A New Home for the Judy Genshaft Honors College at USF

Judy Genshaft Honors College at the University of South Florida

An Exciting Step We are thrilled to be planning for an innovative new home on campus, in a building that will offer the space, flexibility and technology needed to allow our students to thrive. This step is the culmination of years of diligent work, collaborative study, and strategic planning. Some past milestones include: August 1987 – Dr. Stuart Silverman was named Director of the first Honors Program on USF’s campus. His student-centered and interdisciplinary approach drew talented and motivated students of all majors to this exciting new opportunity.

August 2002 – Under the leadership of President Judy Genshaft, the Program became the Honors College, with Dr. Silverman as its inaugural Dean.

May 2011 – The College outgrew space in the Student Services building and moved to the John and Grace Allen building, named for USF’s first president and his wife.

August 2014 – Dr. Charles Adams joined USF as the Honors College’s Dean, upon Dr. Silverman’s retirement.

November 2017 – New York-based Morphosis Architects and Tampa-based Fleishman/Garcia Architecture (both with College campus project experience) were selected to design plans for a new building for the College. The university later selected The Beck Group as Construction Manager for the project.

May 2019 – In advance of her retirement after a very successful 19-year tenure, President Judy Genshaft and her husband, Steve Greenbaum, donated $20 million to name the College, and partially fund the new five-story building that will become the on-campus home to many of the university’s world-changers.

September 2019 – USF’s seventh President, Dr. Steven Currall, led the first Honors Convocation of the newly named Judy Genshaft Honors College.

Atrium Guests are welcomed with a five-story view of the heart of the building as soon as they enter the breathtaking atrium.

From here they will see the bustling activity on each floor, and have a direct line of sight into the large event space. The atrium will be home to a reception area, a large video wall, and space for special events such as Honors graduation, convocation, receptions, and other celebrations.

CafĂŠ Students, faculty, staff, and guests will all enjoy the ground floor indoor/outdoor cafĂŠ. Conversation and collaboration will always be on the menu, as guests can choose to sit tucked in a comfortable seating area inside, or in the beautiful outdoor dining space.

Piazza This beautiful secondfloor covered terrace will be a welcoming connection between the building’s bustling interior and the open air. This large space will accommodate special events, learning opportunities, and student innovation, while bench seating will provide spaces for study and conversation.

The Forum Visible from the main atrium, the second floor terrace, and the building’s exterior, this 150-person event space will be used to host College and University-wide events, distinguished faculty lectures, student presentations, and collaborative learning opportunities.

Amphitheater/ Staircase Inspired by the College’s outside-the-box teaching philosophy, these beautiful tiered stairs will offer not just a pathway into the second floor of the building, but a space for philosophical discussions in the outdoors. The wide-tiered stairs will be the perfect location for guests to view musical and dramatic performances, class presentations, special guest lectures, and more.

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Food and Culture Studio Located on the fifth floor, this innovative space will allow faculty to teach classes about global issues and diverse cultures through the medium of cooking and food preparation. Study abroad groups can also use this space to bond and learn about destinations before embarking on their trip. The studio will include stovetops, ovens, refrigerators, food preparation space, an expo area, and the technology to display demonstrations.

Innovation Exchanges Located on both the second and fourth floors, these spaces were designed by students, for students. With a variety of seating configurations and an abundance of power outlets, students will have the ability to collaborate on class projects, find innovative solutions, and form bonds with classmates of all majors without ever needing to leave the College.

Multipurpose Room Located on the second floor, this flexible space will serve students of all majors by allowing staff to host workshops about national scholarship opportunities, writing assistance seminars, study abroad information sessions, and more.

Adaptable furniture will make this a truly customizable space.

Classrooms Students will love learning in the ten new innovatively designed smart Honors classrooms. Professors can move the furniture to meet their needs and will have access to builtin technology that makes learning truly global.

Learning Lofts Suspended around the second, third, forth, and fifth floors of the College’s atrium, these lofts will accommodate two to eight people each and will allow students, faculty, and staff to meet in small groups while enjoying spectacular views of the College. Each loft will be configured with its own seating and furniture to facilitate both planned and impromptu meetings and collaborations.

To learn more about the College, please visit usf.edu/honors.

For more information about available naming opportunities, please contact Judy Kane at jkane@usf.edu, 813-974-1246, or 813-598-3261.

1-22-2020