The University of South Florida is reaching for new heights.
President Moez Limayem delivered his first fall address Wednesday, at a strategic time, Sept. 9 at 9:09 a.m. — a nod to his role as the school's ninth president.
He had a question for those in attendance: "What should the university look like in nine years?"
"Will there be something that we are proud of then that we have the courage to start now?” Limayem asked.
Enrollment and research growth
Limayem shared a few things he was proud of, especially the growth seen at the university. He announced the class of 2030 is over 9 percent larger than the last incoming class and has the best academic statistics in the university's 70-year history.
“Our undergraduate class includes 7,393 students, and as the class has grown, its academic profile has gotten even stronger," Limayem said. "The average GPA for our fall class increased to 4.29, and the average SAT to 1,328.”
Among those students are 83 National Merit Scholars, up from 60 last year.
“Our record-breaking incoming class of students is another indicator that the University of South Florida is a destination that attracts the top talent,” Limayem said. "We are committed to preparing students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers who have the essential skills for successful careers once they earn a USF degree.”
The university's reputation for research has also grown significantly.
USF reached a record-breaking $750 million in research funding in fiscal 2025.
Some of that money is being invested in the planned Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. Limayem shared new renderings of the building, which will be located near the entrance of the Tampa campus, at Leroy Collins Boulevard and USF Alumni Drive.
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No construction date has been set, but $35 million in state money has been committed to the project.
“This is an important piece of USF's future,” Limayem said. “We envision a place designed for students, faculty, research and collaboration in fields that are reshaping nearly every part of our lives – and protecting our digital spaces.”
Construction reshapes the Tampa campus
There's multiple construction projects on the Tampa campus.
On Tuesday, the university formally broke ground on Uptown Landing USF, the nearly $500 million mixed-use development planned for about 30 acres north of Fletcher Avenue.
The development, previously known as "the Fletcher District," will include student housing, retail, dining, academic buildings and research facilities.
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Just across Fletcher, USF work continues on the $407 million football stadium, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2027. Limayem said the project remains on schedule and on budget.
ALSO READ: See how USF's on-campus football stadium is taking shape
Looking toward the future
Limayem closed his address the same way he started, wondering how the university may look in nine years.
He invited faculty and staff to write messages about what they hope USF will have accomplished by 2035. Those messages will be placed in a time capsule, which is scheduled to be opened that year on Sept. 9 at 9:09 a.m. — exactly nine years from the start of his address.
Limayem said he hopes USF will have prepared students for changing careers, conducted research to solve significant issues and become a model university.
“We know where we've been,” he said. “Now, it's time to show how far we're willing to go.”
