Activities and Student Organizations
With over 600 student organizations at the University of South Florida ranging from academic, professional, cultural, to service-oriented groups, take advantage and pursue your interests. Who knows, you might even discover a new one!
Our student body produces an array of activities every day that you can join: club meetings and presentations, socials, cultural programs, and more. Most of these activities take place at the Marshall Student Center, the primary gathering spot for students. It features a variety of amenities including but not limited to: dining options, plenty of study space, a meditation room, and a gaming room.
In this section, we provide a quick glimpse into some of the arts-related student organizations at USF. To learn more about campus life, visit the USF Activities and Programs page.
3-D Printing Club
The 3-D Printing Club is for those with or without experience. Our goal is to spread the knowledge of 3-D printing, scanning, and designing. We will be utilizing our on-campus printers and scanners to create anything from prototypes to jewelry, to collaborated works. All majors welcome! Gain the skills that are becoming more and more necessary in our technological world while having a good time being a creator.
Advisor: McArthur Freeman
Animation Club
The Animation Club is a student organization dedicated to anyone interested in experimenting and working within the animation, video game, and film industry. With animation as an overall focus, our club also explores themes of concept art, illustration, 3-D modeling, and even programming! Our goal is not only to help animation students improve their craft, understand their job options, and prepare them for after graduation, but also to introduce outside majors to our wonderful world of creation and discovery. Alongside skill workshops and portfolio-building programs, we also welcome guest lecturers and showcase student work. Come and check us out!
Advisor: McArthur Freeman
Art Research Forum
We welcome students interested in pursuing careers and degrees in the field of art history. Our goals at the Art Research Forum are to prepare you by:
- Writing abstracts and proposals
- Networking and promoting individuals and their research
- Discussing alternative careers as an art historian
- Forming bonds with the MFA Organization through practice in essay and catalog publication for various shows, the largest being the MFA Graduate Show and Art House at the end of each spring semester.
Advisor: Pam Brekka
CAM Club
The CAM Club seeks to engage new and diverse audiences in our community and on the USF campuses by introducing various forms of art as well by shaping the museum as an active, open and tolerant center where students can come to learn, participate, and express creativity.
Through CAM Club we aim to initiate entertaining, educational and interactive events and activities, that will take place at the USFCAM, across USF’s three campuses, and in the Tampa Bay community. Partnering with USFCAM in a professional art environment, students will learn about museum operations and be able to participate in a range of activities, workshops and field trips that will impart skills for museum work and enhance their overall educational experiences.
The CAM Club has two new exciting programs to offer members!
- Members can earn merit certificates for participation in club activities, adding skills and experiences to their college portfolios and enhancing their opportunities for professional success.
- Members can travel with fellow students for a one-night, two-day excursion to Art Basel Miami Beach. Guided by curators and professors, students will view a wide range of artworks and attend conferences and talks with some of the art world’s most important players.
Figure Drawing and Painting Club
The creative arts have a long-standing tradition of foundational skills based on academic drawing which takes time, practice, and dedication to develop. The Figure Drawing and Painting Club is an organization that strives to provide opportunities for the academic and professional study of the nude figure for students seeking to develop their artistic skills. Whatever your interest is in working with the figure, everyone is invited to come and participate in one of our model sessions! In order to attend, you must be currently enrolled as a student at USF Tampa, be able to attend scheduled meeting times and follows all rules put forth through the constitution about privacy and decorum. We do work with the nude figure and expect our models to be treated with the respect and appreciation they deserve!
Majors of every kind are welcome! The College of The Arts has provided us with the studio space and easels to work with but students are required to bring their own materials. Working with the other artists to develop and grow is a reward for anyone interested in the arts, but the community of friendship, insight, and feedback is priceless! There is no competition or expectations of talent or skill for membership, and all students are encouraged to come! Students are expected to be self-motivating and work with respect towards our models, the other artists, and staff.
We are united with a passion for the arts and welcome anyone who is interested or has questions to contact us for more information!
Advisor: Ezra Johnson
The Focus Group
The Focus Group is an organization of artists at the University of South Florida working through photography and video.
The purpose of The Focus Group is to bring together students interested in pursuing a career as a Visual visual Artist artist with a primary medium of photography or video. Our primary focus will be support, by reviewing members' work, showcasing members' work by hosting group exhibitions both on and off of the Tampa campus, and visiting photographic conferences and museums.
Advisor: Wendy Babcox
Lil’ Muddy’s Fun Bunch
Lil’ Muddy’s is the ceramic student organization established to promote greater understanding of the ceramic arts. We aim to:
- Develop a growing awareness of the ceramics program at USF
- Enrich the knowledge of our members
- Allow the exchange of knowledge through guest speakers
Members have access to the ceramics facilities every Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our meetings are held every first Friday of the month at 1 p.m. We organize wood, raku, and high firings. Students also have the option of selling their work at a biannual sale.
Advisor: Chuck McGee
MFA Organization
Serving as a forum and resource for graduate studio students in the School of Art & Art History, the MFA Organization’s goals include: supporting workshops, organizing artist lectures, exhibition visits/tours, national field trips, and providing members with exhibition opportunities locally, state-wide, nationally, and internationally.
Sculpture Club
All mediums and experience levels welcome! Unite with other artists to share your skills and create collaborations. The club is structured around the club members’ interest, so come to a meeting and tell us what you want to learn!
Advisor: Irineo Cabreros