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Greetings from Tallahassee! Today I am joined by hundreds of students for USF Day at the Capitol, a valuable experience that allows our Bulls to explore the inner workings of state government and participate in a series of activities that provide opportunities to network and learn more about the legislative process. I am also joined by several USF leaders and Mike Griffin, vice chair of the USF Board of Trustees, as we meet with our elected officials and advocate on behalf of the university.
Following last year’s legislative session, which allowed us to execute on our goals, we are pursuing priorities across One USF. We have also submitted a funding request to enhance our Office of Veteran Success facilities on all three USF campuses, a proposal that would benefit the thousands of our student veterans, military-connected students and first responders. You can read more about our vision for this initiative here.
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• Last week we celebrated the progress made on USF Sarasota-Manatee’s new student center and residence hall, a transformational facility that will enhance the student experience and allow us to grow our impact in the community. At the event, we also announced a new scholarship for students who will be the first to live on the campus when the facility opens this fall and a gift from CORE Construction, the construction manager for the project, to name the building’s ballroom lounge. The progress being made on this facility adds to the incredible momentum we are experiencing at USF.
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• Throughout the month of February, USF will celebrate Black Heritage Month, which aims to foster an educational atmosphere where our students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members can come together to commemorate the significant contributions the Black community has made to society. There will be several events and learning opportunities hosted across our three campuses, many of which are listed here.
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• It was wonderful to see so many students, faculty, staff and alumni at last weekend's Gasparilla Parade. I enjoyed riding on the parade route with our student-athletes, Rocky D. Bull and the Office of Youth Experiences in representing USF at one of Tampa’s longest-standing traditions. As we continue to be more intentional about strengthening our community engagement and partnerships, we are proud to have increased our presence at this event in recent years.
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• I was pleased to attend the USF Administrative Advisory Council's annual community breakfast and to hear from keynote speaker and two-time USF graduate Sam Barrington, who spoke about his experience as a USF student and his career as a professional athlete. Sam's journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of growth opportunities and helping others, and to hear him share his story was truly inspiring.
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• This week we are welcoming a delegation from Gifu University in Japan. Over the past decade, USF has developed a partnership with Gifu that started in the College of Public Health and has expanded to include more of USF Health and other USF colleges, providing many opportunities for our students and faculty. As part of our commitment to global engagement, we are working to strengthen this partnership that helps grow USF’s impact around the world.
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• I extend my sincere congratulations to Donna Petersen as she steps down from her leadership roles as senior associate vice president of USF Health and dean of USF’s College of Public Health, effective this month. For nearly 20 years, Donna has led the College of Public Health, elevating it to the highest-ranked public health program in our state and one of the top programs in the country. She has also helped steer several strategic initiatives at USF, including her highly impactful work helping guide us through the pandemic as chair of USF’s COVID-19 Task Force. We are fortunate that she will continue to serve as a professor of public health, and I hope you will join me in thanking her for her many contributions to USF.
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• Last week, the Florida Board of Governors approved a regulation related to Senate Bill 266, which was signed into law last year. We are now reviewing the regulation to determine how it will impact USF, and once that process is complete, we will provide updated guidance on the implementation of the law. My leadership team and I have been meeting with several groups to provide updates and address any questions about this issue. I would like to reaffirm a message that I have shared throughout those conversations, which is that USF remains committed to providing access and opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds and creating a welcoming environment where everyone can experience a sense of belonging. These commitments will not change. | | |
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Prioritizing partnerships
With extensive experience as a USF faculty member and administrator, Eric Eisenberg knows the university’s many resources can help elevate the Tampa Bay region. He also recognizes that potential partners may not know how to find help at USF — whether it’s hiring interns and new graduates, enhancing neighborhoods, exploring joint research projects or addressing other needs. In this episode, Eisenberg, senior vice president of university-community partnerships, discusses efforts to make that process as seamless as possible and how faculty can get involved with his office.
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The Washington Post quoted USF Health Occupational Therapist Lori Dee Grismore in a story about advanced driving directives and how seniors can decide if it's safe for them to continue driving.
The Tampa Bay Times published a story about a manatee rescue that occurred near the USF St. Petersburg campus after a USF student called state wildlife officials.
The New York Times quoted USF Associate Professor Janelle Applequist in a story about "Blue Zone Projects" and how the real estate industry is using the wellness concept to attract prospective buyers.
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USF offers more than 40 educational summer camps for K-12 students, including new camps this year focusing on business, technology, athletics, medicine, science and law. Registration opens Feb. 1, and many camps are expected to sell out within days. USF employees receive a 10% discount by emailing youthxp@usf.edu. More information is available here.
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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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