UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (UF)

The University of Florida is located in Gainsville, Florida and is one of the three largest single campus universities in the US.  It is one of three research flagship universities within the State University System of Florida and is the most prestigious school of higher learning in the state.

The University of Florida has a 2,000 acre campus and has been recognized as a "Public Ivy" facility. It has 150 research centers and institutes and is the home of 16 colleges.

History

The Buckman Act of 1905 consolidated all Florida colleges into three institutions that were segregated by race and sex. They were:

• The Florida Female College for white women.
• The University of the State of Florida for white men
• The State Normal School for Coloured Students, which accommodated African American men and women

The State University System of Florida was reorganized by the Buckman Act and allowed the system to be governed by the Florida Board of Control, which chose Gainsville for the new campus. 102 students were welcomed there on September 26, 1906.

The name of the school was changed from the University of the State of Florida to the University of Florida in 1909. In 1911, the alligator was chosen as the school's mascot.

In 1924, the Florida Legislature mandated that women over the age of 21 years and who had completed 60 semester hours could enrol at the University of Florida in programs that weren't offered at the Florida State College for Women. Lucy Goodbread-Black enrolled at the College of Agriculture in 1925. She was the first woman to attend the University of Florida.

When WWII ended, many returning military men applied to the University of Florida under the GI Bill of Rights. The University couldn't meet the demand and the Tallahassee Branch was opened on the campus of the Florida State College for Women. 954 men had enrolled by 1947. To meet the demand the Florida State College for Women reverted to co-ed status and the name changed to Florida State University.

By 1958, a medical school and Shands Hospital had been founded and African American students were allowed to enrol. Campus expansion increased dramatically at this point and continues to do so.

Many of the buildings on the campus of the University of Florida have significant historical value. The Historic District covers about 650 acres and is comprised of 19 buildings, some of which are listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. Examples include:

• Buckman Hall
• Century Tower
• Carlton Auditorium
• Florida Gymnasium
• Women's Gymnasium
• Mallory Hall
• Infirmary
• The Hub
• Plaza of the Americas

Academics

Students world-wide attend the University of Florida. Professional degree programs include but are not limited to:

• Law
• Dentistry
• Medicine
• Pharmacy
• Veterinary Medicine

The University of Florida ranks 17^th in the US for the largest international student body. It ranks 2^nd in the US for bachelor degrees awarded to African Americans and 3^rd for Hispanic students.

The application process for the University of Florida is very competitive. The freshmen retention rate is 94%. Students who wish to apply to the University's honours program must do so after being accepted to the University. Over 100 programs are offered in the honours program. Freshmen must have a SAT score of 2070 and a GPA of 4.0 minimum.

The University of Florida is comprised of 16 colleges and over 100 educational research and service centers. It offers 200 graduate degrees and more than 100 undergraduate majors. Examples of colleges include:

• College of Nursing
• College of Medicine
• Levin College of Law
• College of Fine Arts
• College of Health and Human Performance
• Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences

Student Life

At Reetz Student Union students will find the Career Resource Center, which provides services for alumni and students. These services assist in career experiences, employment opportunities and career development.

More than 15% of undergraduate students belong to a fraternity or sorority. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Alpha Gamma Ro
• Delta Chi
• Kappa Sigma
• Sigma Chi
• Theta Chi
• Chi Omega
• Kappa Delta
• Delta Phi Epsilon
• Phi Mu
• Zeta Phi Beta

The Reserve Officer Training Corps was officially founded in 1905 and is the official training and commissioning program.

There is housing for 9200 students at the University of Florida. Privacy and cost vary.

Local Community

There is lots of green space on campus, including picnic areas, ponds, open space and a wildlife sanctuary that is comprised of 81-acres. The University owns Lake Alice and there are many recreational rivers and lakes in the area. Sports facilities are plentiful both indoors and out, including the Student Recreation and Fitness Center, Plaza of the Americas and the University Golf Course.

Besides these, there are a wide range of museums, attractions, festivals, events, hiking trails, swimming, canoeing and wildlife viewing. There are also dozens of hotspots for those who enjoy a night out on the town.