Despite rainy start, vibrance returns to USF's residence halls

Residence halls at the University of South Florida will hit record capacity numbers this fall, as thousands of students and their families move onto the university's three campuses this week. With the grand opening of the 200-bed Atala Hall on the Sarasota-Manatee campus, approximately 7,500 USF students are expected to live on campus when classes begin on Monday, Aug. 26.

Throughout the years, USF has strategically focused on increasing housing capacity as part of an overall commitment to student success. Studies have shown that a vibrant on-campus environment can have a direct impact on improving the academic performance of students.

USF alums Norbert and Tameka Scott moved their daughter Tamiyah into the USF residence halls.

"I feel proud. It's kind of emotional, happy, sad - the end of a chapter of being at home with your parents, going to high school. Now you're starting off young adulthood which is going to take a few years to transition, but I see her legs getting up under her, and one day she's going to finish and come back an adult," said Norbert Scott.

"It is amazing to have one of our babies want to come back to be a student of the University of South Florida," said Tameka Scott. "It's nice to have her come where me and her dad started. It's good to start her education career with us, the same place we did. I want it to be her own, to continue to grow and be who she is, not depending on anybody else but to grow into herself. That's the experience I want her to have."

Student housing statistics:

• More than 570 student volunteers have signed up to help their peers move in through USF's signature Bull Haul program on the Tampa campus, the highest number to participate since 2016.
• Including students, families and other volunteers, USF estimates 10,000 people will be on the Tampa campus Thursday to help welcome and move students into the residence halls.
• Student residents on the Tampa campus represent 30 states and 14 countries; on the St. Petersburg campus, student residents represent 35 states and seven countries; Sarasota-Manatee campus student residents represent nine states and 12 countries.
• USF has 34 residence halls on the Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses.

This fall at USF, students will be able to take advantage of various new additions on campus:

• The official home of USF Esports will open at the start of the fall semester inside the Campus Recreation Center on the Tampa campus. The Esports Living Lab is a 2,500-square-foot space featuring 40 high-end gaming PCs, a private gaming room and more. The living lab will serve the general USF student population, free of charge.
• Look out for a new four-legged friend on the USF St. Petersburg campus. Snowbird, a golden retriever and labrador retriever mix from Dogs Inc., is the campus's first-ever "comfort dog," trained to provide comfort, support and therapeutic benefits to students, faculty and staff.
• The long-anticipated bouldering wall is almost ready for climbers in the Campus Recreation Center on the Tampa campus. Opening in late fall, the 14-foot-tall wall will span 672 square feet and feature about 500 handholds.
• USF Dining is proud to offer bubble tea, also known as boba tea, as a new beverage option this fall on the USF Tampa campus. USF alumni-owned Naga Tea will be featured inside the newly remodeled Rocky's Hideaway, located in the "bunker" or Business Administration Ferguson Hall.

Additional information about what is new at USF can be found here.

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