| SARASOTA, Fla. (Aug. 15, 2023) – Tickets are on sale for Brunch on the Bay, the annual marquee fundraiser for the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, which returns on Nov. 5. Attendees will enjoy culinary delights from local restaurants and caterers, and get a sneak peek at a major campus expansion project: A new student center and residence hall set to open in the fall of 2024. Proceeds from the 2023 Brunch on the Bay will support student scholarships and campus initiatives. “We look forward to welcoming our friends and supporters to the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus so we can share with them our excitement and they can see how we are growing,” said campus Regional Chancellor Karen Holbrook. Co-chairing this year’s Brunch on the Bay are Lisa Krouse and Rod Hershberger, leading figures in the Sarasota-Manatee business community. USF Federal Credit Union will return as the event’s title sponsor, as part of the credit union’s pledge of $1 million in new support for scholarships, event sponsorships and other programs at USF. The credit union is sponsoring Brunch on the Bay through 2027. “This is by far one of the best events of the year,” said Krouse, the former president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County. “Having everyone come and see what’s happening right here on campus is going to be so exciting.” The $42 million student center and residence hall will be home for up to 200 USF students who will enjoy the first chance to live on the 17-year-old Sarasota-Manatee campus. Hershberger, chairman of PGT Innovations, said Brunch on the Bay is an opportunity to raise public awareness about the project. “Most people don’t realize the expansion that’s going on and how many more students USF will be able to serve because of the dollars that are brought in by Brunch on the Bay and the scholarships that we’re creating,” Hersberger said. “It’s just a wonderful time to just mingle and hang out with friends, and then realize what good you’re doing while you’re having some fun.” Richard J. Skaggs, president and CEO of USF Federal Credit Union, said Brunch on the Bay gives attendees a chance to enjoy fine dining from dozens of local restaurants. “More importantly, it’s an opportunity to raise funds for student scholarships and for upcoming leaders in our community,” Skaggs said. Brunch on the Bay will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Visit sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/brunch for ticket and sponsorship information. To view a video about the 2023 Brunch on the Bay, including an interview with the event co-chairs, visit the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus YouTube channel.### |
 2023 Brunch on the Bay co-chairs Rod Hershberger and Lisa Krouse, near the construction for new student center and residence hall on USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. (USF University Communications and Marketing) |
| About the University of South Florida The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. With campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF serves approximately 50,000 students who represent nearly 150 different countries. For four consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked USF as one of the nation’s top 50 public universities, including USF’s highest ranking ever in 2023 (No. 42). In 2023, USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of the leading universities in the United States and Canada. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year and as one of top universities in the world for securing new patents, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu. |