Welcome
Dear Friends:
Now is our time to be bold at the University of South Florida. Our trajectory is rising steeply upward and reflects a future filled with promise, purpose and new levels of prestige – a future that reminds me every day of the ongoing, generous support you have given the USF System.
This past year alone, more than 48,000 donors like you contributed over $71 million, bringing us ever closer toward our USF: Unstoppable billion dollar fundraising campaign goal with a total of $935,062,001 – a remarkable accomplishment for a university founded only 60 years ago.
Our incredible progress for such a young and vibrant university is the result of single-minded determination and dedication to achieve our dreams and surpass our previous standards. Today, we move forward with greater momentum than ever before, propelled this past year by news that should make us all extremely proud: being named an Emerging Preeminent institution by Florida’s Board of Governors for the State University System.
This important designation makes us eligible for millions of dollars in additional state funding, helping us shine even brighter as we gain national recognition. To put this in proper perspective, we are only the third university to achieve this designation, and one of only four universities eligible to participate in this program.
Preeminence at USF will provide additional resources to support the exemplary work we are doing on so many fronts. It will have a deeper impact in shaping our course, allowing us to recruit and retain top-tier students, faculty and staff from around the state, country and world.
But that’s hardly all we have to celebrate. We continue to make important strides as one of the country’s most accomplished institutions in research and innovation, recognized today as a Top 25 American public research university.
Along the way, we have set a new USF record for sponsored research of $458,506,047. We stand today 9th in the nation for number of patents granted to public universities, and rank in the Top 6 percent nationally in license and option agreements.
We celebrated yet another transformational gift at USF St. Petersburg, as distinguished alumna and retired Raymond James Financial executive Lynn Pippenger donated $5 million to name the stunning new home for the Kate Tiedemann College of Business. And Barron Collier III, with wife Dana, gave a $10.85 million gift to the Muma College of Business, creating the Collier Student Success Center.
In every sense, our students are the heart and spirit of the USF System. Many could choose to attend any number of top universities around the country, but they have chosen to build their lives and careers with us, thanks to our standout faculty, staff and programs, and the knowledge that untold possibilities for fulfillment beckon on the horizon.
I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for all you have done to pave our current path, the one we are following now into the brightest of futures.
Our time is now, and together we remain unstoppable. Go Bulls!
Sincerely,
Judy Genshaft
USF System President
A Message From Foundation Leadership
“While students, we were each very fortunate to receive scholarship assistance from the university and the Muma College of Business in one way or another. We decided to team up and set a goal: to return to USF one day as donors and pass the gift on to the next generation of business women.”
Fadwa Hilili, ’13, ’15
Puja Patel, ’12, ’14
Giselle Lara, ’11, ’13
Anna Morra, ’14
Co-Founders, Forward Scholarship for Women of Excellence
“Part of the recovery from losing someone you love is finding the right way to honor that person's life. As news junkies, my husband, Stephen, and I had been WUSF members all 25 years of our marriage. After his death, the idea to sponsor a news internship to celebrate his life and passion had me over the moon! Stephen would have been so pleased that he might have helped in some small way these bright young people’s pursuit as journalists.”
Deborah Van Brunt Established the Stephen H. Noble Internship in memory of her husband, Stephen
“I believe education is the key to success, which is why I’m involved in the Parent & Family Programs and why I give. Plus, as a mom, I'm so proud to have my two active students attending USF, a state-of-the-art university. GO BULLS!”
Monica Soriano, with her kids Monique and Justin 2016 Family of the Year
