Welcome to the May edition of Campus Insider, a monthly newsletter from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, spotlighting student success and university impact. This month, we celebrate our graduates whose leadership and engagement have shaped campus life and set the stage for future success. Also featured: a record-breaking student research conference, new scholarships for Manatee County students, and national recognition for USF graduate programs in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
USF Sarasota-Manatee sets graduates on paths toward success
Meet graduates whose leadership shaped campus life and who represent the link between engagement, academic success and career readiness.
Student conference highlights the power of research at USFRESEARCH CONFERENCE
The 2025 Student Research Conference, showcasing 60+ projects in AI, cybersecurity, education and more, as a celebration of student innovation and discovery.
DUVALL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS ‘REMARKABLE UNITY’ IN FIGHT AGAINST ADDICTIONS IN SARASOTA-MANATEE
USF is committed to helping the local behavioral health care systems address need for treatment and other services.
New scholarships to benefit students from Manatee County
One couple’s gift creates new opportunities for USF Sarasota-Manatee students.
Muma College of Business unveils 10-year strategic plan
The plan introduces new vision, mission and college's values and reflects the goals of the Muma community on all three campuses.
USF Honors capstone empowers students to strengthen disaster resilience abroad
The course, which is hosted on the Sarasota-Manatee campus, links Honors students with executives around the world.
U.S. News & World Report ranks USF a national leader for dozens of graduate programs
USF continues to rise as a leader in graduate education and research excellence.
Student Green Energy Fund projects make a lasting impact on campus sustainability
The fund has supported more than 60 projects, including electric vehicle charging stations near the Student Center and Atala Residence Hall.
Brewing Arts program opens doors
"Our program prepares students for careers across the brewing industry, from production to business,” said Joe Askren, director of the Brewing Arts program. Hands-on training helps students turn passion into profession.
Three graduating Sarasota-Manatee students – Maegan Durinzi, Kaitlyn Huddleston and Alexandra Lopez – were named recipients of USF Golden Bull Awards, which honor undergraduate and graduate students who have exemplified the university's spirit and values and demonstrated exceptional leadership, service and dedication to both USF and the broader community. Also, at the recent Campus Involvement & Leadership Awards Huddleston was named the Outstanding Student Leader and Lopez received the Spirit of Sarasota-Manatee Award.
Tingting Zhang, an associate professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, has been named the recipient of the 2025 USF Sarasota-Manatee Faculty Excellence Award from USF Women in Leadership & Philanthropy. Zhang, who joined USF in 2024, will use the grant to support her development of AI-powered training modules to prepare students to identify and respond to the trafficking of women and girls in the hospitality industry. Zhang’s use of artificial intelligence to enhance the Shielding Women and Girls program earned her a Cyber Florida PhaseZERO award in January 2025.
A research article co-authored by Associate Professor Michelle Arnold of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has been recognized as one of the top 10% most-viewed papers published in 2023 by Wiley, a publishing company. Arnold, Terry Chisolm and Victoria Sanchez co-authored the paper, "Hearing Loss and Cognition: A Protocol for Ensuring Speech Understanding Before Neurocognitive Assessment." The article, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, has drawn widespread attention across the scientific and medical communities, reflecting the growing recognition of how sensory impairments like hearing loss can influence cognitive health evaluations.
The College of Behavioral and Community Sciences 2025 Faculty and Staff Assembly included a presentation by criminology Assistant Professor Roberta O’Malley on her research on sextortion. The assembly also recognized faculty members, including Kathy Black, professor of aging studies.
The College of Education and the School District of Manatee County will proudly celebrate the Third Annual Educator Signing Day on Monday, May 12, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Selby Auditorium, honoring graduates who are starting their teaching careers in the Manatee school district.
An open house will feature work by Booker Middle School students in the Camp at College – World of Wonder program in the Collaboratory, a cutting-edge makerspace on the second floor of the academic building designed to spark creativity and collaboration. As part of the research project led by Lindsay Persohn of the College of Education, the camp asks students to explore virtual reality tools, including a prototype app created by USF students, to work towards solutions to challenges they see in their communities. The open house will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on May 16, in Room B266. For more information, contact Persohn at lpersohn@usf.edu or 863-860-4904.
The application deadline for graduate admission in fall 2025 is June 1. Graduate degrees available at USF Sarasota-Manatee are business administration, criminal justice, educational leadership, elementary education, hospitality management and social work.
Employers can gain insights and learn best practices for hiring University of South Florida talent at the USF Employer Summit 2025 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 22 on the Tampa campus. Presented by the Center for Career and Professional Development, the summit will include a student panel, guest speakers and breakout discussions on hot topics in recruiting. Read more and register..
USF is accepting applications for up to $4,000 in scholarships for students who plan to live in Atala Residence Hall during the 2025-2026 academic year.
The Support-A-Bull Food Pantry is available to address food insecurity by providing supplemental food and toiletry items to students in need. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday at the Main Rotunda desk. See the list of high demand items..
Registration is open for the 2025 Summer Grant Writing Workshops Program hosted by the Sarasota-Manatee campus. The eight-week program is designed to guide grant seekers through the basics of the application process to develop competitive research proposals. This program is free for faculty researchers participating in the program evaluation and only $99 for USF students and employees. Regular registration costs $500.
Drs. Sheybani and Takshi’s team was the USA winner of the 2025 Sahlgrenska Global Health Hackathon. Follow the research awards website for more Faculty honors, prizes and awards.
In the News:
The Herald-Tribune published a story about a $200,000 donation from PAM Health that supports scholarships for 10 nursing students to live in Atala Residence Hall.
Business Insider interviewed Triparna de Vreede, assistant professor in the Muma College of Business and director of the USF Behavioral AI Lab, about how artificial intelligence tools are increasingly being used in self-appraisals to aid workers’ evaluation of their performance.
WUFT interviewed Brooke Hansen, associate professor and associate director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, about regenerative tourism, a model that aims to strengthen destinations and the people who live there.
Economics Associate Professor Michael Snipes was interviewed for stories about rising grocery prices in Tampa Bay and about the effects of U.S. politics on Canadian tourism in the region.