Patricia Koppisch

If you’ve been to the Fort Lauderdale Campus or the Davie Campus, you’ve probably seen Patricia Koppisch zipping around making sure everything is in order. As the Director of Operations, that’s her job. But as a proud owl alumnus, Patricia doesn’t see it as work – it’s simply second nature to maintain the campuses that hold a special place in her heart.

Patricia has been working at Florida Atlantic for 15 years, starting as an assistant in the FAU Galleries then became the Senior Designer of FAU Libraries where she would create multimedia presentations for lectures, programming and large-scale concerts at the Barry K. Auditorium and the FAU University Theater. It was at the Wimberly Library that her knack for event planning and coordination began budding. She has always had an eye for design and a creative flare. Whether it’s creating physical art or event planning, Patricia is the woman for the job!

But it’s not just her event coordination experience that helps, she also has a comprehensive background in building management. Prior to going into graphic design, Patricia has held real estate sales licenses in both Florida and New York (where she was born and started the early years of her career), and the Florida license for Condo Association Management. She spent her days filing work orders, assisting with accounts receivables/payables and bidding out both large and small building renovations. She’s also worked for management companies collecting residential and commercial rent through legal evictions, and worked with Clear Channel Radio installing computers, computer memory and software and leading technology instruction sessions for staff.

To say that Patricia is versatile is an understatement. She has not only dabbled in a vast array of jobs, she has seamlessly mastered their art. Now, as Director of Operations, it’s paying off. She’s able to assist multiple departments in making sure the facilities are safe, clean and in working order, and makes sure academic classes run smoothly. She understands what is needed to help coordinate virtual and hybrid events with OIT. She knows about permit requirements, developing improvement plans, marketing and media needs, creating floor plans, event set-ups and coordination and SO MUCH MORE!

"I think we have a great team. We have great leadership, and everyone works together. It’s a pleasure to come in every day," Patricia said. "It might be hectic sometimes, but everything I do behind the scenes helps our students. And that’s the common goal we all have here at FAU."

Most people don’t realize that Patricia has such an extensive art background. She’s held numerous exhibitions and has both produced and contributed to various publications and films.

She returned to school for her MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in graphic design at FAU in 2020 – where she took a position as a graduate teaching assistant for the College of Arts and Letters.

"I got my AA from Broward College and because of the close connection with FAU, I decided to continue my Art studies at FAU," Patricia said. "I went on to complete my BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Graphic Design and Painting, and a BA in Art History at FAU in 2008, and in 2020 finished my MFA in Graphic Design. I’m proud of the fact that later in life I was able to finish my master’s degree. It was tough, but despite the downfalls of the pandemic, I came out on the other side with something to be really proud of."

Patricia enjoys tapping into her creative mind and plans to make some time for creating more physical graphically designed art in the future. She’d also like to travel to England and Ireland to explore her heritage and take in some site seeing. She likes to play the drums (and tries her hand at the guitar from time to time) and she’s passionate about a lot of causes. Patricia does her part to make sure everyone is cared for and included – both on and off campus. In fact, when asked what superpower she wished she could have, she responded, "I would want to speak all the languages in the world so I can communicate with everyone in their own language."