December 6, 2023

From the President

As we wrap up the fall semester, I want to take a moment to wish you a wonderful holiday season and thank you for everything you have done to lift our great university to new heights. This past year has been nothing short of historic, and in this video, we feature some of the highlights that show why it's a great time to be a USF Bull.

I enjoyed seeing many of you last week at our annual Holiday Open House. USF had a historic year, and events like this provide an opportunity to celebrate our achievements and thank everyone for a tremendous year. As previously announced, in recognition of your tireless work and dedicated service, we have extended USF's Winter Break from Dec. 21 through Jan. 1, 2024. I hope you all have the opportunity to relax, recharge and spend time with your loved ones during this well-deserved time off. I look forward to sharing more updates with you when the next issue of Inside USF returns in the new year.

Updates

• This weekend, we will award more than 4,400 degrees to graduates from across all three campuses at USF Commencement. The Fall 2023 Class includes graduates representing 37 states and 88 nations, as well as 43 undergraduate students who have been named King O'Neal Scholars — an honor bestowed upon those who graduate from USF with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Our latest class of graduates has excelled both in the classroom and beyond, and you can read more about some of their outstanding accomplishments here.

• Since we first announced plans to build an on-campus stadium, it is the topic I hear about most often from our passionate supporters. There is genuine excitement within our community, and we are thrilled to share the first renderings of the facility that will activate our campus in ways we never have before. Yesterday, we provided a complete update on the stadium to the USF Board of Trustees, including the announcement of a $6 million gift from the USF Federal Credit Union to support the project. You can read more here.

• We are so proud that our Bulls football team is headed to a bowl game! The USF football team will be competing in the Boca Raton Bowl against Syracuse on Dec. 21. In addition to having a great first season as our head coach, we congratulate Coach Golesh on being named one of the Top 15 coaches of 2023 by College Football News and a finalist for their annual Coach of the Year Award. Speaking of athletics, college basketball season is underway, and USF Athletics is offering all faculty and staff complimentary tickets to four men’s and women’s basketball games over the next few months. You can learn more and claim your free tickets here.

• Last week I joined several members of the USF team for a visit to the Keys Marine Lab, a facility operated by the Florida Institute of Oceanography and hosted by USF, to explore the lab's research and education programs, including their team's efforts to help support coral reef restoration. Over the past several months, the KML has housed thousands of rescued corals due to the unprecedented warm water temperatures off Florida's coast — and as the temperatures have cooled, the corals are now being returned to the sea. You can read more about this impactful project here.

Inside USF: The Podcast

HR enhancing employee experience at USF

Central Human Resources is in the midst of implementing several significant changes, including Embedded Services and Project Drive. In this episode, Angie Sklenka, senior vice president and chief human resources and administrative officer, details what they will mean for USF faculty and staff. She and Alexis Mootoo, who was recently named associate vice president for employee experience, will also discuss the creation of the Employee Experience Team and how it will work to enhance workplace culture.

Around One USF

USF team gets ready to race in the ‘World’s Toughest Row’ across the Atlantic

Students at the helm, USF an American Athletic Conference leader in streaming productions for ESPN+

USF employees among those eligible for free, online cybersecurity training courses developed by Muma College of Business faculty

Additional University News Sources

• USF Newsroom

• St. Petersburg campus

• Sarasota-Manatee campus

• USF Health

• USF Athletics

USF in the News

ABC Action News published a story about a mother and daughter who are both expected to graduate during USF's fall commencement ceremonies.

The New York Times quoted USF Associate Professor Amber Mehmood in a story about the impacts of Hurricane Otis on Acapulco and large amounts of uncollected trash causing a public health crisis in the Mexican city.

Bay News 9 published a story about a 3D tour created by the USF Digital Heritage and Humanities Center of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's furniture and woodworking projects.

Did you Know?

Starting this fall, several changes have been made to the USF Commencement experience to increase the university's sustainability efforts. Undergraduate and master’s students will wear a redesigned, higher-quality gown that is now rented instead of purchased — a practice that seeks to prevent used gowns from ending up in landfills. The university has also switched to a digital commencement program and a more modern look for the ceremony that includes reusing the greenery placed on stage and replanting it on campus. You can read more about the new enhancements here.