The University of Florida is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. The university traces its origins to 1853 and has operated continuously on its Gainesville campus since September 1906.
The Golden Key International Honour Society is an Atlanta, Georgia-based non-profit organization founded in 1977 to recognize academic achievement among college and university students. Membership into Golden Key is offered to undergraduate and graduate students recognized to be among the top 15% of their class by GPA.
The Iron Arrow Honor Society is an honor society at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. It is the highest honor that the university can bestow upon someone.
Zeta Beta Tau (ΖΒΤ) is a Greek-letter social fraternity based in North America. It was founded on December 29, 1898. Originally a Zionist youth society, its purpose changed from the Zionism of the fraternity's early years when, in 1954, the fraternity became non-sectarian and open to non-Jewish members, changing its membership policy to include "All Men of Good Character" regardless of religious or ethnic background, while still being recognized as the first Jewish Fraternity.
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, popularly known as "The Swamp", is a football stadium on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville and the home field of the Florida Gators football team. It was originally known as Florida Field when it opened as a 22,000-seat facility in 1930, and it has been expanded and renovated many times over the ensuing decades. Most of the university's athletic administrative offices, along with most football-related offices and training areas, have been located in the stadium since the 1960s. Most of the football program's facilities are slated to move to a nearby $60 million building that began construction in 2020.
Albert Alexander Murphree was an American college professor and university president. Murphree was a native of Alabama, and became a mathematics instructor after earning his bachelor's degree. He later served as the third president of Florida State College from 1897 to 1909, and the second president of the University of Florida from 1909 to 1927. Murphree is the only person to have been the president of both of Florida's original state universities, the University of Florida and Florida State University, and he played an important role in the organization, growth and ultimate success of both institutions.
Omicron Delta Kappa (ΟΔΚ), also known as The Circle and ODK, is an honor society located in the United States with chapters at more than 300 college campuses. It was founded on December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by fifteen student and faculty leaders. The society recognizes achievement in five areas: scholarship; athletics; campus and community service, social or religious activities, and campus government; journalism, speech, and the mass media; and creative and performing arts. Some circles of ΟΔΚ are quasi-secret, in that newly selected members remain undisclosed for some time.
There are many collegiate secret societies in North America. They vary greatly in their level of secrecy and the degree of independence from their universities. A collegiate secret society makes a significant effort to keep affairs, membership rolls, signs of recognition, initiation, or other aspects secret from the public.
Marshall McAllister Criser, Jr. is an American corporate lawyer and former university administrator. Criser is a native of New Jersey, and earned his bachelor's and law degrees before becoming a practicing attorney. He was the eighth president of the University of Florida, serving from 1984 to 1989.
Gator Growl, produced by Florida Blue Key with artists funded by Student Government Productions, is a student-run pep rally at the University of Florida that was founded in 1924. It marks the culmination of Homecoming Week at the university.
Senior societies at University of Pennsylvania are an important part of student life.
The University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band, also known as The Pride of the Sunshine, is the official marching band for the University of Florida. The current era of the band is also referred to as The Sound of the Gator Nation. They perform at every Florida Gators home football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and also at various other events such as pep rallies, parades, and the annual Orange and Blue spring scrimmage game. A full band usually travels to two away games a year while at other games a small/medium-sized pep band will attend. Members of the Gator Band, as well as other University of Florida students, are encouraged to join other ensembles such as concert band, jazz band, basketball band, and volleyball band. The twirlers for the Gator Band are referred to as the Gatorettes and the color guard is called the Florida Visual Ensemble.
The Burning Spear Society, commonly referred to as Burning Spear or Spear, is a secret society of students and alumni at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, founded in 1993. Although little information is publicly available on the dealings of the organization, members have cited the provision of political, professional and financial support of student leaders and efforts that strengthen the public standing of Florida State University. While its membership and processes are closely guarded, it is believed that, in addition to notable alumni, students deemed influential from established campus organizations are tapped to join the ranks each semester, hailing from various factions of campus such as the Student Government Association, Greek Life Councils, the Student Alumni Association, Seminole Student Boosters, and the Garnet & Gold Key Honor Society.
Cooperative Living Organization (CLO), formerly Collegiate Living Organization, in Gainesville, Florida, is one of the oldest continuously operating independent student-governed cooperative living organizations in the United States. The 89-year-old organization has provided over 2000 financially disadvantaged students an opportunity for a University of Florida education while providing experience in independent and socially responsible living by pooled resources and self-governance.
Stephen Cornelius O'Connell was an American attorney, appellate judge and university president. O'Connell was a native of Florida, and earned bachelor's and law degrees before becoming a practicing attorney. He later was chosen to be a justice of the Florida Supreme Court from 1955 to 1967, and served as the sixth president of the University of Florida from 1967 to 1973.
Alfred Coard "Al" Warrington, IV is a former American accountant and business executive. Warrington was a managing partner of Arthur Andersen and the co-founder of Sanifill, Inc., a company which ultimately merged to create the new Waste Management, Inc. Warrington is an alumnus and significant benefactor of the University of Florida, and has held various positions in the governance of the university and its related organizations.
The J. Wayne Reitz Union is the student union of the University of Florida, located on Museum Road on the university campus in Gainesville, Florida, United States. The union was named in honor of J. Wayne Reitz, the fifth president of the university, who served from 1955 to 1967. The building, which was originally completed in 1967, contains dining facilities, meeting rooms, offices, a computer lab, a game room, an outdoor amphitheater, retail stores, a movie theater and a hotel.
The Gator Guard Drill Team, abbreviated GGDT, is a precision drill team and military fraternity based at the University of Florida (UF). The team is named after the Florida Gator, the mascot of the UF. Founded in 1953, the Gator Guard is most widely known for its annual performances in the New Orleans Mardi Gras Parades. In 2016, the team consisted of 31 active male and female members. And would frequently chant, "Go Gators!"
The University of Florida Inter-Residence Hall Association (IRHA) is a student organization of the University of Florida that acts as an association of on-campus undergraduate residents and represents them to the university housing department. IRHA is a residence hall association (RHA) and is the exclusive such organization for University of Florida undergraduates. The organization is one of the largest student organizations on campus and, historically, one of the most influential on university policy.
