University of South Florida,

As the 21st Century begins, the State of Florida is the fourth most populous state and the Tampa Bay Region is among the nation’s most dynamic and rapidly growing metropolitan areas. Florida's population grew from 2 million to 15 million between 1950 and 2000. The growth has made Florida a cosmopolitan, mostly urban state, with extensive cultural, economic and social transformation.

Along with the achievements of the boom years have come vast challenges in education, health care, social services, arts, the environment, transportation, and economic development. The University of South Florida is uniquely positioned to assist the state with the challenges of rapid development by providing increased opportunities for the education of Florida’s citizens and outstanding research outcomes to improve the quality of life.

Since opening for classes in 1960, USF has developed into one of the nation's major public research universities. USF is classified as Doctoral/Research Extensive by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and is ranked among the top 100 public research universities in the annual report "The Top American Research Universities." The University receives more than $200 million a year in external funding to support research and development projects.

With 39,000 students from all 50 states and 116 countries, USF awards more than 4,650 bachelor's degrees and 1,700 master's degrees annually on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota/Manatee and Lakeland. The University confers more than 160 doctorates in 31 fields, and more than 90 Doctor of Medicine degrees a year. In its short history, USF has awarded more than 180,000 degrees.

A Higher Education -

Students come to USF from every state in the nation and more than 100 countries. They represent all ages, cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Over one quarter of the student population is African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American or other nationality.

The students choose from more than 200 undergraduate, masters, specialist and doctoral programs, including the doctor of medicine. The average high school GPA for the 2000-01 entering freshman class was 3.6 with an SAT score of roughly 1050.

• USF is among the top 35 universities in the country for educating Hispanics, according to the 2002 Hispanic Outlook for Higher Education

• USF has one of the largest metropolitan colleges of education in the nation, providing student teachers to public schools throughout the Tampa Bay region. Florida principals have rated USF education graduates the best prepared teachers in the state.

• During the decade of the 90’s, USF was #1 in the nation with the highest percentage of candidates with advanced degrees passing all parts of the CPA exam taken.

• USF has the third largest graduate certificate enrollment in the country.

• USF is the nation’s top location for students transferring to another location, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Economic Impact -

USF is key in the creation and development of the Florida High Technology Corridor from Florida’s East Coast along Interstate-4 to the Gulfcoast. This area has become the state’s high-tech leader, encompassing some 60% of Florida’s high-tech industries.

• USF's Center for Entrepreneurship and its business incubator are noted for success in moving discoveries from basic research to applied research, and into companies in the community. USF was ranked in the top ten nationally for the creation of start-up companies by the Association of University Technology Managers.

• Among 71 national research universities surveyed, USF ranked fourth in the number of inventions licensed to start-up companies, and first among universities with similar profiles.

• More than 90,000 of 195,000 graduates since the first commencement in 1964 live in the Tampa Bay area.

Research -

USF is proud to be a student centered national research university. Students have the advantage of working directly with world-class researchers in fields from aging, to education, psychology, engineering and transportation.

• USF is one of the top 60 public research universities in the country.

• USF is one of the nation's top centers in conducting research aimed at new treatments for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. It has pioneered the concept of brain repair -- placing cells in the brain to help fix the damage of disease or injury.

• USF is the only university that has been designated as one of the five National Centers for Water Treatment Technologies in the country. These centers are sponsored by the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) and the U.S. Dept. of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation.

Outreach and Engagement -

Virtually everyone in the Tampa Bay region-and beyond-enjoys some benefit from USF through countless outreach and engagement activities. USF contributes to the well being of its immediate urban neighborhoods through health care and networks of social research and service projects.

• In 1988, USF began a program for at-risk migrant children to complete their high school equivalency. More than 90 percent of the 1,200 students since then have now completed their high school equivalency and many have gone on to college or have careers that have taken them out of the migrant fields.

• H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute at USF annually ranks among “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report. Moffitt has become the third-busiest cancer center in the nation.

• The USF College of Public Health is the only public health college in the state accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The college is a leader in health promotion and disease prevention.

USF conducts more than 700 programs annually through Continuing Education, serving more than 16,000 people and awarding more than 35,000 hours of continuing education units.

Contact:

University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620 -- (813) 974-2011

Contact:

University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620 --

 (813) 974-2011