Office of Community Relations
UF Government and Community Relations

Monday, Sept. 28, 2020
Across the University of Florida, our 16 colleges, numerous institutes and health care facilities embrace our shared mission of outreach and service to improve and enrich our community, nation and the world. UF in the Community spotlights the impact of UF in our region.

Although UF has students and employees throughout the state, North Central Florida is home to much of our faculty and staff and to our 50,000+ students. Like all area residents, we want a vibrant, safe, healthy and equitable place in which to live and thrive. Here are some of the ways in which we are enhancing our shared community.​
UF Warrington College of Business Gainesville Entrepreneurship & Adversity Program helps start small businesses
Whether you’re interested in turning your business dream into reality or your business has been negatively impacted by COVID-19, the Gainesville Entrepreneurship & Adversity Program (GEAP) from the University of Florida Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center is designed to empower those living through adverse circumstances to create and grow their businesses.

The next GEAP class is starting September 26 and includes 12-months of instruction. Read on to see the top 5 benefits of participating in GEAP.
UF Levin College of Law students serve the community through pro bono work
The mission of the UF Law Pro Bono Program is to help students develop an awareness of their future ethical and professional responsibilities to provide service to their community. Participation in the program gives students the opportunity to perform valuable community service while learning about the legal needs of the underserved and developing the legal skills necessary to help meet those needs.
Join us (virtually) at the October UF Eye Opener Discovery Breakfast
featuring

Dr. Scott Angle

Vice President, Agriculture and Natural Resources
UF Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences

Wednesday, Oct. 14
8 a.m. ET

UF professor earns national honors for COVID-19 smartphone-based saliva test
A University of Florida professor and his industry collaborators have won second place in a technology competition sponsored by the National Institutes of Health for a smartphone-based, rapid saliva test they developed that can be used to diagnose COVID-19, along with two other diseases of major global importance, malaria and anemia.
UF engineers create wearables to deter COVID’s spread
A wristband that tells kids when they’re too close together at school. A wearable that detects a possible COVID infection before you feel sick. Even a mask that cleans the air around you. These real-life smart devices emerged when students and professors at the University of Florida’s Warren B. Nelms Institute for the Connected World turned their ingenuity in the Internet of Things to solutions for the pandemic.
UF College of Medicine students provide free COVID-19 tests to an underserved Gainesville area
People living in southwest Gainesville hadn’t had access to free COVID-19 tests right in their neighborhood since the pandemic began.

That changed on Saturday with an event at the Southwest Advocacy Group Family Resource Center, popularly known as SWAG.

The event started at 9 a.m. and had 200 tests available to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. 
Joseph Calpin instructed first- and second-year medical student volunteers on testing procedures. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Calpin)
Information on the UF football season and tickets
Due to physical distancing requirements, total capacity at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will be 20% in the seating bowl and club levels, which puts capacity right at 17,000.
UF IFAS researchers receive multi-million dollar grant to improve food safety
Outbreaks of foodborne diseases threaten the daily lives of millions of Americans, resulting in recalls and sometimes loss of life. Providing an integrated food safety system for fresh fruits and vegetables that protects the food supply through production, harvest, and processing is the goal of a recently awarded multi-million project led by University of Florida professors.
UF researchers find new approach to the battle against colorectal cancer
Colon cancer may be treated or even prevented by altering microorganisms in the intestine and by combating inflammation with a clinical treatment previously used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases, findings from a study led by University of Florida researchers suggest.
  • UF Health COVID-19 Site
  • UF Health Screen, Test and Protect Dashboard
  • UF Updates on COVID-19
Community Resources:
  • Florida Department of Health: COVID-19 data and surveillance dashboard
  • Alachua County
  • City of Gainesville
  • Santa Fe College
  • City of Alachua
  • Greater Gainesville Chamber
  • United Way of North Central Florida
Stay Well.
Susan Crowley
Assistant Vice President, Community Relations