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Week of February 1, 2022

Throughout the month of February, the University of South Florida joins our nation in recognizing Black history.  

We celebrate diversity at USF and value being an inclusive community. This month provides an opportunity to learn more about Black history and deepen our understanding of Black culture. I hope you will take time in the weeks ahead to engage in some of the activities offered on each of our campuses, and I encourage you to take a more in-depth look at how our faculty, staff, students and alumni are making an impact through teaching, research and other important initiatives at USF.

This is an important time for all of us to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of Black Americans in all aspects of our nation’s history. Please join me in finding meaningful ways to honor Black history – and reflect on the ways we can continue to advance positive change in our communities.

Updates

• I’m pleased to share that last week we presented USF’s new strategic plan to the Board of Governors and it was approved unanimously. This important milestone could not have been reached without many valuable contributions. Our strategic plan charts USF’s course for the next five years and will guide us to new heights as a powerful engine of prosperity. As we look toward implementation on July 1, 2022, we need everyone’s help to ensure it is successful. In the coming months, we will be working with our deans and academic and administrative leaders to design targeted strategies and tactics to support our institutional goals. I hope you’ll spend some time reading through the dynamic website we’ve launched in support of the plan.

• I'd like to extend my enthusiastic congratulations to the 10 USF faculty members named as new Fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and to six USF faculty members recognized with Excellence in Innovation Awards. I'm very proud of what these talented individuals have achieved, and how their accomplishments reflect so well on US as one of the nation's top research universities.

• I couldn't be happier to share the news that Dr. Charles Lockwood, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, has been named 2022 Citizen of the Year by the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce. He will be presented with the award at the Chamber’s meeting on Feb. 16 for the work he and his team have done in leading the charge against COVID-19. Congratulations for this much-deserved honor!

• I look forward to seeing our colleagues in St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee at our campus board meetings this month, where I’ll provide an update on the many exciting things going on at our great university.

• A big shoutout to our USF student-athletes: a record 289 Bulls made the Honor Roll, extending their 3.0 GPA streak to 14 straight semesters! And speaking of streaks, I had a great time visiting with our USF Co-ed Cheer team members after their remarkable feat of winning back-to-back national titles. Congrats to all!

Inside USF: The Podcast

AUDIO PREVIEW: A vision for the future of the Office of Multicultural Affairs

From diversity and inclusion workshops to commemorations at university athletics events, USF is celebrating Black Heritage Month. Neudy Nuñez shares her vision for the future of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the contributions the office is making to the community. Click here for the full podcast.

Additional University News Sources

• USF
• St. Petersburg Campus
• Sarasota-Manatee Campus
• USF Health
• USF Athletics

The Associated Press quoted Jason Salemi from the College of Public Health on his thoughts regarding omicron's impact on vulnerable Americans.

The Tampa Bay Business Journal wrote about USF's online MBA program rising in the national rankings.

The Washington Post interviewed Ray Arsenault, USF emeritus professor of Southern history, about the significance of Rabbi Israel Dresner, who fought for civil rights in the 1960s, upon his death at 92.

President Ronald Reagan declared Feb. 11 National Inventors Day in honor of the birthday of Thomas Edison. Fittingly, USF prepares to celebrate a new class of inventors to be inducted into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame during a special celebration on Friday, Feb. 11.

Inside USF: The Newsletter is published every other Monday. This message has been approved under USF’s Mass E-mail Policy. This email address is used for distribution only and is not monitored for responses.

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