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Newsroom

Top stories of USF's spring semester

By Tina Meketa, University Communications and Marketing

As ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏshifts into summer, thousands of new graduates are entering the workforce prepared to meet industry demand and elevate the talent pipeline across Tampa Bay, the state and nation.

Their final semester at ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏwas packed with milestone moments: a record-setting donation, multiple national championships and top-tier rankings that affirm the value of a USF degree.

While the 2024-2025 academic year may have come to a close, USF’s research momentum continues – strengthening communities and driving solutions for a healthier, more innovative world. 

Here are some of the spring semester's biggest moments.


Historic $40M gift establishes Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing

Arnie and Lauren Bellini pose with ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏleadership

Scheduled to open this fall, the nation’s first named college dedicated to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will drive workforce development, national security and economic growth.


Trustees approve updated ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏstadium plan, paving the way for full construction to move forward

rendering of the ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏon campus stadium

The project’s scope now includes design and structural upgrades for potential future stadium expansion beyond the current expected seating capacity of approximately 35,000, build-out of academic space in the facility, vertical expansion of the Tampa General Hospital Center for Athletic Excellence and enhanced locker room amenities.

ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏPresident Rhea Law announces plans to step down after national search to select a successor

President Rhea Law gives the Go Bulls hand signal

Rhea Law has served as president since August 2021, initially on an interim basis before being named to the role permanently in March 2022. Under her leadership, USF became the first public university in Florida to be invited to join the Association of American Universities in nearly 40 years.

Mike Griffin, Board of Trustees vice chair, is serving as chair of the 14-member Presidential Search Committee. To assist the committee, ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏhas retained the services of SP&A Executive Search, a highly regarded firm that worked with the university in its last presidential search.

 


Morsani College of Medicine

ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏHealth Morsani College of Medicine named top medical school in Florida and among nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report

The ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏHealth Morsani College of Medicine has been ranked the No. 1 medical school in Florida and among just 16 in the U.S. to earn a prestigious Tier 1 designation by U.S. News & World Report. With record-breaking research funding and elite student achievement, ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏHealth continues to drive innovation in medical education, research and patient care

ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏstudent in regalia

U.S. News & World Report ranks ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏa national leader for dozens of graduate programs

The ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ has 31 graduate programs ranked in the top 100 nationally by U.S. News & World Report, including 15 in the top 50 and five in the top 25. With standout programs such as industrial-organizational psychology, criminology and rehabilitation counseling, ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏcontinues to rise as a leader in graduate education and research excellence.


Three ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏemployees sit at a table

The ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ has been named one of the nation's premier employers and top university employer in Florida by Forbes, highlighting its vibrant workplace culture, commitment to innovation and investment in employee success.


Graphic says welcome to the bay

Bryan Hodgson comes to ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏfrom Arkansas State, where he spent two seasons as head coach. He guided the Red Wolves to two of the most successful seasons in program history, with back-to-back 20-win seasons.


ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏlacrosse team

ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏwomen’s lacrosse dominated its debut game in front of more than 2,000 fans at Corbett Stadium. As the inaugural team, the players are well aware that they will forever be a part of ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏhistory and are working tirelessly to ensure their legacy extends beyond the field.


women's basketball

The team defeated Rice University, winning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏwomen's basketball is the second team in conference history to win multiple tournament titles.

ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏcheer team

The all-girl and coed teams combined to bring home three championships, including a first-ever World Cup, from the 2025 UCA/UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, pushing the program's total to nine championships over the last five seasons.

ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏtrack and field team

The ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ track and field team captured its second consecutive American Athletic Conference indoor championship at the Birmingham CrossPlex, also earning the Bulls' men's coaching staff its second straight Men's Coaching Staff of the Year honor.


ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏranks among top 20 public universities for new patents

Patent wall at USF

Based on the 82 new patents secured in 2024, ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏis 16th among U.S. public research universities, 26th among all American public or private universities and 38th among universities worldwide.

children on cell phones

The Life in Media Survey, led by a team of researchers at the University of South Florida, surveyed more than 1,500 tweens in Florida. Findings will help inform a 25-year national study that will track young people’s digital media use and wellbeing into adulthood.


Viruses identified in red tide blooms for the first time

dead fish on the shore

In one of the first studies of its kind, researchers used viral metagenomics to identify several viruses — including one new viral species — present in blooms of K. brevis, more commonly known as red tide.

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