It has been more than six decades since the University of South Florida's first president, John Stuart Allen, broke ground on our Tampa campus and approved the construction of the university's first three buildings. That seminal moment in 1958 could have been enough to land USF in the history books as the state's first major metropolitan university, but we knew we were just getting started. Our Tampa campus now boasts more than 1,500 acres and 240 buildings and, ever with an eye for the future, has been recognized as a top performer in campus sustainability.
Offering students the best of both urban and rural, the Tampa campus borders an additional 735 acres of forest preserve and riverfront recreation area and remains easily accessible from the heart of downtown. Students can peruse exhibitions at the USF Contemporary Art Museum or explore the USF Botanical Gardens, home to more than 3,000 plants, animals and natural habitats on the southwest corner of campus. And with a flurry of new campus development, it is an exciting time to be a student at USF.
Fowler Avenue looks quite a bit different today than when USF opened its doors in 1960 to our first-ever class of students, but as soon as you step foot on our Tampa campus, you’ll feel the unique and unmistakable energy that inspires our diverse student population to call USF home. Learn more about student life and our extensive resources available in Tampa.