History of the University of South Florida
1950s
The University of South Florida (USF) was the first state university in Florida established during the 20th century. Former U.S. Representative Samuel Gibbons played a crucial role in its creation while serving as a state legislator and is often regarded as the “Father of USF.”
Although founded in 1956, the university was not officially named until the following year, and classes did not commence until 1960. USF was constructed on Fowler Avenue, on the former site of Henderson Air Field, a World War II airstrip. Prior to the airfield, the land was home to a 5,000-acre temple orange grove—the world’s largest at the time—which inspired the name of the nearby city, Temple Terrace.
In 1957, the Florida Cabinet approved the name “University of South Florida.” At the time, USF was the southernmost institution in Florida’s state university system.
1960s
When USF opened, it consisted of five primary buildings: the original library (now the student services building), the science building (now the chemistry building), a teaching auditorium (demolished and replaced by the music building), the university center (also demolished, now the site of the Marshall Student Center), and the administration building (now the John and Grace Allen Administration Building).
Initially established as a segregated institution, USF integrated in 1961, admitting its first African American student, Ernest Boger, in its second year. Boger graduated in 1964 with a degree in psychology.
In 1962, students selected the “Golden Brahman” as the university’s mascot, a nod to Florida’s cattle industry. By the early 1980s, the mascot evolved into the “Bulls.”
USF held its first commencement ceremony in 1963, conferring 325 degrees.
The university experienced rapid growth under its founding president, John S. Allen, who led from 1956 until his retirement in 1971. Allen, a staunch advocate for academics over athletics, famously declared in 1959 that USF would have no sports teams. However, he later revised his stance, leading to the launch of USF’s first varsity sports teams in 1965. His legacy includes building a modern state university from the ground up, stating: “As a completely new and separate institution, the University of South Florida became the first new institution of its kind to be conceived, planned, and built in the United States in the 20th century.”
Today, the John and Grace Allen Administration Building remains a key facility on the Tampa campus, housing Student Affairs, the Admissions Welcome Center, and the Controller’s Office.
In 1965, USF expanded with the opening of its St. Petersburg satellite campus, initially called the “Bay Campus,” located on the former site of the U.S. Navy Maritime Training Center.
A significant weather event struck the university in 1966 when an F4 tornado, part of a major tornado outbreak on April 4–5, caused extensive damage. The storm partially collapsed the cooling towers at USF’s power plant and tore the roof off a dormitory.
1970s
M. Cecil Mackey became USF’s second president in 1970. Under his leadership, the university expanded its academic offerings, launching the medical school, the School of Nursing, and its first Ph.D. program. Mackey also prioritized the development of the St. Petersburg campus while establishing new satellite locations in Sarasota and Fort Myers.
Despite his administrative responsibilities, Mackey continued teaching economics in a conference room near his office. He also introduced the term “metropolitan university” to describe USF, a designation still used today for institutions in urban settings.
In 1975, USF Sarasota–Manatee was founded, initially sharing a campus with New College of Florida. New College later became part of the USF system before regaining its independent university status.
1980s
During the 1980s, USF established itself as a leading research institution under its third president, John Lott Brown. His tenure saw the founding of the USF Graduate School in 1980 and the opening of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute on the Tampa campus in 1986. USF also became the first university in the U.S. to offer a Ph.D. in applied anthropology and the first in the State University System of Florida to introduce a women’s studies degree program. In January 1988, USF Lakeland opened.
Francis T. Borkowski was inaugurated as USF’s fourth president on February 15, 1988. Over his five-year tenure, he laid the foundation for the university’s football program, introduced on-campus housing for the USF president at Lifsey House, and consolidated multiple colleges into the College of Arts and Sciences.
1990s
Betty Castor became USF’s fifth president—and its first female president—when she took office in January 1994. Over her six-year leadership, the university saw rapid growth, becoming one of the largest in the country by enrollment. USF launched its NCAA football program in 1997, and in 1998, the Florida Board of Regents designated it a “Research 1” university.
2000s
Judy Genshaft assumed the presidency in 2000, ushering in a new era of research and economic expansion. Under her leadership, USF achieved “preeminence” as recognized by the Florida Board of Governors in 2018 and became a key economic driver, contributing $3.7 billion annually by the end of her tenure in 2019.
In 2006, Castor returned to USF to lead the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions, a role she held until 2009. The university also broadened its global presence, opening Florida’s first Confucius Institute in 2008 and launching the Genshaft/Greenbaum Passport Scholarship Fund in 2011 to support students studying abroad.
Additionally, USF became a national leader in veteran support. In 2009, it was the first university to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide specialized services for veterans utilizing the new G.I. Bill. USF continues to rank among the nation’s top veteran-friendly universities and is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best colleges in the U.S.
2010s
In 2012, USF was recognized as one of the country’s leading producers of Fulbright Program scholars. However, the university closed its Confucius Institute in 2018, citing low enrollment, misalignment with research priorities, and potential impacts on U.S. government funding. That same year, Genshaft announced her retirement.
On July 1, 2019, Dr. Steven C. Currall became USF’s seventh president. During his tenure, USF reached a significant milestone, breaking into the top 50 public universities in the U.S. according to U.S. News & World Report, ranking 44th in 2019.
2020s
Currall led the university through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including budget cuts stemming from reduced state funding. One particularly controversial proposal under his leadership suggested phasing out the College of Education, though this was later abandoned following strong opposition. On July 19, 2021, Currall announced his retirement, citing personal and family reasons, but remained a faculty member at the Muma College of Business.
Following Currall’s departure, Rhea Law, a USF alumna and former USF Board of Trustees chair, was appointed interim president before being officially named to the role on March 22, 2022. She became the first USF graduate to serve as president. Law set ambitious goals, including elevating USF into the top 25 public universities, securing admission into the Association of American Universities (AAU), and constructing an on-campus football stadium. In 2023, USF successfully gained AAU membership.
Seal and Colors
In 1958, USF’s founding president, John Allen, commissioned the university’s seal, emphasizing a global commitment to education. Each symbol carries distinct meaning:
- The sun represents life.
- The lamp symbolizes learning.
- The globe reflects the broad perspective provided by higher education.
- “Truth and Wisdom”, USF’s motto, underscores Allen’s vision for the institution.
USF’s original colors were green, gold, and purple, inspired by the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, of which Allen was a member. However, purple was later phased out, leaving green and gold as the official colors. Some older buildings, including the John and Grace Allen Administration Building, still feature purple accents. More recently, purple has made a limited return, appearing in select women’s sports uniforms.
Over time, the university adjusted its shades of green and gold. Originally kelly green and yellow, the colors transitioned to a darker green and Vegas gold in the late 1990s. Green symbolizes life on Earth, while gold represents the sun’s warmth and energy.
Preeminence
In 2018, USF became the third Preeminent University in Florida, a distinction awarded by the State University System. To earn this designation, public universities must meet or exceed 11 of 12 performance benchmarks set by Florida legislators.