Explore updates from USF's President, university news and upcoming events.
From the President
As our reputation for academic and research excellence grows, USF is increasingly a top choice for the best and brightest students. I am delighted to share that this fall’s incoming class of students has a record-setting academic profile. Average scores on all standardized tests increased from a year ago, including on the SAT: The average score of 1321 is the highest in USF history. The class also had an average GPA of 4.25, which tied for the highest in our history. We also welcomed 60 National Merit Scholars, an increase of 11% over last year. I invite you to read more about our newest students and why they chose our university.
Updates
• We are extremely proud of our Bulls football team for their captivating start to the season, including wins over two nationally ranked teams. Even after losing to the Miami Hurricanes last Saturday, we are in excellent position to have a highly successful season. The team’s early season success has led to a national spotlight shining on USF, including stories on ESPN, in USA Today and the Washington Post and on CBS Sports national, elevating our university’s reputation for excellence on and off the field. I hope you’ll join us at Raymond James Stadium this Saturday when the Bulls take on South Carolina State; kickoff is at noon.
• We are thrilled to welcome alumnus Rob Higgins back to USF as our new CEO of Athletics, and we look forward to introducing him at a press conference on Sept. 22. Rob has served as executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission since 2004, successfully positioning the region as one of the nation’s premier destinations in sports and entertainment, including hosting two Super Bowls and a College Football Playoff National Championship. A former USF Athletics staff member, Rob is the first USF alum to lead the department. If you aren’t familiar with Rob’s passion and lifelong connection to our university, please take a few minutes to watch his speech from spring commencement when he received the Distinguished Citizen Award.
• We are excited to move forward with our plans for the Fletcher District, which will transform the north side of campus into a dynamic destination featuring housing, restaurants, retail, a hotel and conference center, an academic research facility and recreation space. The first phase consists of 27 acres north of Fletcher Avenue and east of North 46th Street. If approved by the Florida Board of Governors in November, we expect construction to begin in spring 2026, with the project opening by fall 2028. We will continue to keep the university community updated as the process advances.
• We also are planning an important addition to the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus: A $6.5 million STEM academic facility that was approved unanimously last month by the Board of Trustees Finance Committee. This project will have multiple benefits for students and faculty; it will support the growth of our STEM disciplines; and it is a significant, long-term investment in the Sarasota-Manatee campus and the community.
• We are very pleased to announce an important new collaboration with the U.S. Army, worth up to $85 million, to conduct a wide range of research, including cybersecurity, biotechnology and energy sciences. The five-year contract with the Army Research Laboratory will be facilitated by the USF Institute of Applied Engineering, and all our colleges will contribute to the initiative. I am especially proud that the Army Research Laboratory asked the Institute of Applied Engineering to submit a proposal, a reflection of great confidence in the capabilities, expertise and spirit of innovation that define our university.
Enriqué Trevino grew up watching his grandfather treat patients with genuine care – even observed him perform a surgery. He realized that medicine would be in his future after suffering a sports-related injury in high school. See how these experiences have shaped Trevino’s journey in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
More than 5,700 students were at Raymond James Stadium to watch the Bulls defeat then-nationally ranked Boise State, the most for a USF season opener since 2021. And many other students are getting real-world experience at the games.
