Courtesy of USF
By Riley Benson
This fall, The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee is offering up to $4,000 to new and returning students who decide to live in their new residence hall. Those who apply before Feb. 14 will get priority to receiving the scholarship funds.
The scholarships were announced on Jan. 22, during a celebration marking the progress of the residence hall and student center. Sarasota-Manatee Regional-Chancellor, Karen Holbrook, and USF President, Rhea Law, both attended.
“This new facility will transform the student experience in Sarasota-Manatee and allow us to grow our impact in the community,” Law said at the event. “We can’t wait to welcome the first group of students who will live the Bull’s life on campus when the building opens this fall.”
Since it opened in 2006, this is the campus’ first major expansion. The residence hall will accommodate up to 200 students, and will include apartment and suite-style dorms.
Prices for the hall range between $5,000 to $7,000, depending on the style of dorm. Double suites, apartment styles, or the super single suites are available.
There will also be “Living Learning Communities” (LLCs), which are present at all the other campuses. In the Fall, they will be offering three, “Bulls Business Community LLC,” “Education LLC” and “Honors LLC.”
LLCs “are residential communities designed to provide you a cohort experience with peers who share similar academic, career, and co-curricular interests,” explains the 2024-25 Digital Housing Brochure.
This residence hall will change the school from being strictly for commuters, to having a more traditional student population.
Along with the living spaces, the expansion will include a ballroom on the first floor of the student center, along with a new bookstore, dining, meeting rooms and spaces for student government (SG) and other organizations.
While there has been talk of building a residence hall at Sarasota-Manatee for years, construction was officially announced in 2022.
“With on-campus housing, students will have a chance to interact with each other more as well as experience student life on-campus instead of having to commute every day,” said former Sarasota-Manatee SG Governor Evelyn De Oliveira. She is now the Graduate Assistant at USF St. Petersburg’s, Office of Leadership & Student Organizations. “I believe the demand is there even though we are a small campus. It will give students the opportunity to experience living on their own, including international students who want to come to USF but would like the close-knit environment.”
Applications are now open to live on-campus at Sarasota-Manatee, starting the fall of this year, as well as, applications to apply for the housing scholarships.
