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		Op-Ed by Dr. Laurey Stryker in Sarasota Herald-Tribune on 30th Anniversary (November 5, 2004) As the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we not only look back from where we came, but we relish our present status as a hometown university with national prestige, and we look forward to the future and our continued growth. Our annual USF Week, a time when the community is invited on campus to get to know more about us and our programs, ends November 7. But we hope you will visit our campus sometime throughout this year, and join us in celebrating this important and historic milestone. This year is a “Celebration of Leadership” and a “Legacy of Scholarship.” We have chosen these themes to honor the leaders who have contributed in the past, and the scholars who will benefit from their contributions. Our donors and scholars are the heart and soul of our campus community. USF Sarasota-Manatee fills a niche not found at other institutions of higher education. The need for full- and part-time pragmatic programs was evident when 676 students registered for the first semester in 1975 on the new bayfront campus. Only 47 classes were offered. USF Sarasota-Manatee now serves more than 3,200 students annually, offers more than 633 courses, and has extended classes as far south as Venice. Some 10,000 alumni live and work in Sarasota and Manatee counties, including area leaders and legislators. The support of many community businesses, civic leaders and volunteers over the past 30 years is what has helped the regional campus realize the dream of becoming an indispensable asset to the region. Through these partnerships, the campus has introduced new academic programs and enhanced existing ones, and it is through community giving that funds are available for a legacy of education, academic programs, faculty, and campus facilities. The driving force behind a group of local hospitality business owners resulted in the USF School of Hotel and Restaurant Management (SHRM) being located at Sarasota-Manatee, the first school on a site other than the USF Tampa campus. The generosity of donors has ensured the SHRM’s continued growth, including the recently announced McKibbon Hotel Management Professorship, the first endowed professorship at USF Sarasota-Manatee. Our students benefit from the generosity of our donors through scholarships and internships. Just this year alone, 112 scholarships totaling more than $155,000 were awarded. The campus has developed 55 non-education internships since March 2003, creating opportunities for students to stay and work in the area once they graduate. With the groundbreaking of the Crosley Campus Center, we redefine our campus and open windows of possibilities. Working in harmony with the classic 1920 Italian Mediterranean Crosley Mansion, the design blends with the area’s rich historic and artistic features. We’ve taken extreme measures to blend in with nature as well, preserving more than 6 acres of coastal scrub and providing a natural landscape setting. This region has a long history of high standards. The Crosley Campus Center meets the standard for quality, sensitivity and commitment. USF Sarasota-Manatee stands at the threshold of a dynamic future. What will emerge over the next few years will be a regional university of unequalled excellence. We pride ourselves in responding to community needs. Whether it’s a new nursing program, MBA program, or partnering with school districts to produce more teachers, our role and mission is to serve the economic and human resource development needs of our community. We are all grateful to the Governor and Legislature for providing the money for our building. But achieving the vision requires private as well as public dollars. The state funding doesn’t include state-of-the-art equipment, technology, lecture halls, public spaces and other enhancements, which our specialized curriculum requires. When students make a choice where they want to go school, these enhancements play a major role. We want the best and the brightest to stay here. We hope you will consider becoming part of our “Celebration of Leadership” by investing in the future of our building and our community. It will help leave a “Legacy of Scholarship” for generations to come. Dr. Laurey T. Stryker is vice president and CEO for USF Sarasota-Manatee, and past chairman of the Sarasota County Chamber Committee for Economic Development. For information on giving to USF Sarasota-Manatee, visit www.sarasota.usf.edu.

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