Golden Bull Awards

Application Information

The Golden Bull Award application period opens early in the spring semester each year and winners are honored in April at the Celebration of Leadership & Golden Bull Awards Ceremony. 

Application Steps

Step One A: Create Interest Survey

Complete the BullsConnect interest survey to express your interest in applying. Once the initial interest form has been submitted, applicants will be added to a Canvas course where they will answer the essay questions and upload their resume.

Step One B: Create Application Material

Applicants will be asked to express their interest in applying via the BullsConnect platform. Once the initial interest form has been submitted, applicants will be added to a Canvas course where they will answer the essay questions and upload their resume.

Document contents should include:

1. Current resume – Please provide a thorough, yet succinct and reader-friendly resume with particular emphasis on your experiences acquired while a student at USF. Use this document to tell your USF story and to highlight your experiences and accomplishments. Be careful to eliminate abbreviations. Explain your active role and contributions and what you gained from your experiences as clearly and succinctly as possible.  Limit resume to 2 pages.

TIP: Career Services is ready to support you in developing your resume. Online tutorials and in-person workshops are held throughout the year. You can also meet with a specialist who can review and revise your resume. Please visit or call Career Services at SVC 2088 or 813-974-2171.

2. Answers to the following short answer questions:
The University of South Florida is dedicated to excellence, and the Golden Bull recipients embrace and epitomize the following values of the institution:

  • Leadership within the community
  • Engagement with the community and public service
  • Success and academic achievement through research, pursuit of knowledge and critical thinking skills
  • Enhanced global experience and understanding of cultural and ethnic diversity
  • Development of personal and professional potential
  • Demonstrated commitment to respect, integrity, and civility

1-6.  Please explain how you have been able to demonstrate each of these six values of the University of South Florida in a way that distinguishes you from other students on campus. 

7.  Golden Bull Award recipients not only encompass the spirit of USF and demonstrate its values, but they also create and inspire legacies through their exceptional leadership and service to the University. What legacy do you hope to leave behind at USF?

3.  What are your educational and/or career goals and plans after graduation? What role has USF played in preparing you to reach these goals? 

Document Guidelines

  • Document Structure: Your document may be up to 6 total pages. Your resume should no more than 2 pages. The pages should include both parts outlined above – resume and short answer responses.
  • Formatting: 1-inch margins, 11 – 12pt font, Fonts permitted: Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman. Your resume may be single spaced. Your short answer questions must be double spaced. Please include your full name in the header of the document.
  • Document Type: Your document must be submitted into the form as a PDF.
  • File Name: FirstName-LastName-Golden-Bull-Application

Step Two: Contact Two Individuals for Letters of Recommendation

You must identify two individuals to submit letters of recommendation on your behalf for the award. One letter must be from either a faculty or staff member at USF. Both letters must be able to address how well you meet the criteria shared above. You are discouraged from submitting letters from peers. 

Recommendation Letter Guidelines

  • Must be no longer than 2 full pages in length (1-inch margins).
  • Must be on official letterhead for the institution, organization, company, etc.
  • Must be uploaded by the recommender via the upload link provided below. Physical letters will not be accepted.
  • Must be a PDF file with the name of the student applicant in the file name – Examples: Rocky-Bull-Rec-Letter or Rocky-Bull-Rec
  • Must be submitted by the same due date as the application
  • Please provide your recommenders this link to submit their letter: https://usf.app.box.com/f/7adc05bf966d4429808a97e9adb923f1

Step Three: Submit Essay Questions via Canvas

Once you have created your application material, submit the essay answers and resume via the application "quiz" on canvas.

Step Four: Stay Tuned for More Information

Applicants will be notified via email if their application is incomplete.  If applicants do not receive an email their application is complete. Applicants will be provided an update on their selection status in April.