SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Dignitaries cut the ribbon Monday for the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s new Campus Student Center and Atala Residence Hall – and a new era in USF’s nearly five-decade history in the region.
USF Sarasota-Manatee, which opened in 1975 and moved to its current location on U.S. 41 across from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in 2006, is no longer just a “commuter school” that educates students who live elsewhere in the community.
It is now a full-service campus, complete with a student center with dining hall, bookstore, study rooms, game room and other amenities, as well as the campus’ first residence hall. Named after a rare tropical butterfly that frequently visits campus, Atala Hall will house 200 students who will help build a new campus community at USF Sarasota-Manatee.
The opening of the new building is a milestone not only for USF Sarasota-Manatee, but for the entire community.
“The University of South Florida is experiencing incredible momentum, and the development of the Sarasota-Manatee campus during this era of growth and opportunity is a powerful reminder of how far we have come as an institution,” said USF President Rhea Law. “The students who will soon move into the new Campus Student Center and Atala Residence Hall will collectively make history as the first USF Bulls to live, learn and grow in this transforming facility. We look forward to seeing the ways they will contribute to our campus community.”
The new building has received widespread support from the Florida Board of Governors to the USF Board of Trustees and President Law. But perhaps the most important support came from Sarasota-Manatee students, who voted to have a portion of the activity and service fees they pay annually go toward the $43.9 million construction costs.
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