黄瓜视频

Since its founding as the 黄瓜视频鈥檚 Honors Program in 1983, the Judy Genshaft Honors College has grown from a modest program into a nationally recognized model for honors education, expanding student opportunities while maintaining a close-knit academic community.

Home to many of the university鈥檚 highest-achieving and intellectually driven students, the college helps attract and retain top talent from across Florida and around the world. It offers a distinct interdisciplinary curriculum that provides students expanded access to transformational experiences, including undergraduate research, study abroad opportunities, and accelerated graduate pathways.

Part of more than half of USF鈥檚 70-year history and its rise as a top 50 public research university and member of the Association of American Universities, the college now serves over 2,500 students each year across all USF campuses. It is housed in what is widely considered one of the finest honors facilities in the nation and has produced nearly 10,000 outstanding alumni. But what is now one of the most thriving academic communities in the country started small, built on the potential of USF and its students. 

Creating the Honors Culture 

Not long after the Honors program began in 1983, Stuart Silverman was named the program鈥檚 director in 1987.  

Silverman arrived at the 黄瓜视频 in 1970 as a professor in the College of Education. One of the first things he noticed was students鈥� eagerness to embrace the opportunities in front of them.

鈥淚 was really impressed with the number of students who were first time in college, who had no understanding of what higher education was about,鈥� said Silverman. 鈥淭hey were the most wonderful students because they were here to be history-makers in their families.鈥�

In Silverman鈥檚 early days as dean, the Honors Program was housed in Cooper Hall, next to the philosophy department. Starting with only 20 students, his initial goal was simple: increase enrollment by one student every year 鈥� and he achieved it.

鈥淓very year, if I got more than one, that would be fantastic, but my goal was always to get one more student,鈥� said Silverman. 鈥淎nd we did increase by at least one a year for the next 27 years.鈥� 

Becoming a College 

As the Honors program matured, its future depended increasingly on institutional support.

When Judy Genshaft was sworn in as USF鈥檚 sixth president in 2000, she recognized the university鈥檚 potential to become a top research institution. With a background in psychology and a passion for working with gifted students, Genshaft quickly saw how the Honors Program could help elevate student success.

鈥淚've always thought that this university could add so much for gifted students if we had a program, and now a college, as a way for them to become all that they could be,鈥� said Genshaft.

After Genshaft officially designated the Honors Program as a college in 2002, the Honors College experienced increased interest from prospective students, expanded dedicated space, and greater access to USF鈥檚 world-class faculty.

鈥淚 really believed when I came to this university that it could be molded and framed into becoming the best university in the country,鈥� said Genshaft.

Charles Adams became dean of the Honors College in 2014 following Silverman鈥檚 retirement. He recalls arriving during a pivotal period of transformation for both the university and the college.

鈥淭he university was becoming a research powerhouse,鈥� said Adams. 鈥淒ean Silverman built a fantastic foundation for me to inherit, and I learned that President Genshaft was a major supporter of honors education 鈥� that gave me the clear sense that I could build something here.鈥� 

A Home Worthy of Their Dreams 

After its early years in Cooper Hall, the Honors College moved to the John and Grace Allen Building on Leroy Collins Boulevard in the heart of the Tampa campus. While the smaller space fostered strong bonds among faculty, staff, and students, the college soon outgrew its capacity.

鈥淭here was a physical proximity that made a big difference in supporting and perpetuating that culture that Dean Silverman had built. That鈥檚 all very nice, but I'm very happy that in 2019, President Genshaft and Steven Greenbaum made a wonderful gift and completely transformed things.鈥� said Adams.

Ahead of her retirement following a 19-year tenure as president, Genshaft and her husband, Steven Greenbaum, donated $20 million to name the college and partially fund a new five-story facility. 

In 2023, their vision for the Judy Genshaft Honors College building was realized.

The 85,000-square-foot building, located next to Cooper Hall where the Honors Program began, opened with expanded space designed to support experiential learning. The facility includes interactive classrooms, signature 鈥渓earning lofts,鈥� and studio spaces for art, media, food and culture, technology, and music. Its design elements 鈥� from the blueprint to the finishes 鈥� were carefully selected through collaboration among Genshaft, Adams, and other Honors leaders.

鈥淓very item has been hand-picked. Charles Adams and I went to other universities to see what honors colleges look like and what they could do,鈥� said Genshaft. 鈥淲e learned a lot from what others are doing.鈥�

Becoming the Best  

Genshaft, Silverman, and Adams have long set high expectations for the Judy Genshaft Honors College, a commitment reflected throughout the college鈥檚 growth. Genshaft continues to look ahead, with a vision for the college to become the 鈥渂est honors college in the world.鈥�

Despite the absence of established benchmarks, Genshaft has encouraged innovation in pursuit of that goal.

鈥淭here are no metrics, there's no rung on any ladder telling me how we can be the best in the country and beyond, but we're going to develop, and we're going to make that ladder,鈥� said Genshaft. 鈥淲e will become the best honors college in the world.鈥�

Even as leaders chart new paths forward, the foundation of the Honors College remains unchanged. Silverman emphasizes that public higher education鈥檚 central responsibility is serving students 鈥� a principle that continues to define the college鈥檚 ethos.

鈥淚 hope to see in the future that we don鈥檛 forget what has made this university: the students. And what has made the students come here ... I hope the students remain in the forefront,鈥� said Silverman.

Looking ahead, the Honors College remains committed to keeping students at the center of its programming, curriculum, opportunities, and plans for growth. Adams recalls beginning his tenure with a reminder that still guides his leadership.

鈥淲hen I came to the university and moved into my new office, there was one item left. Dean Silverman had left one item in the office, and it's a framed statement that says simply, 鈥業t鈥檚 the students, stupid.鈥� And it鈥檚 something that motivates me all the time,鈥� said Adams. 鈥淚t really is the heart of the matter.鈥�  

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