Explore updates from USF's President, university news and upcoming events.
July 22, 2025
From the President
We are thrilled to announce today that USF set new fundraising records in the fiscal year that ended June 30. We received over $184 million in philanthropic support from more than 59,700 donors -- both all-time highs. This remarkable fundraising total includes gifts from close to 15,000 new donors, also a record. We are deeply grateful to all of our donors; their contributions have a transformative impact across our university, from funding student scholarships to new facilities to groundbreaking research initiatives. This is the fourth consecutive year that philanthropy exceeded $150 million -- now totaling over $660 million in gifts -- signifying that our generous supporters believe in our mission and vision for the future.
Updates
• We are delighted to be the first university to join Embarc Collective’s new University Partnership Program, which will create more direct pathways for students and faculty to turn ideas into impact and participate in Tampa Bay’s growing innovation ecosystem. This collaboration will benefit startups affiliated with USF and USF CONNECT through access to Embarc Collective’s founder support services, including on-demand coaching, a national investor network and a library of startup-building resources.
• Our emphasis on innovation and collaboration also was at the heart of the inaugural AI in K-12 Summit held this month on the Tampa campus. The College of Education and the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing partnered with Hillsborough County Public Schools to share research and best practices that the 200 K-12 teachers and leaders in attendance can incorporate in their classrooms to enhance student learning.
• The impact of Florida’s medical schools are highlighted in a Tampa Bay Times column written by Dr. Charles Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of our Morsani College of Medicine – the top-ranked medical school in Florida. Having a strong academic medical center in Tampa Bay means better health care, faster access to cutting-edge innovations and many other benefits for our region.
• We were pleased to host the annual meeting of emergency managers from our fellow State University System institutions. The two-day meeting helped better prepare USF’s emergency management personnel for hurricanes and a wide range of other complex situations. Our team members – and their colleagues across the SUS – work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep us safe and our facilities secure, and we are extremely grateful for their dedication and sacrifices.
Boundless Bulls
From USF to the pros: Meet grad student and soccer star Vivianne Bessette
The Quebec, Canada, native has successfully juggled the rigors of professional soccer with the demands of her master’s degree program in exercise science.
The Guardian published a story about the USF Trafficking in Persons Risk to Resilience Research Lab's study that shows the extent of human trafficking in Florida last year.
USF leadership and faculty from the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing appeared in a Forbes story about preparing students for an AI-driven economy.
USA Today interviewed USF neuroscience professor David Diamond for a story about memory loss.
USF Health has nearly 400 active clinical trials that provide opportunities for patients to potentially improve their own health and contribute to knowledge about their disease and treatments that could benefit others. That includes one helping to reveal how hearing aids improve brain health and quality of life – even for those with only minimal hearing loss.
