University of South Florida

1 week ago | usf.edu | Paul Guzzo

By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing In 1965, University of South Florida students made a bold declaration to a local newspaper: They invented skateboarding. The claim isn’t true, but USF’s impact on Tampa Bay skateboarding is undeniable. Students embedded skateboarding into the area’s cultural DNA, designed the region’s first nationally known skatepark and helped the public recognize the sport’s historical value.

2 weeks ago | usf.edu | Dyllan Furness

By: Dyllan Furness, Director of Communications As Hurricane Idalia approached Florida’s Big Bend in August 2023, warm waters of the Gulf fueled its growth. In less than 24 hours, the storm jumped from a Category 1 to a Category 4 in a phenomenon known as rapid intensification. Idalia is not alone in the annals of supercharged storms. Recent hurricanes such as Milton (2024), Helene (2024), and Ian (2022) rapidly intensified before their devasting landfalls.

2 weeks ago | usf.edu | Paul Guzzo

By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing After nearly a decade of setbacks and near-misses, the University of South Florida’s student rocket team successfully completed NASA’s prestigious Student Launch Competition. Competing against dozens of teams from across the country, USF’s Society of Aeronautics and Rocketry team sent their model rocket up more than 4,000 feet while transmitting data – proving that if it were a real space mission, an astronaut would have survived.

1 month ago | usf.edu | Paul Guzzo

By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing In the 1950s, as Florida planned a new state university in the Tampa Bay area, officials considered more than 100 potential names. Four of them included “Temple Terrace.” One even made the final shortlist before the institution was ultimately named the University of South Florida. That early consideration was no coincidence. Temple Terrace and USF have long been linked — geographically, historically and culturally.

1 month ago | usf.edu

As USF shifts into summer, thousands of new graduates are entering the workforce prepared to meet industry demand and elevate the talent pipeline across Tampa Bay, the state and nation. Their final semester at USF was packed with milestone moments: a record-setting donation, multiple national championships and top-tier rankings that affirm the value of a USF degree.