Best of
Florida Schools 2003
General Categories—Page
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Best Sports
Students Glow
on Court and Course
Still lost in calculus class? Still searching for building "G"? Usually,
being "in the dark" at school is a bad thing, but that's what students at
Brevard Community College and Saint Leo University wanted last
semester.
The BCC Titusville Campus transformed John Henry Jones Gymnatorium into a spectacle of black lights placed every six feet on poles. BCC students and faculty, covered in glow-in-the-dark paint, played in a black-light volleyball tournament. "Students came in and joined the game throughout the day," says Kimberly Prosser, manager of community relations.
St. Leo's Dr. Edward Dadez, vice president for student affairs, suggested glow-in-the-dark golf for students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
The St. Leo University Golf Course was transformed "by inserting a small glow stick into special golf balls and placing glow sticks on the tees and greens," says Catherine Hopkins, Student Government Union president. —LE
Contact Kimberly Prosser at prosserk@brevardcc.edu or Catherine Hopkins at catherine.hopkins@saintleo.edu.
Best-Looking Campus—Public Colleges & Universities
University of Florida
Ivy creeps up the sides of redbrick buildings and trees lumber over
perfectly manicured lawns. But nearby a massive stadium stands tall at the
edge of campus, and alligators bask in the sun not far from sunbathing
students.
The contrast of ivy, bleachers, and nature may seem disorienting, but this is the usual scenery at the University of Florida, where classic architecture co-exists with massive modern sports facilities in beautiful harmony. “There’s a determined effort not to depart from that theme,” says David O’Brien, director of UF’s physical plant department.
The University Auditorium is perhaps the most prevalent example of the collegiate gothic architecture on campus. “It has traditional open-beamed, high ceilings and high windows, almost taking on the characteristics of a cathedral,” O’Brien says.
UF turned a small, natural wetland into manmade Lake Alice, home to alligators, fish, and native vegetation. Built on the edge of the lake is the Baughman Meditation Center, made of Florida cypress, is often used for special occasions—many a UF grad has said wedding vows in this majestic building.
Though much of UF’s focus is preserving the old, there still is a major endeavor to equip the university with the best of the new. The O’Connell Center hosts to Gator basketball games, concerts, and career showcases and houses an indoor pool and one of UF’s many workout facilities. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, fondly known as “The Swamp,” resembles a professional football stadium.
There’s hardly a more recognizable landmark on campus than the 157-foot Century Tower, built in 1953 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the University. The cast-bell carillon serenades the campus with its unusual sound, played daily in informal programs and in longer recitals for special university events. —RGM
Contact O’Brien at daveob@ufl.edu.
Best-Looking Campus—Private
Colleges and Universities
University of Tampa
Charles
Darwin would feel right at home at the University of Tampa, a once
down-and-out school that’s evolving into a downtown treasure. UT has seen a
massive building campaign, revitalization of its plants and grounds, and
historic enrollment growth over the past five years.
UT’s 90-acre campus has been transformed with the addition of three towering, state-of-the-art residence halls, a new College of Business building, a new stadium, a new grand entryway, and a new student life facility, the Vaughn Center, says Grant Donaldson, director of public relations.
As UT’s signature structure, Plant Hall serves as the university’s administrative center. Built in 1891 as the Tampa Bay Hotel, it’s a registered national historic landmark, and the original brick road leads up to its restored exterior. With its Moorish minarets, Plant Hall probably is the most striking feature of the entire city of Tampa’s skyline. “Whether on a bright sunny day with clouds in the background or at night bathed in spotlights, the silver minarets are breathtaking,” says Bob Ruday, dean of students.
Plant Park overlooks the scenic Hillsborough River which borders the UT campus. The landscaping has been improved “200 percent,” with an emphasis on a more "tropical" look,” says Ruday, who adds that the addition of drip irrigation systems in the flowerbeds also saves water, which is particularly critical in the water-starved Tampa Bay area.
“The beauty keeps evolving,” Ruday says. “The style of the newer architecture enhances the older, historical structures on campus so that UT now has the best of both worlds.” —WHOJ
Contact Ruday at bruday@ut.edu, Donaldson at gdonaldson@ut.edu, or visit www.tampa.edu.
Best-Looking Campus—Community Colleges
St. Johns
River Community College
Considering the beauty of St. Augustine, St. Johns River Community
College just did what came naturally when building a branch campus
there. The result? A campus that perfectly blends into America’s oldest
city.
Architect Bob Goodwin and Provost Dr. Glen Moore wanted to capture the flavor of St. Augustine’s unique stucco buildings, red tile roofs, and arched columns when they planned the campus, which opened in 1996. In planning the new criminal justice building, Moore says literally pointed at elements in the ancient city he wanted to incorporate. And despite the flair of the buildings, the cost per square foot to the taxpayers was relatively low. “We planned for cost-effective quality,” Moore says. “Those red barrel-tile roofs should last 50 years or more and are very low maintenance.”
But the architecture is only part of the beauty here. “One of our goals was to have color all four seasons,” Moore says, crediting Mario Rosario and Tim Mouse for extending his vision across the grounds of the campus.
Even the necessary evils of commercial construction got careful planning on this campus. The stormwater run-off pond extends through the center of campus and gives the students a lake view from almost anywhere. The pond was stocked with catfish, bass, and brim, and the occasional fisherman can make quite a catch. “We’ve got 20-pound catfish in there with eight-inch heads, “Moore says. “But we make the fishermen put them back!” He says students often relax around the pond between classes, feed the fish, and just hang out.
“The general public evaluates the college by its outside appearance,” Moore says. “I wanted the outside to reflect the quality of the inside.” —SRR
Contact Moore at moore_g1@firn.edu or visit www.sjrcc.cc.fl.us.
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