Bulls Notebook: USF Sarasota-Manatee sees enrollment gains

Recent enrollment counts show USFSM’s total student population at 2,127 – 3-percent higher than last fall – with much of that growth coming from higher freshman registrations.

USFSM’s freshman population has grown steadily year to year, but this year it hit a new plateau with 110 freshman students – 26 percent more than last fall.

The increase was coupled with growth in student transfers from such institutions as State College of Florida to help pave the way toward an impressive bump in total student enrollment. USFSM’s number of transfer students – undergraduate and graduate – jumped 13 percent this fall to 401.

Andrew Telatovich, director of admissions and financial aid, cited several factors for the increases.

“We have new academic programs, facilities and scholarship opportunities that have helped attract new students,” Telatovich said. “I would say that another factor is that we have also been able to recruit prospective students earlier in their high school careers and now even in middle school which makes a difference.”

The campus first accepted freshman students in 2013 and a year later added a biology degree program, opening two teaching labs at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.

Since then, the campus has added a College of Science & Mathematics and developed admissions agreements with USF’s College of Engineering in Tampa, Stetson University College of Law and LECOM (Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine) for admission to its dental and osteopathic medical schools.

At the same time, USFSM has invested in its campus. Last year, it introduced a $1.6 million Student Commons, which includes a fitness center and Student Government offices, and this fall it revamped the campus’ café with a fresh, made-to-order menu and free coffee for students.

All of these changes, and others, have helped draw attention to the campus, Telatovich said.

“The quality of education students receive on our campus, the small classroom environment, and affordability make USFSM a great option as we become more well-known as a four-year campus,” he said.

Bulls help with Hurricane Irma recovery

More than two-dozen Bulls proudly represented USFSM last week at a food bank to help folks suffering from Hurricane Irma.

The group, which included students, faculty, staff and alumni, spent three hours at the All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota last Thursday night sorting through food donations and helping pack bags of soup, canned vegetables and other goods for storm victims.

After All Faiths put out a call for assistance, Kati Hinds, coordinator of student organizations and leadership at USFSM, sent texts, made calls and put out requests for volunteers on Facebook, not sure how many would show up to help.

But sure enough, USFSM came through. Altogether, 31 showed up to aid in the recovery effort.

“I was genuinely surprised to see so many people show up and generously pause their lives in order to help,” Hinds said.

Those who assisted were: Alexandra Fleck, Bart Stucker, Tim Thomas, Ricardo Centeno, Lucero Guzman, Michael Nguyen, Abby Richards, Kristen Lundy, Melisa Hadzid, Tyler Teaford, Kerestyn Kesgiropoulos, Jeremy Hansen-Block, Mikaela Zito, Dr. Jessica Grosholz, CJ Webb, Kim Mones, Erik Mones, Christine Uphoff, Briana Beyers, Corinne Tucker, Eunice Garcia, Allyson Tanzer, David Pascual, Andrienna Spears, Isra Sorathia, Claudia Meilan, Jessica Szempruch, Sarah Gentry, Sean Grosso, Geborah Joseph-Smith and Kati Hinds.

Davidson: Social media not to blame for bad business writing

Kudos to Dr. Wilma Davidson whose peer-reviewed article, “Social Media Mythbusters,” was recently published in Writing Commons.

Dr. Davidson, a professional and technical communication instructor, received word about the article this week from Dr. Cassandra Branham, editor-in-chief of writingcommons.org and an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

“Social Media Mythbusters” examines the myths surrounding the impacts of social media on business writing.

One such myth: Social media (blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) have contributed to the erosion of writing skills today—in schools and in the workplace.

Dr. Davidson disputes this cause-and-effect notion, writing, “For centuries, the older generation has faulted the younger for its careless ways. The inability to write well preceded the advent of social media.”

Visit writingcommons.org/social-media-mythbusters.
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