Short answers, pulled from the story.
The University of South Florida was founded in 1956, though the name was not officially approved until 1957 and classes did not begin until 1960. It was the first state university built in Florida during the 20th century.
USF's endowment stands at $889 million, which is the third-largest among Florida public universities and the largest of any American public university founded after World War II.
According to the National Science Foundation, USF spent $568 million on research and development in 2019, ranking it 43rd in the nation and 25th among public universities. In the 2021 fiscal year, the university received more than $590 million in research awards.
John S. Allen was USF's first president, serving from 1956 until his retirement in 1971. He built the university from an empty field on the former site of Henderson Air Field and is credited with making USF the first new state university conceived, planned, and built in the United States in the 20th century.
USF's one NCAA team national championship was won by the women's swimming program in 1985. Athletes have also earned 19 individual NCAA national championships and five relay national championships. The co-ed cheerleading team won the UCA Division I-A national title in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and the all-girl team won in 2024.
The Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing was established in 2025 following a $40 million donation from alumni Arnie and Lauren Bellini, the largest donation in USF's history. The college offers eight undergraduate and advanced degree programs, including master's and doctoral degrees.