USF World News

2023 NEWS

Fall

My Experience Representing USF at the World Bank Youth Summit, By Sean Schrader
September 19, 2023 − Bringing together 300 young leaders from around the world to delve deeper into the World Bank's humanitarian activities, USF student Sean Schrader was honored to represent USF at the annual World Bank Youth Summitt. Read more about his transformative experience here.

USF Judy Genshaft Honors College Makes Dream Come True for Cousins Lavanya and Devanshi Pande from India
September 14, 2023 − Cousins Lavanya and Devanshi Pande from India grew up in different cities, Hyderabad and Delhi respectively, but they had a childhood dream to study together someday. Their acceptance to the University of South Florida Judy Genshaft Honors College this fall has made that dream come true. Click to read more about their academic journey.

Here, There, Everywhere All at Once: Visiting and Fulbright Scholars Welcomed to USF
September 7, 2023 − On August 25, incoming Fulbright and visiting scholars were warmly welcomed at a reception hosted by USF World, the Judy Genshaft Honors College, and the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association. Over nearly 100 guests registered representing over two dozen different countries. Click to view images of the event and read more about how international scholars attain their research goals at USF.

USF World’s International Student Success Center Welcomes Fall 2023 International Students
September 7, 2023 − Wednesday, August 16, USF World held a welcome event for incoming international students in the newly established International Student Success Center. The center is in the FAO building on the Tampa campus and was presented to students as their home away from home. Read more about the International Student Success team and our new incoming international students.

USF in London Returns from Another Successful Semester Abroad
September 1, 2023 − The USF in London program has come to a close, marking another successful semester abroad. With over 109 students in attendance, it stands out as a truly memorable year. Read more as Dr. Scott Solomon, Director of the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies at the College of Arts and Sciences, dives into the captivating details of this program.

Summer

USF Launches Study Abroad Experience in Singapore
August 14, 2023 − This summer, Ryan McCleary, an associate professor of instruction in the College of Arts and Sciences, and 23 of his students traveled over 10,000 miles to Singapore to explore the local history and culture through the lens of urban ecology. Read more about how Dr. McCleary introduced his students to cross-cultural innovation while abroad.

Sharing Hope and Sustainability Strategies in Ghana
August 3, 2023 − After seeing acid mine drainage make streams run red in his home state of West Virginia and pollution destroy life in rivers in developing countries, Nathan Lafata, a graduate student in the USF Patel College of Global Sustainability, is in Cape Coast, Ghana, teaching sustainability strategies to high school students who give him hope for the future. Read more about his experience here.

Anthropology’s Dr. Diane Wallman Earns Faculty Scholar Fulbright
July 26, 2023 − USF College of Arts and Sciences anthropology associate professor Dr. Diane Wallman has been named a Faculty Scholar Fulbright. Wallman will use the Fulbright award to continue her collaborative work with colleague Dr. Caroline Borges, assistant professor of archaeology at the University of Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil. Borges was a Fulbright scholar who worked with Wallman at USF in the Spring of 2022 and is a member of the Núcleo de Ensino e Pesquisa Arqueológica (NEPARQ), the Center for Archaeological Education and Research, in Recife. Read more about their exciting research.

Educational Trip to Europe Provides Impactful Experience, Teaches Significance of the Holocaust
July 5, 2023 − Eighteen students who took a study abroad trip to Europe focusing on the Holocaust came back with a deeper understanding of one of the darkest periods in history.  The ethics class, "Confronting the Holocaust," took them to Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany from June 1-15. The diverse group of students from USF's Judy Genshaft Honors College encountered grim details surrounding the persecution and genocide of millions of Jews from 1933-1945. Read more about their experiences.

Virtual Pen Pals to Travel Buddies: USF Class Tours South Korea
June 26, 2023 − Twenty students just returned from Seoul, where they finally got to meet their pen pals from Yonsei University whom they’ve been video conferencing and messaging with throughout the spring semester. It’s part of the course, “Korean Culture and Identity,” which teaches students about the nation’s history, politics and social norms. It’s the first study abroad program to begin virtually and the first faculty-led trip to South Korea since the start of the pandemic. Read more about this unique student opportunity.

USF Alumnus and Actor Serves as a Valuable Advocate Abroad for International Education
June 22, 2023 − Despite having graduated from USF fifteen years ago in 2008 with a degree in Biomedical Sciences, former Bull and current Indian actor, Ojas Rawal, continues to be a passionate advocate for USF and international education. He recently spoke to a group of incoming fall USF students from India just a few days before filming a movie on location in Los Angeles, CA. Read more about his career and how he continues to be a Bull abroad.

Endowed Scholarship from USF Sarasota-Manatee Regional Chancellor Gives Students the World
June 14, 2023 − USF World is grateful to USF Sarasota-Manatee Chancellor Karen Holbrook and her husband Jim Holbrook for their $25,000 gift to establish the Karen and James Holbrook Study Abroad Scholarship. Their generosity will enhance USF’s global footprint and bring the world to USF students. Read more about this generous gift here.

USF D.C. Global Experience Opens Doors to Careers in International Affairs and Diplomacy
June 13, 2023 − The University of South Florida (USF) D.C. Global Experience Program is a new initiative that connects USF students with career opportunities in the fields of diplomacy, national security, and international development. Read more about how from May 9-13, 2023, twelve USF students participated in the newly launched program in our nation’s capital. These students were provided with opportunities to learn from leaders at federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and think tanks during three full days of programming.

USF World Is Thrilled to Share Extraordinary News from the University of South Florida (USF)
June 1, 2023 − USF recently received an invitation to join the Association of American Universities (AAU). Joining the AAU is a tremendous milestone as it formalizes USF's position as a leading research university. Founded in 1956, the university has rapidly evolved into a global powerhouse that transforms lives through education, research and innovation. USF, with campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, is the first public university in Florida to be invited to join the AAU in nearly 40 years and is now one of only two institutions from the State University System of Florida to serve as an AAU member.

Spring

Spring 2023 International Sash Ceremony
May 5, 2023 − On May 3, the Office of International Services hosted the Spring 2023 International Sash Ceremony. This ceremony honors graduating international students by presenting them with a flag sash representing their home country. This spring nearly 400 undergraduate and graduate students graduated representing 64 different countries, and we were able to celebrate one third of those students at the ceremony. 

USF Celebrates Peace Corps Week
March 1, 2023 -- Peace Corps Week commemorates the establishment of Peace Corps by John F. Kennedy on March 1, 1961.  The theme for Peace Corps Week 2023 is “Connect with the World” which celebrates the Peace Corps’ return to active operations around the world, the amazing connections made as part of Peace Corps experience, and all the ways by which the Peace Corps makes a difference at home and abroad. USF World is hosting events across all three campuses from March 1 – March 7 to celebrate Peace Corps week. 

Education Abroad Scholarship Fund Kicks Off Endowment Effort
February 27, 2023 -- In celebration of International Study Abroad Day, Feb. 27, USF is launching an initiative to endow the USF Education Abroad Scholarship Fund, ensuring it can be awarded for future generations. Such financial support is crucial to helping students become global citizens. Members of USF World’s Advisory Council have kicked off the effort with a generous lead gift.

Record Number of USF Students Earn Prestigious Fulbright Scholarships
February 10, 2023 -- Ten University of South Florida students have been selected as Fulbright Scholars for the 2022-23 academic year, the most in the university’s history and an indication of USF’s growing global engagement. Click to continue reading about their accomplishment.