The ('''USF''') is a public
University located in
Tampa ,
Florida ,
USA , with branch campuses in
St. Petersburg ,
Sarasota and
Lakeland . The main campus is located in North Tampa, near the city of
Temple Terrace . Bordered on the south by Fowler Avenue and on the north by Fletcher Avenue, the university is in close proximity to the
Museum Of Science And Industry as well as
Busch Gardens and the
University Mall shopping center.
The university is the third largest in the state of . USF has the largest College of Education in the state.
USF is also one of three public universities in the state (after the
University Of Florida and
Florida State University ) to have received first-tier research university status by the
Carnegie Foundation , a mission first started by former university president
Betty Castor in the
1990s . As such, USF takes great pride to advertise its position as a research university in promotional advertisements and brochures.
USF's mascot is the
Bull and its colors are
Green and
Gold . The university's sports teams participate at the
NCAA Division I-A level. In 2005, USF joined the
Big East Conference . USF previously belonged to
Conference USA , the
Metro Conference , and the
Sun Belt Conference .
USF is currently the national headquarters for
Phi Alpha Theta , a history honor society.
, replacing the gold-colored "USF" script. Since then, sales of athletic merchandise have skyrocketed.]]
USF was founded in
1956 , though it was not even named until the next year and classes didn't commence until
1960 . Former US Representative
Sam Gibbons was instrumental in the school's creation when he was a state representative and is considered by many to essentially be the school's founder. It was built on the site of Henderson Air Field, a
World War II airstrip. Although located in west-central Florida, at the time of establishment USF was the southernmost public university in the State of Florida, a geographic situation that lent USF its sometimes confusing name.
The university first grew under the leadership of
John Allen , who was the president from
1960 until
1970 . During this time, the university expanded rapidly, due in part to the first graduate degree programs commencing in
1964 . However, growing student unrest pressured Allen to resign from his post; he had traditionally been very firm in punishing protesters in a time of general unrest throughout the nation. Today, the main administration complex is called The John and Grace Allen Center, named after him and his wife.
USF emerged as a major research institution during the
1990s , under the presidency of
Betty Castor . It is currently considered one of the top universities in
Florida , being named a first-tier research university in
2000 . In addition to a heightened emphasis on to research and academia, the university played its first football game in
1997 , with its marching band forming in
1999 .
The school's newspaper is named ''The Oracle'', which was first published on
September 6 ,
1966 as a weekly. Today ''The Oracle'' is published five times a week and has a circulation of 12,000. The student radio station, WBUL, is located in the Phyllis P. Marshall student center, and the school also operates
WUSF , an FM station which offers classical and jazz music and
NPR programming.
2006 is the fiftieth anniversary of USF's existence, and with it brings special events, plans for a bigger student union, and famous guest lecturers, such as Bishop
Desmond Tutu ,
Fernando Chavez , and
Judy Shepard , mother of
Matthew Shepard .
USF's
Contemporary Art Museum features regular exhibitions of contemporary art, including a show of faculty work every three years and an annual juried student show. USF also operates
Graphicstudio , an art studio and printshop which has hosted artists like
Roy Lichtenstein ,
Robert Rauschenberg , and
James Rosenquist . Regular exhibitions of student work are featured in the William and Nancy Oliver Gallery and the student-run
Centre Gallery in the Marshall Center. The art department puts on an event called "art house" that happens the same night as the annual juried student show where all of the studios are open with current work on display for people to walk through.
There has been unprecedented growth in the school's football program. USF began football play as a 1-AA independent in
1997 , moved to 1-A in
2001 , then to
Conference USA in
2003 , and now competes in the
Big East conference (as of
2005 ) with its Bowl Championship Series (BCS) tie-ins.
USF's rapid advancement to the Big East Conference and the associated gains in recruiting have been helped greatly by its facilities. The Bulls recently opened a $18 Million athletic facility on campus, and the football team plays its home games in
Raymond James Stadium , the home field of the
National Football League 's
Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
Coach
Jim Leavitt has enjoyed success in the first nine seasons, and the program is seen as a program on the rise, and a model for establishing a football program at other colleges. On
September 24 ,
2005 , USF defeated ninth-ranked
University Of Louisville , for its first victory over a Big East rival as well as a Top Ten opponent. As a result, USF received its first-ever votes in the AP college football poll.
USF, which was passed up for bowls in
2001 and
2002 , was extended an invitation to play in the
Meineke Car Care Bowl on
December 31 ,
2005 against
N.C. State from the
ACC . The bowl game was only the 100th football game in school history, a feat unmatched in NCAA Division 1-A history.
, and is the largest residence hall on the Tampa campus.]]
Students mostly live off-campus or at home and drive to class. Despite demand for on-campus housing rising for the last five years, thirteen percent of USF's student body (approximately 5,600 students) lives in a university residence hall. Many students find it much more cost effective and desirable to live in one of the many apartment complexes near campus that cater specifically to students. These "resident commuters" make up the majority of the student body.
In recent years, Residence Services acquired the houses of various fraternities and sororities on campus, and let the lease expire on Fontana Hall, located outside campus boundaries.
Most housing on-campus was built rapidly from
1960 to
1965 , and each hall was named after a
Greek Letter . Older residence halls, such as Beta Hall (which houses freshmen only),
Betty Castor Hall (formerly Gamma Hall, women-only), and Kosove Apartments (formerly Alpha Hall, upperclassmen) received extensive remodeling in the early
2000s . The other Greek letter residence halls (named in order from ''Delta'' to ''Mu'') are built in a confined community area known as the Andros Complex.
Betty Castor's contributions to the University, and A. Harrison and Ruth Kosove's donations have caused two of the "Greek letter" halls to be renamed. Newer housing subdivisions, such as the Cypress Suites and Apartments, Maple Hall, Holly Apartments, and the Magnolia Apartments, were built starting in the late
1990s , with the Cypress complex last to be completed, in the summer of
2004 .
In
2006 , construction will begin on a project tentatively titled "Magnolia Towers." The new 1,000-bed endeavor will be built near the existing Magnolia Apartments complex, and will be taller than any current housing structure at USF, possibly reaching as high as eight or nine stories. Magnolia Towers will also bring with it a parking garage structure, a gym annex, and another dining hall. After Magnolia Towers is completed, the president and the Board of Trustees will decide whether or not any of the Andros Complex buildings will be demolished. With the addition of Magnolia Towers, the Board of Trustees will also decide whether or not to make on-campus housing mandatory for first-year students.
As is the case with other major universities located in urban areas, criminal activity can occasionally become a prominent issue. On
February 9 ,
2006 , a fatal shooting occurred outside the Magnolia Apartments complex. This was the first homicide on school grounds since
1994 . The victim was not a student, although he had previously attended the school before, and was visiting his girlfriend who lived in the complex. On
April 5 , Tampa police apprehended two suspects in the case. Both were minors with a motive of
Robbery .
{Link without Title}
, where many sporting and live entertainment events are held.]]
, the logo on the water tower was changed from the older version (seen here) to the "iconic bull" font (seen below).]]
We hold our standard upright and free.
For Green and Gold we stand united.
Our beacon lighted and noble to see.
With all our might we fight the battle
here and now, and we will win the victory!
(shout!) S-O-U-T-H F-L-O-R-I-D-A
South Florida, South Florida
We hold our standard upright and free.
For Green and Gold we stand united.
Our beacon lighted and noble to see.
With all our might we fight the battle
here and now, and we will win the victory!
Hail to Thee, our Alma Mater
Where above thy gleaming splendor,
Waves the green and gold.
Thou our guide in quest for knowledge.
University of South Florida,
Alma Mater, Hail to thee!
Be our guide in truth and wisdom
May thy glory, fame and honor
May our thoughts and prayers
be with thee through eternity,
University of South Florida,
Alma Mater, Hail to thee!
- Chucky Atkins , professional basketball player, Memphis Grizzlies
- Kawika Mitchell , professional football linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs
- Kenyatta Jones , former professional football tackle, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins
- Lincoln Diaz-Balart , United States Congressman - Florida
- John Patrick , Former IBM VP of Internet Technology, Opera Software Board of Directors
- William E. Brown , president, Cedarville University
- Eddie Carpenter , President, Disneyland International and CFO, Walt Disney Attractions
- Mark Chung , Major League Soccer player
- Harold L Rossiter Jr , President of Rossiter Bay Area Constuction
- Mark Consuelos , actor ('' All My Children '')
- Tom Fitzgerald , Soccer coach
- Leo Gallagher (better known as Gallagher), comedian
- Emilio T. Gonzalez , director, United States Citizenship And Immigration Services
- Anthony Henry , professional football cornerback, Dallas Cowboys
- Drake Hogestyn , actor ('' Days Of Our Lives '')
- Melissa Howard , former MTV '' The Real World '' cast member
- Pam Iorio , current Tampa mayor (master's degree)
- Ulysses Jackson , visual artist
- Derrick J. Johnson , author
- Nicole Johnson , Miss America 1999
- Joybubbles , blind phreaker
- Debra Lafave , teacher
- Tony La Russa , manager St. Louis Cardinals
- Ann Ligouri , broadcaster on WFAN and The Golf Channel
- Lobo , musician
- Ruth Paine , friend of the wife of Lee Harvey Oswald
- Mike Pride , editor of The Concord Monitor
- Michael Rao , president, Central Michigan University
- Robert Stackhouse , artist
- Roy Wegerle , former professional soccer player, Tampa Bay Mutiny
- Kurt Wimmer , screenwriter and film director
- Tony Zappone , broadcaster, journalist, photographer
