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It is with a sense of humility, gratitude and excitement that I embrace this moment – the greatest honor I can imagine as the new president-elect of the University of South Florida, an institution that has played such a formative role in my life and the lives of so many of you.
This journey began seven months ago when I was asked by Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford to serve as USF’s Interim President, and my sole focus then was on creating a smooth glide path for the next chapter for our university. I could never have foreseen that the very path I endeavored to pave would carry me here: an opportunity to continue leading the university I hold so close to my heart at such a pivotal time in its history.
I'm genuinely appreciative of all the positive comments I've heard and messages I've received from USF faculty, staff and other supporters since the announcement. Throughout the interview process, I thoroughly enjoyed the many conversations I had with colleagues across the university, including visits to our campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee. And I am looking forward to meeting Wednesday in Jacksonville with the Florida Board of Governors, which must still confirm my appointment.
We now travel this road together, and I know we will continue to lift USF to new heights. I encourage you to listen to this week's podcast for more of my thoughts.
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• Communication is very important to me, and a key part of my leadership style. We want to make sure our communications with you are effective. On that note, I encourage you to take our internal communications survey, led by University Communications and Marketing, so we can evaluate our communications delivery – including the type of information you're looking for, the platforms you use to receive information and what things you might find helpful. Ultimately, we are here to serve you, so this feedback is very important. | |
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• I am enormously grateful to USF alumni Arnie and Lauren Bellini for their transformative gift of $10.6 million to create the Bellini Center for Talent Development for the USF Muma College of Business. The ribbon-cutting ceremony last week truly showcased what a difference their gift will make in creating a pipeline of talent for the Tampa Bay region's business community – and in benefiting our students, employers, and the entire USF community for generations to come.
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• I'm proud to share that a growing number of our graduate programs are considered among the best in the country, according to new rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report. Overall, U.S. News ranks a total of 34 USF graduate programs inside the top 100, an increase from 32 programs last year, including 13 programs inside the top 50. Our highest-ranked programs are industrial and organizational psychology at No. 3 and public health at No. 16. Also of note, the Morsani College of Medicine remains in the top 50 medical schools for research, moving up two spots from last year to No. 46. The rankings are a testament to the hard work and commitment of our faculty, staff and students. | |
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• I was very pleased that USF served as host for the inaugural Florida Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate and USF Graduate School Research Symposium. It was important for me to be part of such a significant event – focused on increasing the number of women of color doctoral students, post-doctoral scholars and early career faculty in Florida in STEM fields. The project is guided by a passionate alliance, with partners from USF, Florida A&M University, Florida International University, Bethune-Cookman University and Virginia Tech. The symposium offered participants a chance to network, create new relationships and meet with individuals from a variety of STEM departments. Kudos to all who made it such a big success.
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• I enjoyed providing updates about USF's many recent strides at the annual Administrative Advisory Committee Breakfast this past week. Administrative staff play a vital role in USF's ongoing success. The event promotes a sense of community, partnership and communication, and it was good to hear USF alumnus Scott Glaser, executive director of the Gasparilla Bowl, give the keynote speech.
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• What a great experience attending the 10th annual HospitaBull last week on the Sarasota-Manatee campus, showcasing the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. There was much to celebrate, highlighted by the recent partnership between USF and hotel management powerhouse McKibbon Hospitality, which will create a steady pipeline of USF students into the hospitality industry. I'm so proud of this program. Housed in the Muma College of Business, it was created on Sarasota-Manatee's campus and has now expanded onto the St. Petersburg campus, and will soon launch on the Tampa campus – a wonderful example of a university-wide collaboration to promote student success.
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• It was a whirlwind week, indeed, and one of the many highlights was participating in the Leadership Tampa Class of 2022 Education Day at Hillsborough Community College. I was joined by presidents from such local schools as HCC, St. Leo University and Pasco-Hernando State College to talk about our own professional paths and how our institutions are propelling our communities forward. With a new class each year, Leadership Tampa plays key role in advancing the progress of our region and demonstrating that we are stronger when we work together.
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Finding the perfect Match: USF Health senior medical students are residency-bound
It was a day of excitement, disbelief and tears of happiness as, one by one, senior medical students from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine opened envelopes during Match Day 2022 to reveal where they will spend their residency years. Match Day is held simultaneously at all medical schools across the country to reveal where senior medical students will spend their residencies, the next step in their medical education – which can last from three to seven years depending on the specialty.
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Phone calls add personal touch to recruitment of underrepresented students
For the past several weeks, USF faculty, administrators and staff have been reaching out to admitted students from underrepresented populations to answer questions or address concerns they might have as they finalize their college decisions. The outreach is happening via a seldom-used option these days – by phone, creating opportunities for live conversations with students and families who are often pleasantly surprised to receive the calls.
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Navigating an urban watershed to document stories of nature and people
For Thomas Hallock, the creeks, streams and springs that drain into Tampa Bay tell as many human stories as they do environmental. Which is why the USF St. Petersburg campus English professor is navigating the entire flow of Booker and Salt creeks that meander through south St. Petersburg to raise awareness of their importance to the region. He will do so by wading in or kayaking these bodies of water, and when necessary portaging his vessel around manmade obstacles that have arisen over the decades to alter the creeks’ natural flows.
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Additional University News Sources
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The Tampa Bay Times ran an editorial praising the selection of Rhea Law as USF's next president.
NPR interviewed USF political science instructor Tatsiana Kulakevich about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the involvement of Belarus – her homeland.
Fox 13 aired a story about John Arthur, a USF professor of anthropology, taking hikers on a two-mile active archaeological dig on Weedon Island.
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The Tampa Bay Business Journal honored USF President-elect Rhea Law with its Business Woman of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award on March 11 in a ceremony at the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club. TBBJ wrote of President Law in an accompanying story: "She has been actively involved in corporate, public policy, civic and charitable efforts for her entire working life."
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Upcoming Events
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Giving Week – April 4-9
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Football Spring Game – April 9
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Commencement – May 6-9
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Inside USF: The Newsletter is published every other week.
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For reasonable disability accommodations requests pertaining to this announcement, please contact one of our offices.
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