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UF Readies for Sesquicentennial Celebration
GAINESVILLE — A university education in Florida was
a far different thing 150 years ago than it is today. Higher
education was for the few, not for the many; it was for men,
not for women; and for the most part, it was for whites; not
for blacks, Hispanics, American Indians or other minorities.
In the 21st century, things have changed and this positive
move forward is one of the things the University of Florida
is celebrating as it marks its sesquicentennial year in 2003.
"The history of the University of Florida and the state
of Florida have been inextricably connected for most of the
past 150 years," said UF Provost David Colburn. "Florida
became a state in the mid-19th century, and UF was established
at almost the same time."
The university traces its roots to 1853, when a bill was
enacted providing financial support for the East Florida Seminary
in Ocala. The seminary moved to Gainesville in 1866, winning
recognition as one of the state's best liberal arts schools.
In 1903, the college became the University of Florida.
As the state has progressed, so has UF. Consistently, throughout
the years, UF has kept in mind its role as the leading institution
of higher education in Florida and its responsibilities to
the state.
"In the more recent past, following World War II, UF
provided most of the leaders who helped modernize the state's
institutions and its politics. So as we celebrate the university's
150th anniversary, so, too, should we recognize the state's
advancement and UF's unique and important role in that development,"
Colburn said.
In recent years, the University has gained admission into
the prestigious Association of American Universities. During
this same period, academic offerings and enrollment have skyrocketed.
UF currently ranks among the top five universities in the
nation in the number of degrees and programs available to
its nearly 47,000 students. Its faculty, whose numbers now
top 4,000, has attracted more than $400 million in research
grants in 2002.
In the upcoming sesquicentennial year, the university is
readying to achieve new goals. President Charles Young has
prepared a strategic plan. to make UF "one of the top
ten public research universities, and one of the top twenty
universities, public or private, in the nation."
Work on the 150th celebration has been ongoing for nearly
two years. The university's sesquicentennial committee, co-chaired
by journalism Dean Terry Hynes and Michael Blachly, director
of the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, has done much
of the planning.
"The proposal for a celebration was first presented
to Provost Colburn in January 2001, so it’s been a long
time coming,” said Karen Willis, director of the 150th
celebration. "It’s not every day that a university
gets to celebrate 150 years of teaching and community involvement."
So what’s in store during this sesquicentennial year?
At this writing, quite a bit. Numerous events and activities
are scheduled to take place throughout the year, both in Gainesville
and throughout the state, all geared to "honoring the
past" and "shaping the future."
The celebration officially kicks off Jan. 10, with a special
convocation to be attended by state leaders, dignitaries and
key figures from UF’s past.
Highlights already on the calendar include monthly focuses
on timely issues such as black history, women's history, international
awareness, Hispanic awareness and Asian awareness.
Also scheduled is a world premiere by playwright and visiting
professor Ntozake Shange and another premier from UF's Digital
Worlds Institute, headed by professor and Emmy-award winner
James Oliverio.
Other activities include a Grand Guard reunion in October
and the official close of the sesquicentennial festivities
in December 2003.
"The University of Florida is a positive influence in
"shaping the future" of the state through the internationalization
and diversification of our people and the new programs we
devise to meet our state's constantly changing needs,”
said committee co-chair Blachly.
"The 150th celebration provides an opportunity to promote
our vision and offer a timeline for the future of UF and the
state of Florida built upon the past successes that brought
us to this juncture," Blachly said.
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