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Celebrating President Kent Fuchs

The Twelfth President of the University of Florida

A JOYFUL LEGACY

With smiles, selfies and more than a few silly videos, President Fuchs spread aspiration and joy across the UF community.

Under his leadership, UF joined the nation’s top-10 public research universities -- then became the only one to break into the Top 5 and stay in the Top 5 for two consecutive years.

UF grew and became even more comprehensive through the addition of 600 new faculty positions and a $2 billion investment in infrastructure that added 2 million square feet in new and advanced facilities. It launched a major artificial intelligence initiative and a significant new research and graduate education presence in South Florida. The university’s Go Greater fundraising campaign will top $4.5 billion when it wraps up at the end of this year, more than a billion over its original goal.

Yet even as he went all-in in guiding UF’s ascent, President Fuchs delighted in what he calls “purposeful fun.”

His April Fool pranks included banning Gators in The Swamp and announcing a merger with UF arch-rival Florida State University. He happily step-danced, skateboarded and shot t-shirts out of a t-shirt cannon at basketball games (in full commencement regalia). He is beloved by students, with dozens buttonholing him for joyous selfies whenever they see him on campus.

President Fuchs’ presidency has been as fun as it has been far-reaching.

Learn More

Thank You

UF community says ‘thank you’ to Kent and Linda Fuchs for the past 8 years.

The Fuchs Years in Pictures


 

President Fuchs First Selfie

President Fuchs takes his first selfie at UF from the stage of the University Auditorium during Innovation Academy Convocation in early January 2015.

President Fuchs on a Cell Phone

President Fuchs interrupts a student’s cell phone conversation to say a surprise “hello” to her mother.

President Fuchs Wrestling Titus

President Fuchs jokes with UF alumnus and professional wrestler Titus O’Neil while filming a “welcome back” video for students.

President Fuchs in Beekeeper's Hat

President Fuchs joins Entomology Professor Jamie Ellis to try his hand at caring for bees at UF’s Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory.

President Fuchs with UF Graduate

A graduate smiles as she graduates at a UF commencement ceremony in the O’Connell Center. President Fuchs presided over 117 commencement ceremonies.

Kent and Linda Fuchs Watching Carillon

President Kent and Linda Fuchs watch a student play the carillon in Century Tower.

President Fuchs with Students at Jennings Hall in Fall 2017

Students pack the room at Jennings Hall where the Fuchses “moved in” for four days at the start of the year in August 2017.

President Fuchs at the Graham Center

Student groups often invited President Fuchs to speak at gatherings and meet with members. Here he joins a group of students at the Graham Center.

President Fuchs 2018 State of University Address

President Fuchs delivers his 2018 State of the University address, “What’s next for UF?,” from the floor of the Rion Ballroom in the Reitz Union.

President Fuchs and Leslie Tharp at the unveiling of The Holiday Gator

President Fuchs joins artist and UF College of the Arts graduate Leslie Tharp at the unveiling of The Holiday Gator, her forged-steel alligator sculpture commissioned for the first annual “Lighting of the Holiday Gator” in December 2019.

President Fuchs Speaking at Fast-A-Thon in October 2019

President Fuchs speak at Fast-A-Thon, Islam on Campus’s signature annual event to break a day long fast and raise money for good causes.

Linda Fuchs with Alberta

Linda Fuchs has some fun with Alberta.

Fuchs at Hospitals Opening in November 2017

President Fuchs speaks at the opening of two new UF Health hospitals in 2017.

President Fuchs Speaking at the Powell University House

President Fuchs spoke at hundreds of gatherings at the Powell University House during his tenure.

President Fuchs and UF History Professor Steve Noll

President Fuchs with UF History Professor Steve Noll. He attended several of Professor Noll’s classes on Florida history during his tenure.

Fuchs Live Tweeting Commencement 2016

President Fuchs live-tweeted with students during his spring 2016 commencement address in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, responding to students’ tweets as they appeared on the jumbotrons.

President Fuchs in a Funny Hat

The president of UF wears many hats.


 

Kent and Linda Fuchs During Shaving Cream Fight

President Kent and Linda Fuchs join students in a shaving cream fight at the start of the academic year.

A Student Illustration of President Fuchs

A student had fun illustrating President Fuchs for the The Independent Florida Alligator in August 2017.

Fuchs Hurricane Irma Ride

A student tweets a “thank you” to president Fuchs during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

UF Student Government President Lauren Lemasters (left), UF President Kent Fuchs (middle), and Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini (right)

UF Student Government President Lauren Lemasters and Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini introduce President Fuchs at the celebration of UF’s $4.5 billion “Go Greater” campaign.

 

The Fuchs Years in Videos

New Gators on Campus

Kent and Linda Fuchs join first year entering students in moving into East Hall at the start of the year.

President Fuchs announces his transition in January 2022

Quoting the Apostle Paul, “I have the fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith,” President Fuchs announces that he plans to end his eight-year presidency and return to the classroom as a professor.

UF President Kent Fuchs Stresses the Importance of Staying Resilient During COVID-19

President Fuchs shares his concerns for everyone at UF and priorities for moving forward during the COVID outbreak in the spring of 2020.

Press conference with President Fuchs

For April 1, 2021, it was announced that UF’s artificial intelligence supercomputer would replace human administrators at the university, including the president and his cabinet.

Super Preeminence

President Fuchs and FSU President Emeritus John Thrasher discuss April 1 plans to merge UF and FSU into a single “super preeminent” university.

 

Freaky Friday Night Lights at UF

President Fuchs announced that he was switching jobs with UF’s head football coach on April 1, 2015.

First Generation Leaders

President Fuchs briefly addresses a first-generation leadership group, one of his hundreds of video and in-person speeches to student groups during his tenure.

Fuchs State of the University Video

With in-person gatherings restricted, President Fuchs delivers his fall 2020 State of the University address, “An Unfair Ask to Make This Year The Best Ever,” via video.

Kent Fuchs Flying 

A student adapts President Fuchs’ appearance as Mr. Two Bits in the Swamp for his own creative purposes for social media.

Darth Vader

On Star Wars Day, Darth Vader surprises the crowd at the O’Dome by revealing his true identity as a dancing President Fuchs.

President Fuchs Uber

Students get a ride from an unlikely chauffeur at the start of the fall academic year.

Spencer Video

Amid an unwanted and unwelcome visit by white supremacist Richard Spencer, President Fuchs urges the campus community to reject racism and hate.

Warm Welcome from Students

A video created by UF students in 2015 to express their warm welcome and appreciation for President Fuchs.

Presidential Parking Proclamations

At the request of the staff of The Crocodile, a UF satirical magazine, President Fuchs reads aloud UF’s parking regulations.

Kent Fuchs, Conductor

President Fuchs conducts the Gator pep band at a UF women’s basketball game.

Viral Video


What better way to connect with returning students than a viral video starring President Fuchs?

Thank You

UF community says ‘thank you’ to Kent and Linda Fuchs for the past 8 years.

Commencement Speeches by President Fuchs


President Fuchs loved congratulating graduates -- and sending them out into the world with a mix of humor, stories and personal wisdom.

Watch Speeches

Independent Florida Alligator Columns


An archive of monthly columns by President Fuchs that appeared in the UF student-run newspaper 

View Archive
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