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Week of January 24, 2023

I was honored and humbled to be surrounded by so many of our faculty and staff, along with our students, alumni and members of the community, during last week’s inauguration activities on all three USF campuses. The inauguration of a university president is one of higher education's most time-honored traditions, and the festivities included multiple celebrations showcasing what makes our university such a special place.

It is the privilege of my life to serve as USF’s eighth president and to give back to a community that has given so much to me over the years. If you were unable to attend, you can read about my vision for USF's future here or listen to the full address in the latest episode of Inside USF: The Podcast.

This past week is one I will look back on fondly for the rest of my life, and I thank all of you, our dedicated faculty and staff, for making this university a remarkable place full of progress and opportunity. Together, we will make this next chapter at USF our greatest one yet.

Updates

• In case you missed it, yesterday I announced that Prasant Mohapatra will join us as our new provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, starting March 1. With his strong teaching, research and leadership experience, I am confident Dr. Mohapatra will build on our momentum and take USF to new heights of academic excellence.

• Earlier today, U.S. News & World Report released its 2023 best online programs rankings. Notably, several of USF's programs are ranked among the nation's best. We continue to make significant strides to provide high-quality online learning opportunities for USF students, and it is wonderful to see this good work being recognized at the national level.

• It was wonderful to join other members of the USF community in honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and reflecting on the legacy he created as a prominent civil rights leader. I was delighted to attend the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs' annual MLK leadership breakfast — where I enjoyed a terrific presentation given by Nathaniel, the 11-year-old son of USF professors Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman and McArthur Freeman. I also enjoyed the annual MLK Commemorative Brunch hosted by USF's Office of Multicultural Affairs, where we explored untold stories of the civil rights movement in a keynote speech presented by USF faculty member Tangela Serls.

• We are proud to celebrate multiple big wins across our intercollegiate athletics teams. USF's all-girls cheer team won their first national championship and our co-ed cheer team brought home the national championship title for the third straight year at the UCA Division I-A College National Championship. And this past weekend, our men's and women's basketball teams both won their War on I-4 games against UCF. Congratulations to all our teams for these tremendous accomplishments!

• Thanks to everyone who joined us for the recent grand opening of the Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility on our Tampa campus, including our staff members who helped bring the project to the finish line. This state-of-the-art facility will be a game-changer for our university's athletics programs by allowing student-athletes to train and prepare for their next competition — rain or shine. This project was made possible by the generous contributions of our donors, including a $5.1 million gift from J.D. Porter and his family.

Founder of Stampede of Service’s legacy continues at USF

A lightning strike in high school jolted Maxon Victor to pursue his passion for helping the community. The founder of Stampede of Service reflects on how his legacy continues at USF and across the region.

Boundless Bulls is a collection of stories about what truly makes USF great – the people. It is a focus on our community footprint, our impact and the trajectory of where we can go together.

The New York Times published an op-ed written by Associate Professor Bryanna Fox about the field of criminology and its important role in investigating the murder of four University of Idaho students.

ABC Action News published a story about a USF student’s efforts to help rescue an injured manatee near the St. Petersburg campus.

U.S. News & World Report quoted Marnie Hauser, director of the Office of Orientation at USF, in a story about nontraditional college students and the barriers they face in completing their degrees.

To reaffirm the importance of the arts, a new fund has been established in support of the university’s public art collection. In addition to enriching the beauty of all three USF campuses, the university's public art also provides the broader Tampa Bay community with informal gathering spaces and ways to learn about prominent artists and their work. More information about the program is available here.

Inside USF: The Newsletter is published every other week.

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