Explore updates from USF's President, university news and upcoming events.
March 27, 2025
From the President
I was pleased to be at our state capital earlier this week for the Florida Board of Governors meeting. While in Tallahassee, I also met with our elected officials to discuss USF's legislative priorities and the vital role universities play in strengthening our state.
These conversations come at an important time as we approach the final month of this year’s legislative session, which is scheduled to end in early May. We will continue to engage with our state leaders throughout the coming weeks, including during USF Day at the Capitol on April 15, to tell our university’s story and show why we are an excellent return on investment. As the session progresses, we will continue to provide the USF community with updates if there are significant developments.
Likewise, with so much dialogue in Washington, D.C., about shaping the future of higher education, we continue to monitor the latest updates and remain active with our federal elected officials and peers in organizations such as the AAU and APLU. We believe that by working together, we can find solutions that support student success and the incredible research that improves the quality of life for many here in Tampa Bay, our state and across the nation.
Updates
• We are thrilled to celebrate a $2.5 million gift to USF's College of Design, Art and Performance — the largest single donation ever made to the college — from Peter and Cynthia Zinober, a generous investment that names the concert hall at the School of Music in their honor. Since its opening in 2011, the concert hall has been a musical gem for USF and the Tampa Bay region, and we are incredibly grateful to the Zinober family.
• Congratulations to the 11 USF faculty members elected today to the 2024 class of Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Their impactful research drives innovation and significantly contributes to solving critical challenges in our communities, state and nation. We are proud to have such a large and accomplished group of faculty members in the newest class, and we thank them for enhancing USF’s reputation as one of America's leading research universities.
• I was delighted to be at USF St. Petersburg as we cut the ribbon on the newly renamed Judy Genshaft Student Life Center, the hub for student activity on the campus. Student success was the top priority for President Emerita Genshaft during her time leading our university, and it remains at the heart of everything we do at USF. We are proud to honor her legacy through a facility where our students will create lasting memories for years to come.
• Last week, I joined Chancellor Hardigree and members of the St. Petersburg community for a conversation about the USF Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences facility. Hosted by the St. Pete Downtown Partnership, this was an opportunity to share our latest vision for this project and the potential scenarios for how we can bring it to life. This enhanced facility will be a game-changer for USF and our region, and we look forward to providing additional updates as our plans come together.
• We were pleased to welcome hundreds of industry leaders to campus for the 2nd Annual USF International Business Forum, where we explored how artificial intelligence will shape the future of business. As the first university in the country with a named college dedicated to AI and cybersecurity, USF is uniquely positioned to host these gatherings and enhance our region's influence in these rapidly evolving fields.
• As part of our commitment to provide a welcoming environment for all members of the university community, we have created a Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC) on Antisemitism. Like our other PACs, this group will advise the president and university leadership about relevant issues and build on our ongoing efforts to support our Jewish community at USF. We will also be working to schedule voluntary workshops for students, faculty and staff to help us combat antisemitism, and details will be shared once confirmed.
• We are thrilled to welcome Bryan Hodgson as head coach of the USF men’s basketball team. Congratulations to our women's basketball team for winning the AAC conference championship and earning the No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament! Our track and field program also excelled at the NCAA Indoor Championships, with Abdul-Rasheed Saminu earning his third First Team All-American honor since joining the Bulls and Kobe Babin becoming the national runner-up in pole vault, making him USF's first-ever indoor First Team All-American in the event.
Julio Blanco, the first in his family to attend college, overcame homelessness and financial hardship before joining USF. He will soon graduate near the top of his class with a degree in biomedical anthropology, on the pre-med track, continuing his quest to become a pediatrician. His story is one of several highlighted in USF's "Be Bold" marketing campaign, which can be explored here.
To inspire future Bulls through fun and sport, USF's Track & Field program will host the "Fastest Kid in Tampa Bay" competition for kids of all ages. You can register here for the event on Saturday, April 12, at the USF Track & Field Stadium, which will feature competitive races, a kids' fun run with Rocky and free T-shirts and medals for participants.
