Yesterday the University of South Florida Polytechnic held a student recognition ceremony to thank each of its nine student organizations for their contributions to the campus life.

USFP student organizations honored at the event included Delta Sigma Pi, Psychology Club, Black & Hispanic Alliance, Multicultural Leadership Program, Students and Technology in Academia, Research and Service (STARS) Alliance , RoboBulls, Welcome Back Club, Project for New American Citizen, the Polytechnic Leadership Society, and the USFP Student Government Association. 

Dr. Jan Lloyd, dean of students and USFP's founding director of student life, hosted the event. In opening remarks, she noted the phenomenal growth in student organizations over the last couple of years. "Three years ago, we had one organization. Now it seems as though we have new ones starting up all the time. It's an exciting time to be a student at USF Poly."

USFP also presented awards to the following students as outstanding members of specific student organizations: Matt Mays (Delta Sigma Pi); Randall Williams (Multicultural Leadership Program); Amanda Paige-Morris and Elisa Sedgwick (Black & Hispanic Alliance); Bradley Hofstetter (Psychology Club); Deonte Cooper (STARS Alliance). 

Lloyd also recognized USFP's Student Government Association executive officers for 2008-2009: Zach Crum, Brandon Pickard, Matt Mays, Jamie Nance, and Natalie Lahr.

David Steele, director of university advancement, represented USF Poly's CEO, Dr. Marshall Goodman, at the event. In remarks to the honorees and guests, Steele emphasized the university's pride in the contributions and achievements represented in the ceremony. "We are building a new campus and an exciting new model of higher education, and each of you has also been a part of building something new and exciting. We will remember what you have done, and we will honor you not just tonight but always. You are our heroes."

Steele also quoted extensively from the famous "St. Crispian's speech," from Shakespeare's "Henry V," suggesting to the students that "You have created a legacy, and those who haven't invested what you have invested will someday wish they had."

The ceremony concluded with the announcement of USF Poly's new SGA officers for 2009-2010.

According to Lloyd, "This recognition ceremony goes a long way in helping our students know how important they and their organizations are to USF Poly, especially in the sense of creating a community for students and an opportunity to develop their leadership skills. Initial results of an outcomes survey that I am collecting show that 70 percent of students involved in student organizations say the experience has given them a sense of belonging to USFP, and 73 percent said it allowed them to develop new friendships."