USF Sarasota-Manatee to present gift of new Campus Center to community during Grand Opening Dedication ceremony

 

USF Sarasota-Manatee will be holding its Grand Opening Dedication and Ribbon-untying Ceremony on October 5 at 10:00 a.m.

 

SARASOTA, FL (October 3, 2006) – This Thursday, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee will officially present their new regional campus center as an educational gift to the community --amidst fun, fanfare, and festivities.

 

At 10 a.m. on October 5, the regional campus will hold its Grand Opening Dedication and Ribbon-untying Ceremony at the Campus Center, which is located at 8350 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, across from the airport.  USF Mascot Rocky the Bull, the USF Show Band and Spirit Squad Cheerleaders, and the Manatee Community College Chamber Choir will be present to help kick-off the event. The event is open to the public.

 

Florida Lt. Governor Toni Jennings will be the keynote speaker for the event. Consistent with the gift theme, the event will feature the untying of a giant ribbon that will be symbolically wrapped around the Campus Center as a gift of higher education to our community.  Other attendees and speakers include Dr. Judy Genshaft, USF President; Rhea Law, Chairman of the USF Board of Trustees; Jan E. Smith; USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Board Chairman; Dr. Laurey Stryker, Campus CEO and Florida State Representative Bill Galvano, Chairman of Bay Area Legislative Delegation.

 

The new campus center is more than 100,000 square-feet and is situated just north of where the school previously shared a campus with New College of Florida for 31 years.  It boasts more classroom space, more daytime, evening and Saturday courses, more state-of-the-art teaching technology, wireless internet throughout the campus, a soon-to-open café operated by Einstein Brothers Bagels, and a childcare facility set to open in the spring – operated by the YMCA.

The campus also has room to expand to 5,000 students from the 3,500 currently enrolled, and owns enough land to build more buildings when the need arises. The new facility opened for classes this fall on August 28.

 

“This facility will help us build a student community that we couldn’t have before,” said Dr. Laurey Stryker, Campus CEO.  “We are so proud to be able to finally present this wonderful educational gift to the community.”

 

Refreshments and campus tours will follow the ceremony. To R.S.V.P. call 941-359-4602.

 

USF Sarasota-Manatee is an upper-level campus for those with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit. The regional campus offers the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown campus, including classes in south Sarasota County at Manatee Community College Venice.