County – University Drive.
Oh, yeah – you’re probably wondering why today it is called Nova Southeastern University when it was originally just Nova University. That’s because in 1994 it merged with Southeastern University of Health Sciences, and it took elements from BOTH schools to create the name we all know and love today – Nova Southeastern University!
There you have it – a brief history lesson that shows a much under-appreciated impact that NSU impact has had on the South Florida community.
Be sure to sign up for NSU’s RSS feed so you don’t miss any of our news releases, guest editorials and other announcements. Please sign up HERE. You can also follow us on Twitter @NSUNews.
###
About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): At NSU, students don’t just get an education, they get the competitive edge they need for real careers, real contributions and real life. A dynamic, private research university, NSU is providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels. Established in 1964, the university includes 14 colleges, the “theme park” for start-ups, scale-ups , and entrepreneurs, the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, the private PK1-12 grade University School, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, one of Florida’s largest public libraries. NSU students learn at our campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and online globally. With more than 200,000 alumni across the globe, the reach of the NSU community is worldwide. Classified as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 59 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information.
MEDIA CONTACT
Joe Donzelli, APR | Office of Media Relations
Nova Southeastern University
954-262-2159 (office) | 954-661-4571 (cell)
jdonzelli@nova.edu | www.nova.edu | @NSU_Joe
