With more than 25 years of experience in collegiate recreation, Laura Hall is bringing her talents across the country to the University of Florida. The California native joined the UF team in February as director of Recreational Sports. In 2016, Hall was hired as senior director of campus recreation at…
Blair Wortsmith receives national award for work in student engagement
Blair Wortsmith only made the move to Gainesville last March, but she’s already made a big impact on the University of Florida community. Wortsmith is the program coordinator of campus events, a position under the campus events and traditions team within the department of Student Activities & Involvement in the…
Field & Fork Pantry recognized for efforts against food insecurity
Like sleep and exercise, food plays a critical role in student well-being and academic success. Whether it’s a healthy breakfast before an important exam or a hearty dinner at the end of a long week, there’s no discounting the significance of a balanced meal. Helping to support the University of…
UF Student Life initiative promotes literacy and college readiness in Gainesville students
Encouraging children to enjoy reading from a young age can be a challenging feat to accomplish, especially with the added stress of classroom disruptions and COVID-19. Over the past year, however, the University of Florida Division of Student Life team has been working toward fulfilling that very goal. In late…
Dwayne Isaacs named senior director of the Reitz Union
The University of Florida Division of Student Life has named Dwayne Isaacs senior director of the Reitz Union, the roughly 450,000-square-foot student hub on UF’s campus. Isaacs, previously director of the Division of Student Life and Engagement at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, will oversee the advancement…
A Q&A with Dr. Janelle Garcia, associate director of GatorWell, on how to build resilience
Dr. Janelle Garcia graduated from the University of South Florida with plans to be physician, but she later pivoted to a career in health promotion and wellness — allowing her to impact quality of life more meaningfully and on a larger scale. Now, as the University of Florida’s new associate…
Shaped by unique life experiences, student veterans cultivate rich community at UF
Savanna Turner returned to the familiar brick buildings of the University in 2019, roughly a decade after she first set foot on the campus as an undergraduate. Usually talkative, she found herself remaining quiet and reserved, she said. After a five-year run as an active-duty member of the U.S. Coast…
New student organization seeks to shed light on academic pathways for Indigenous students
Infused with deep cultural knowledge, the perspectives of Indigenous peoples both predate and drive scientific discoveries. In a workshop at the national conference of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, abbreviated AISES, a physicist recounted how a team of scientists introduced a new predator into an environment in the…
More than the sum of its parts: Signature program for first-generation students at UF turns 15
Since 2006, the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program at the University of Florida has awarded more than 5,500 first-generation students full scholarships to pursue bachelor’s degrees at UF. But students in the program, called scholars, flourish thanks to its centerpiece, which goes beyond the financial award: a deeply cultivated community…
Searching for the career advice you can’t find on Google? UF alumni can help
Students are getting an inside look at how they can get a leg up in their industry from University of Florida alumni, thanks to the Career Connections Center. Since the launch of the Gator Career Consultant Program just over a year ago, more than 230 alumni have signed up to…