USF Health welcomes record class of medical students
TAMPA — The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine has welcomed the strongest incoming class in its history, with a record-breaking academic profile that places the students among the most accomplished in the nation.
The 140 students of the Class of 2030 arrived with a median MCAT score of 521, equal to the 98th percentile nationally, or the top 2% of all test-takers based on current national scoring data. It represents the highest median MCAT score ever recorded by an incoming class at the University of South Florida.
New college highs were also achieved for GPA, with a median overall GPA of 3.98 and median science GPA of 3.99. Taken together, the new cohort’s academic credentials stand alongside the strongest at any medical school in the country.
Earlier this year, the school earned the highest Tier 1 rating for research from U.S. News & World Report, one of only 16 medical schools nationwide to receive the designation. USF became the first medical school in Florida to achieve Tier 1 status in 2025 and is the only one in the state to have held the honor in consecutive years.
USF sets new records for donor support
TAMPA — The University of South Florida set new fundraising records in the fiscal year that ended June 30, including an all-time high in the number of total donors and first-time donors, university officials report.
This marked USF’s fifth consecutive year of record-breaking philanthropy.
Overall, USF received more than $172 million in private support, the second-highest fundraising year in university history.
The gifts came from a record 70,177 donors, with more than 30 gifts of $1 million or more. In addition, there was a 20% increase, of which 15,798 were first-time donors. These investments contribute to a variety of areas, including groundbreaking research, state-of-the-art facilities, as well as student scholarships and initiatives. Limayem became president in February 2026 and over that time USF raised more than $100 million.
Over the past three years, philanthropy to the university has averaged more than $175 million annually, contributing to over $944 million in gifts to USF since 2020. The university now manages more than $1 billion in assets, including an $850 million endowment — a permanent investment fund that generates support for scholarships, academic and athletic programs, along with research and other priorities.
Of the fiscal year donors, 50% were alumni.
USF gifted $1M for risk, insurance program
TAMPA — The University of South Florida has received a $1 million gift from Florida Surplus Lines Service Office to benefit USF’s Baldwin Group School of Risk Management and Insurance (The Baldwin Group School) in the Muma College of Business. The funding will establish the Florida Surplus Lines Insurance Directorship within the college.
The endowment will support The Baldwin Group School’s growth by expanding educational and experiential learning opportunities in risk management and insurance, with a focus on excess and surplus lines insurance.
This investment builds on an established partnership between The Baldwin Group School and FSLSO. From internships and on-campus engagements to national and international experiential learning opportunities and mentorship programs, FSLSO provides USF students with educational experiences that enhance the school’s efforts to recruit and develop the next generation of risk professionals.
The surplus lines industry provides coverage for specialized and complex risks, ranging from hurricane-exposed coastal properties to emerging cybersecurity threats.