Great Gator Welcome is the official start to a new semester at the University of Florida (UF). From Jan. 9 to Jan. 13, the Division of Student Life hosted events to celebrate students returning to campus after the holiday break. “Great Gator Welcome is a time students can build community…
Dive into an Accessible Day at the Lake
Students, staff and faculty gathered to celebrate an Accessible Day at the Lake during the afternoon of Oct. 21. The event took Gators out of the busy swamp and into a state of relaxation with Lake Wauburg’s cool breeze, clear sky and calm water. As guests enjoyed the lake and…
Fall semester is right around the corner. What’s changed?
From new dining options to an expanded focus on career planning, first-time and returning students have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming semesters. Here’s a quick rundown of some changes and events you might want to know about. Great Gator Welcome introduces new students to campus The…
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…
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…
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…
UF Student Life initiative forges local partnerships to help empower East Gainesville students
In early August, elementary school students and their families filtered through the doors of a Gainesville church. They were there to pick up free school supplies, including backpacks, notebooks, writing utensils and school uniforms. Many stayed to mingle, eating dinner, lining up for cotton candy and listening to music. The…
UF Disability Resource Center to hire full-time sign language interpreters
The Disability Resource Center at the University of Florida is recruiting full-time American Sign Language interpreters. The new hires will interpret classes for students who are deaf and hard of hearing in addition to supporting campus events. UF will be the only university in Florida with several full-time interpreters, setting…