5 minutes with Bill

AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF RAPID-FIRE CHANGES most of us never foresaw, it’s a real comfort when some things remain steadfastly, unwaveringly, the same.

For me this year, that’s you.

Your dedication to USF’s success has always burned bright. Historically, your support through membership in your USF Alumni Association has grown through economic downturns, military conflict, even a global pandemic. This year, as we undertook an overhaul of our membership program to better accommodate our rapidly expanding family of Bulls, you responded with characteristic commitment and enthusiasm.

In less than six months, the number of association Life Members has swelled by 25 percent! Since July, more than 1,800 of you have joined this upper echelon of membership, bringing us to more than 7,400 Life Members. And that growth shows no sign of slowing.

Life Membership is a very special gift to USF because the bulk of dues is deposited into an endowment, which supports Alumni Association programs today and for generations to come. That includes prestigious awards recognizing alumni achievement and service; high-quality student development opportunities, such as the groups represented by the young Bulls opposite this page; and more than $6.5 million in association-distributed scholarships.

With the changes we’ve made, all USF alumni are now general members of the association. We’ve always strived to ensure everyone feels included, and we hope that this new membership tier does just that.

Thank you to all of our Life Members, and welcome to all of our general members!

A highlight of your association’s many programs and activities is Homecoming Week, when we host and sponsor events to help you reconnect with USF and each other. During the 45th USF Alumni Awards on Nov. 4, we recognized five Bulls and two devoted friends of USF. It marked our first Alumni Awards event in two years, due to the pandemic, and included recognition of our 2020 and 2021 award recipients.

Wow. Each of these Bulls has an amazing back story that includes a fierce dedication to excellence and a seemingly limitless capacity for service — particularly to their favorite university! If you don’t know their names, check the photo and story on page 8.

The following night, despite heavy rain, hundreds of you came out to the Alumni Center for our Welcome Home Party, which we moved indoors. Even though the party’s usual highlight – the Running of the Bulls Parade – was rained out, alumni spirits ran high. We ate, drank, danced and met a very special guest - the Super Bowl Vince Lombardi Trophy!

On Nov. 6, the Bulls took on the Houston Cougars for the big Homecoming game. We loved seeing more than 3,000 of you, your family and friends, stopping by our tailgate-area Spirit Tent for swag before the game. We’ve missed your big smiles, painted faces, Horns Up, and all the happy hugs as old friends reconnect.

Some things never change!

On behalf of your Alumni Association staff and all of University Advancement, I wish you a safe and joy-filled holiday season. I hope it finds you reuniting with friends and loved ones, enjoying get-togethers that may look a little different but still leave you fulfilled, and decorating everything you see in green and gold!

Vice President and Executive Director, USF Alumni Association Life Member No. 2331