USF St. Petersburg is an urban university that aims to integrate seamlessly into the fabric of the city and region, enhancing opportunities for students, businesses and the public. This community roundup series highlights the ways that USF faculty, staff, students and administration are active in the community. If you’d like to engage with USF St. Petersburg, or are a campus staff, faculty or student interested in engaging with the community, please contact Caryn Nesmith, Community Relations Director.
First ever Camp Bullseye invites middle schoolers to find environmental solutions

From July 7-11, 2025, Camp Bullseye, a collaboration between USF and the City of St. Petersburg, welcomed 50 students from six local middle schools for a hands-on experience in marine science, entrepreneurship and digital marketing. These three fields play a vital role in the St. Petersburg area and showcase popular majors at USF St. Petersburg. The residential camp gave these students the opportunity of living on a college campus, while hands-on learning and interdisciplinary collaborative experiences enabled them to identify a local marine science issue, applying entrepreneurial thinking and digital storytelling to develop innovative solutions. On the final day, campers pitched their solutions while their families and community leaders watched.
The initiative aligns with Mayor Ken Welch’s ‘Education & Youth Opportunities’ Pillar for Progress by fostering education, economic opportunity and environmental stewardship. It also ensures that St. Pete’s next generation is equipped with the skills and knowledge to drive innovation and sustainability in our community. Learn more here.
Undergraduate Researchers Dive into Innovation

This summer, undergraduate students from across the country are gaining hands-on research experience through three prestigious internship programs hosted at USF St. Petersburg. The campus welcomed 11 students in the Making Waves Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in marine science; 10 in the SAIL program (funded by the Florida High Tech Corridor) and supporting students in their first research experience across a range of disciplines; and four interns from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In addition to their on-campus research, students explored some of the region’s most innovative institutions - including the Florida Institute of Oceanography, where they boarded the Western Flyer research vessel; the simulation lab at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital; the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub, where they learned about lunar data centers at Lonestar Data Holdings Inc.; and the U.S. Geological Survey’s St. Pete Coastal and Marine Science Center for a hands-on lesson in core sampling. Their work will be showcased at the 2nd Annual Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium at Nelson Poynter Memorial Library on July 23 from 3–5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Come support the next generation of researchers and innovators! Learn more here.
Data Literacy project offers two free resources

In collaboration with the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg Library System and USF Libraries have created and published two free online courses called “Data is for Everyone” and “Finding Reliable Data.” Both are free, take about an hour and are available here. These resources are part of St. Petersburg Data Literacy for Community Action (DLCA), a community-based project focusing on educating our community and non-profit leaders on understanding, finding and using data to make positive policy changes in our local community. Focusing on data related to health behaviors, clinical care, social & economic factors and physical environment, a collaborative team of educators are working with the community to begin a process of understanding and using data effectively.
10th Anniversary of St Pete Strong brings 500 Pinellas Youth for day of empowerment

USF St. Petersburg hosted the St. Pete Strong Youth Conference on June 30th, bringing 500 Pinellas County middle and high school students to our campus. Students got the opportunity to engage in robotics demonstrations, practice “Shark-Tank” business pitches, tour research vessels, learn to write songs and more. St. Pete Strong is organized by The Dreamfaith Foundation and its founder Deonte Thompson, who was born and raised in South St. Pete and has worked in the technology field for 21 years. He started the non-profit in 2008 to empower students through conferences, scholarships, mentoring and STEAM workshops in underserved communities. It is his passion to spread a positive message of hope and empowerment to the world. The St. Pete Strong Youth Conference, now in its 10th year, helps students envision themselves on a college campus and begin thinking about career opportunities.
Alumni Engagement position back at long last

Samantha Fiore, a USF advisor on the Pinellas Access to Higher Education (PATHe) team, has accepted a new role as Assistant Director of St. Petersburg Alumni Engagement with the USF Alumni Association. A familiar face to many students and families, Sam will now focus on cultivating alumni connections, overseeing the Bulls and Brews annual event to raise student scholarships and supporting the USF Pinellas Alumni Chapter. Samantha will also work across the university to connect alumni with opportunities to engage with the St. Petersburg campus and the broader USF community.
Panelists discuss the Future of Innovation in St. Pete

On June 25, the Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association hosted a dynamic panel on campus featuring local innovators from Power Design, ISOCRATES, Wing and more. Topics ranged from tech and sustainability to inclusive growth. Sponsored by the Parc Center for Disabilities, this event fostered conversations and connections around shaping the future of St. Pete.
Storm Squad Town Hall
Mark your calendar. On July 19 from 9am to 1pm at the Islamic Society of St. Petersburg, residents can learn about the “Storm Squad,” a grassroots emergency preparedness initiative led by USF researchers and local neighborhood leaders. The project builds resilience in flood-prone areas by training residents to act as connectors between their communities and emergency officials. Founded by Dr. Barnali Dixon, this initiative is part of USF’s broader commitment to coastal adaptation and resilience. Learn more here.