The new stadium at USF will bring a new wave of culture to the campus
By Paloma Welch and Maysie Rollins, 1st Place News Writing
The University of South Florida is building a new stadium at five potential campus locations over the next few years to host their South Florida Bulls football team.
“USF has their own identity, excitement, and fans, so they deserve it,” expresses Evita Ortiz, the Senior Graphic Designer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “[The Buccaneers] are excited about USF’s new stadium and will attend their games to support them.”
For 25 years, the USF Bulls have utilized the Raymond James stadium – home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – for their collegiate football games. Though the USF Bulls have a highly advanced practice facility center, possessing a home stadium for the team and the student body will enhance the quality of sports and culture at USF.
The developing football stadium at USF will promote culture and spirit amongst the student body and faculty. Students will form memories that connect them with their alma mater. During the annual Homecoming week, alums will return to their home field to relive the USF experience.
“I feel like adding a stadium to our campus will increase the sense of community and student turnout at the games,” USF Senior Jenarose Hodge said. “More people will go because it’s more convenient and will give us a stronger sense of school pride.”
As the USF Board of Directors approved, the USF Bulls stadium will cost approximately $340 million. USF has obtained $200 million for this stadium from the USF Financing Corporation, with plans to repay with athletic revenue over time. The Capital Improvement Trust Fund and Tampa General Hospital are two local corporations contributing to the stadium fund.
Universities in the United States acquire a hefty portion of revenue through football culture. As reported by Sports Illustrated, Ohio State University generated $250 million from its college sports program in 2022. USF will pay back all loans for the stadium with the earnings rendered from the upcoming Bulls stadium.
“I’ve heard that it is harder to make friends in college, so [the football stadium] will be a good opportunity to meet my classmates and make friends,” according to Sarah Gangaram, a Wharton High School senior who plans to attend USF next year.
As well as the social engagement the stadium will perpetuate through football culture, many other uses will enhance the community at USF. The stadium will likely hold six home football games per fall season. However, the boundaries of the stadium’s use surpass just football.
The USF Bulls women’s lacrosse team plans to host approximately 10-12 games per season at the stadium. Student life will flourish here as the stadium will allow USF to hold indoor and outdoor sporting events, festivals, concerts, and additional programming. After its opening, seniors at USF will graduate in their home stadium, sharing memories linked to USF and the stadium’s construction for the rest of their lives.
USF expects construction on the new USF Bulls stadium to be completed by 2027.
Fashion at FSPA
By Olivia Moore, 1st Place Tiktok Challenge
https://www.tiktok.com/@livvvv.moore/video/7294288998569233695?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7296132618088695342
Print is Out, Prejudice is In
By Ava John, 3rd Place Poetry Contest
Would it satisfy you
If I squeezed into your statistic?
Would your concern shift
To the bloodshed in Gaza,
The war in Ukraine,
The hurricane in Acapulco?
Would it help if I got off my phone,
Away from the news
Away from your news?
Tell me, do you want my engagement,
Do you need my engagement?
Where would you be without my likes,
My shares,
My views?
Would you prefer I subscribe to your print edition?
(word of mouth)/(Lips to spread your gospel)
Will you delete your instagram account,
If I delete mine?
If I can’t afford your fee,
Will you still tell me the news?
So please,
Does my involvement bother you?
Or does my statistic fuel yours?
The American Age Crisis
By Sasha Kelley, Opinion Writing Contest
As the fall term concludes and final grades are entered many students begin to feel the stress of school come down upon them. Long class periods everyday, homework every night, and extracurriculars taking up the free time to do it all. With the continuous pressure to perform for hours at a time students begin to question if the effort matches the return. But what exactly can be changed to help a student relieve their stress and maximize their time?
In this sense homeschool students feel as though they are able to accomplish more tasks and spend more time on individual assignments, they also find it less stressful to complete work in their home environment. An interview with a homeschooled High school senior and a public in person high school student was conducted in order to weigh the pros and cons between the two.
Many people currently believe homeschool to be an untraditional route and socially restricting. Gavin Gassler, a high school senior, believes the success of online students is entirely dependent on their personality. “If I were to be a more social person I think I would do great in in-person schooling, but I find that I work best when it’s just me” he states. While flexible schedules and solitude are great, what are the potential downsides? Gavin says that oftentimes he can feel unmotivated and there’s no one to hold him accountable.
On the flipside, in-person high school junior Grace Ipalawatte loves the social aspect of schooling and says she learns much more insight from her in class conversations with peers. Although timing is tight and school gets stressful she thinks it’s both the support system of faculty and staff that make things easier on her.
Regardless of which type of school is deemed “best” or “most successful” its the type of student that matters. Introverts vs. Extroverts, Independent learning vs. Collaborative learning, and Strict schedules vs. Flexible schedules. These are all wrapped up in deciding which type of student one is in order to select the schooling that is right for them.
