TAMPA,
Fla., May 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The
University of South Florida celebrated
a significant milestone in the university's history with the grand
opening of the new, state-of-the-art home of the Judy Genshaft
Honors College. The five-story, 85,000-square-foot facility
will serve USF's most accomplished and talented students from every
undergraduate college and strengthen the university's position to
attract the top talent within the state of Florida and beyond.
"The Judy Genshaft Honors College is the perfect place for our
students to pursue their passions and create lasting memories
during their studies at the University of
South Florida," USF President Rhea
Law said. "A world-class honors college deserves an equally
remarkable home. Our students will treasure this facility and all
it has to offer as they ascend to new heights in their academic
journeys."
The new facility, located across from the Yuengling Center along
USF Genshaft Drive on the Tampa
campus, provides a dedicated home for the unique classes and
programs for honors students. It features a variety of spaces
for intellectual development and creative exchange, including
open-design classrooms, 39 signature learning lofts and dedicated
studio spaces for art, food and culture, along with music and
technology. A total of 50 spaces in the building are named through
generous gifts.
"I have no doubt this building and the opportunities it will
provide, will have a tremendous impact on our USF community being
able to achieve our goals and aspirations as an institution. I look
forward to witnessing that impact on us, and in the lives of our
students, for years to come," USF Board of Trustees Chair
Will Weatherford said.
The project is primarily funded through philanthropic support,
including a historic lead gift of $20
million from USF President Emerita and Professor
Judy Genshaft and her husband
Steven Greenbaum. When the gift was
announced in 2019, it represented one of the largest gifts of its
kind ever made by a sitting university president to their
institution.
"This stunning building – a beacon for bright, talented and
high-achieving USF students – is the realization of a dream. It is
a home of endless possibilities – both for our Honors students and
the dynamic faculty members who help to shape their futures,"
Genshaft said.
"It is like no other building in the nation. I can't wait to see
our Honors students here attending classes, learning in dedicated
studio spaces and listening to guest speakers in the beautiful
event space or on the terrace," USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman said. "The future is bright for the
Judy Genshaft Honors College and we all are so grateful to Judy and
Steve for making dreams come true."
The Judy Genshaft Honors College consists of more than 2,500
high-achieving, cross-disciplinary scholars who are part of a close
community that provides specialized experiences and advanced
educational opportunities. More than one third of Honors College
students at USF are the first in their families to go to college.
"This architectural masterpiece will be a place where students
can be creative and think outside all the boxes and put their
learning to use in addressing the challenges facing their
generation," Judy Genshaft Endowed Honors Dean Charles Adams said.
"What binds these students together in my mind is that they care
about making the world a better place. Here they have, at last, an
academic home worthy of their dreams."
Following the announcement of the new building in spring 2019,
the profile and success of Honors College students have continued
to increase. Total enrollment has grown 13 percent, the number of
students with a 4.0 GPA has risen from 463 to 556 and the four-year
graduation rate continues to steadily increase. Positive trends are
expected to continue as the new building will offer more
opportunities for student engagement, which research has shown
links directly to stronger academic outcomes.
"I feel a sense of exhilaration for my peers and for future
Honors students who will enjoy a new world of possibilities inside
our new home," said Naziza Bhuiyan, outgoing president of the Judy
Genshaft Honors College Student Council. "I can attest that this is
a major step up from our current situation. It's almost
unimaginable to me that our student leaders will have their own
space now."
The building will welcome its first class of students this
summer.
About the University of South
Florida
The University of
South Florida, a high-impact global research university
dedicated to student success, generates an annual economic impact
of more than $6 billion. Over
the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has
risen faster in U.S. News and World Report's national university
rankings than USF. Serving more than 50,000 students on campuses in
Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF is designated as a Preeminent
State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors, placing it in the
most elite category among the state's 12 public universities. USF
has earned widespread national recognition for its success
graduating under-represented minority and limited-income students
at rates equal to or higher than white and higher income students.
USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more
at www.usf.edu.
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SOURCE University of South
Florida