Why I’m Doubling Down on Higher Ed

When presented with the opportunity to lead the University of Florida, I was incredibly honored.

UF is an exceptional institution. Being a university president has certainly changed over the past two decades, but our mission at the University of Florida has not. Our focus on the students we serve, the breakthroughs we are passionate to discover, and the needs of the citizens of our state and nation have not wavered.

UF is a place where serving our students, state and nation underpins everything we do. Since arriving on campus this summer, I’ve seen how readily people throughout UF work together — and how seriously they take the responsibility to put their expertise to use for the service of our communities. In addition to being a great public institution, UF is an exemplar of the land-grant university. Land-grant universities opened the doors to the working class and set a path for a broader and more meaningful approach to building the next generation of American leaders.

The University of Florida lives that ideal every single day. As the flagship university of the nation’s third-largest state, UF brings disciplines together at a scale few institutions can match, while ensuring that discovery strengthens communities, creates economic opportunity and prepares future leaders for service. With over 63,000 students and 60,000 employees, UF offers more than 300 degree programs in 16 colleges and serves medical needs through our exemplary hospital system.

Just as important is the fact that — with one of the nation’s lowest flagship tuition rates — more than 82% of our seniors graduate with zero student debt, allowing them to focus more fully on their studies and careers.

And they do indeed focus. Our current six-year graduation rate is 92%, and our current first-year retention rate is 97%, which tells me UF students are committed, hard-working and ready to finish their studies in a timely fashion and start contributing to society.

UF epitomizes what can be achieved when you combine a research powerhouse and a champion for practical innovation. UF Health is one of the most comprehensive academic health systems in the nation. Its patients come from all 67 Florida counties, all 50 states and more than 30 countries to benefit from some of the most advanced care in the world. At the same time, UF and UF Health researchers are at the vanguard of studies for the development of cancer vaccines; creating more effective treatments for devastating diseases like Parkinson’s; and addressing the emerging health concerns of our nation.

The University of Florida was prescient in its early embrace of, and leadership in, AI across the curriculum and now boasts one of the most advanced academic computing resources in the country. UF provides opportunities for every student to take AI classes, allowing them to understand how it applies to their fields of study today and, more importantly, for tomorrow. UF’s Florida Institute for National Security is advancing trusted AI systems while preparing students to bring technical judgment and ethical clarity to careers that protect our country. And faculty affiliated with our Astraeus Space Institute are developing new ways to build materials in space, leading the search for past life on Mars and helping NASA prepare for self-supported long-term missions. Through UF/IFAS Extension, researchers are using AI, drones and advanced imaging to identify plant stress before crops visibly decline, helping growers reduce losses and strengthen the food supply.

Work like this helps explain why UF now conducts more than $1.34 billion in research each year.

Beyond scientific research, the University of Florida is committed to graduating citizens who understand the underpinnings of our society. UF’s Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education, established in 2022, now counts more than 4,500 students and 61 top-flight faculty focused on the foundations of democratic citizenship and the great works of Western and American thought. At a time when our society can seem more divided than ever, UF is focused on teaching students the art of civil discourse while learning how to think, not what to think.

There are countless other examples that demonstrate the important role being played by UF and higher education in our country. Without question, we will see challenges in addressing the needs of our nation and world. But I am equally confident that our universities will adapt to meet those challenges. While many in higher ed are hunkering down and eliminating programs, UF is opening a new campus and hospital.

From where I sit, the University of Florida, with its incredible breadth, collaborative spirit, substantial resources and unflagging determination, is — and will be — the leader our nation needs.

It is the right place and the right people, with the right focus, at the right time.