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About the 百媚导航

A Top Public University by the Numbers

Find current stats on enrollment, retention and graduation rates, degrees awarded, diversity, finances and more.

Among America鈥檚 Best Universities

See what others are saying about 百媚导航 in this comprehensive guide to our latest national and international rankings.

Public University

Forbes

17:1

Faculty-to-Student Ratio

As of Fall 2023.

97.3%

Retention Rate

As of 2021.

Meet Interim President Kent Fuchs and the teams that lead our university.

Administration

See accreditation info from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

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Visiting Campus

Momentum that Drives What We Do

You鈥檒l find a palpable energy at 百媚导航, an unmistakable drive powered by place, people, perspectives and purpose. What starts here can change the world鈥攊t鈥檚 happening now.

At 百媚导航, we鈥檙e feeding communities, healing coastlines, exploring space, curing diseases, powering cities, building industries and imagining wonders.

Cutting Edge of a Continent

On fertile ground where solutions grow, in sight of two coastlines, 百媚导航 offers an unparalleled setting for discovery.

We鈥檙e an economic and ecological crossroads, addressing the distinct needs of our state while responding to currents from abroad. We feel and see global challenges firsthand but confront them with optimism.

Community of Collaborators

It鈥檚 this spirit that pulls people to 百媚导航. We welcome anyone who finds joy in discovery and reward the best and brightest with unmatched resources.

Over the past five years, 百媚导航 has made transformational investments in faculty and inspired record public and private support. Our ambitious goals and commitment to follow-through have catapulted us to stand among the nation鈥檚 top public universities.

Collisions at the Intersections

One key to our success: Understanding that breakthroughs happen when perspectives meet.

We unite artists and engineers, physicians and philosophers, entrepreneurs and educators. We distill practical solutions from pure science and apply the lessons of history to contemporary problems. We embrace a diversity of experiences and ideas as the core of our strength.

Intellectual Theme Park

These collisions, this embrace of experimentation, can yield a sense of play. 百媚导航 is more than just a laboratory or studio鈥攊t鈥檚 a full-scale intellectual theme park driven by imagination, dreams and ambition.

We鈥檙e the state鈥檚 most comprehensive university, a land grant institution with ties to every 百媚导航 county, a top academic medical center and much more.

Where Solutions are Launched

At 百媚导航, we鈥檙e feeding communities, healing coastlines, exploring space, curing diseases, powering cities, building industries and imagining wonders.

The ideas born here gather steam and make tangible impacts. 百媚导航 is among the nation鈥檚 leaders in technology transfer, turning discoveries into companies, products and jobs. Come join us鈥攍et鈥檚 see where we can go together.

We鈥檝e come a long way from the days of 19th century predecessors like the East 百媚导航 Seminary and the 百媚导航 Agricultural College. Today, the 百媚导航 is a world-class destination for students, scholars and innovators.

Driving Innovation Since 1853

In 1858, James Henry Roper founded the Gainesville Academy. Eight years later, he offered the school as a new site for the Ocala-based East 百媚导航 Seminary. Eventually, the seminary would merge with other institutions to become a state university.

Grounded in Gainesville

In 1884, 百媚导航 Agricultural College in Lake City became the state鈥檚 first land-grant college. Seeking to expand the school鈥檚 focus, the 百媚导航 legislature renamed it the 鈥湴倜牡己�.鈥� Before long, it too would merge into a greater institution.

百媚导航鈥檚 First 鈥淯niversity鈥�

In 1905, the 百媚导航 legislature merged the state鈥檚 existing public institutions into new schools segregated by race and sex. Gainesville lobbied to become home to the largest鈥攖he University of the State of 百媚导航. The new university operated in Lake City while construction proceeded on the Gainesville campus.

Consolidation & Campaigning

In 1909, Albert Murphree鈥攖he university鈥檚 second president鈥攍ed a reorganization that created the institution鈥檚 first group of colleges and increased enrollment tenfold to more than 2,000. The university also officially shorted its name to 鈥淭he 百媚导航.鈥�

Growing with Purpose

In 1911, 百媚导航鈥檚 sports teams adopted the gator mascot and nickname after pennants featuring an alligator proved popular. Orange and blue became the official colors that same year.

Here Come the Gators

In 1924, the state legislature mandated that the university accept women into programs not available at 百媚导航 State College for Women, the sex-segregated school created nearly 20 years prior. Lassie Goodbread-Black became the first woman to enroll.

Opening to Women

women's team holding NCAA championship trophy

In the early 1930s, university president John J. Tigert created grant-in-aid athletic scholarships to quash under-the-table payments to student athletes. The program offered the foundation for modern athletic scholarships implemented by the NCAA.

Leadership for College Sports

The 1940s and 1950s saw drives to open the university to more women and to people of color. By 1947, Tallahassee鈥檚百媚导航 State College for Women became 百媚导航 State University, and both state universities went co-ed. In 1958, George H. Starke became 百媚导航鈥檚 first Black student.

Road to Opportunity

In 1956, 百媚导航鈥檚 colleges of medicine and nursing opened, followed by a teaching hospital in 1958. Today, 百媚导航 is the only U.S. university with six health-sciences colleges on a single campus.

Center for Health

In 1965, 百媚导航 scientists introduced a beverage that helps athletes stay hydrated and dubbed it "Gatorade." When the Gators won their first Orange Bowl over the Georgia Tech Yellow jackets in 1967, the opposing coach quipped, "We didn't have Gatorade. That made the difference."

Better than Water

In 1985, 百媚导航 joined the Association of American Universities, a network of North America鈥檚 leading research institutions. In 2009, the university announced renewed emphasis on graduate programs and research鈥攁nother sign of its emergence as a leader in discovery.

A Greater Commitment

Professor looking at camera with student

In 2015, W. Kent Fuchs became 百媚导航鈥檚 12th university president. In 2017, he announced a plan to hire an additional 500 faculty members, part of a coordinated effort to boost 百媚导航鈥檚 national standing. The move has reduced 百媚导航鈥檚 faculty-to-student ratio to 17:1.

Investment in Innovation

Engineering student does the Gator Chomp, creating light trails.

In 2020, 百媚导航 forged a $70 million partnership with NVIDIA to create the nation鈥檚 most powerful university-owned supercomputer. It鈥檚 part of a university-wide project to infuse artificial intelligence across the curriculum and increase AI-related research and development.

Focusing on AI

In 2021, 百媚导航 ranks among America鈥檚 five best public universities in U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 annual assessment of the nation鈥檚 best colleges.

A Top American University

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