Page 12 - University of South Florida 2024-2025 Student Planner

\\\ LETTER FROM USF PRESIDENT
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the University of South Florida for the 2024–25 academic year. Whether you are returning to USF or are a new member of the Bulls community, the journey ahead promises to shape your future in many exciting ways.
Our Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee campuses offer many opportunities for you to become involved and positively impact our campus culture – in fact, you will find more than 800 registered student organizations from which to choose. I encourage you to pursue your interests, not only academically but also through extracurricular activities. In doing so, you will forge friendships that will add to your college experience and create new memories that will last a lifetime.
This is truly an exhilarating time to be at USF. Our reputation for world-class
research and innovation continues to grow, highlighted by our invitation to join the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of 71 leading public and private research universities
in the United States and Canada. AAU universities make up just 3% of all four-year universities in the U.S. — and membership is by invitation only, which means our peers recognize that USF has emerged as one of the nation’s top-tier universities.
Our commitment to excellence also is recognized here in Florida. USF is one of a select few Preeminent State Research Universities, a designation reserved for institutions in the State University System that meet stringent metrics in such areas as student retention and graduation. As USF Bulls, you can take great pride in knowing that the degree you will earn holds tremendous value and respect throughout our state and nation.
Across our three campuses, we are building excitement for the future. In Tampa, we continue to move forward with plans for our on-campus stadium, projected to open in fall 2027. That means you will have the opportunity to be among the first to fill the student section or be part of our newest class of alumni to cheer on our Bulls. This exciting facility will be a game-changer for our university, as it will greatly enhance the USF experience for students, alumni, and members of the Tampa Bay community. On the St. Petersburg campus, planning is underway for the visionary Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences Research and Teaching facility. And with the opening this fall of a new student center and residence hall, USF Sarasota-Manatee for the first time is a residential campus.
Since our founding, USF has provided a welcoming community where individuals of all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to think boldly about the future. Our university places a strong emphasis on student success and our world-class faculty and staff are fully committed to helping you continually grow and make a positive difference in the world. Please don’t hesitate to ask for their assistance.
I am thrilled that you have chosen USF and to become part of our community. I wish you a fulfilling – and fun – academic year. Go Bulls!
Sincerely,
Rhea F. Law President
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