History

1963

Establishment of the University of West Florida

May: Following a feasibility study that demonstrated the need for a university in Northwest Florida, the Florida Legislature allocates funding to develop UWF, which became the sixth out of twelve institutions of higher learning in the State University System of Florida.

1964

President Crosby

July: Dr. Harold Crosby assumes office as the first UWF president. Crosby oversees construction of the campus and a litany of firsts for the University including the undergraduate programs receiving accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the UWF Foundation being chartered, the opening of the John C. Pace Library and the establishment of the UWF Fort Walton Beach Center.

1965

Groundbreaking

April: Groundbreaking for UWF takes place on April 16, 1965, on the 13 parcels of land that Escambia County purchased for $1.2 million.

Official Emblem

May: President Crosby selects the chambered nautilus as the official emblem. This was selected alongside the poem, "The Chambered Nautilus" by Oliver Wendell Holmes.

1966

President's Office

June: President Crosby moves into Building 10, one of the first three completed buildings.

1967

First Semester of Classes

September: UWF opens as an upper division school, with students enrolling in Fall 1967.

University Mascot Chosen

November: The student body selects the Argonauts, the crew of the ship Argo who sought to capture the golden fleece under the leadership of Jason in Greek mythology, as the mascot.

UWF Athletics

December: The men’s basketball team beats Valdosta State 76-75 in the first athletics event for a UWF team. UWF fields three men’s teams—basketball, golf and tennis—during the school year.

1968

Library Dedication

January: President Crosby dedicates the library to John C. Pace, a prominent supporter of higher education in Northwest Florida and first chairman of the State Board of Regents.

The Voyager

May: UWF students inaugurate the campus newspaper, The Voyager.

Inaugural Commencement Ceremony

June: The first commencement ceremony is held, with 58 students receiving degrees.

1969

Graduate Programs

May: The Board of Trustees approves the first master’s programs in English, Elementary Education and History to begin in September that same year. The Board also approves courses leading to master’s degrees in Professional Education and Aeronautical Systems beginning in September.

1970

Athletics NAIA Membership

August: After being admitted in April, the UWF athletic department begins its membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

1972

First Greek-letter Organization

February: Alpha Delta Pi Sorority is chartered as the first Greek-letter organization at UWF.

1973

First Interfraternity Council Organization

January: Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity is chartered as the first Interfraternity Council organization at UWF.

1974

First National Pan-Hellenic Council Organization

June: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is chartered as the first National Pan-Hellenic Council organization at UWF.

President Robinson

December: Dr. James Robinson takes the helm as president and serves for nearly 14 years in that role. UWF expands significantly under his watch. The University starts admitting freshmen and sophomores and establishes the campus art gallery, Edward Ball Nature Trail, Small Business Development Center, aquatic center, WUWF-FM, computer center and baseball and softball teams.

1979

Traditional Colleges Organization

July: The University organizes into a traditional structure by establishing three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and the College of Education. UWF previously operated with three resident colleges, Alpha, Gamma and Omega, designed for upper-level and graduate students.

1981

Establishment of WUWF

January: WUWF Public Radio makes its inaugural broadcast. The station was established with a mission to create a more informed public—one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. Through innovative community partnerships, the station produces, acquires and distributes programming that meets the highest standards of public service in journalism and cultural expression.

1983

Fort Walton Beach Expansion

August: UWF and Okaloosa Walton Community College, now Northwest Florida State College, open a joint-education facility at the former Oakland Heights Elementary School.

Freshmen Enroll

August: UWF establishes a lower division and freshmen enroll for the first time after authorization from the Florida Legislature.

1988

Academic Realignment

July: The Department of Computer Science moves from the College of Business into a fourth college, the College of Science and Technology.

President Marx

September: Dr. Morris Marx assumes the presidency and serves for 14 years before retiring in 2002. Marx oversees significant expansion, highlighted by the opening of the Fort Walton Beach location and ushering in education specialist program and facilities such as the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, College of Education Complex, student services building, psychology building, residence halls and on-campus apartments.

1991

CFPA Expansion

October: President Marx dedicates the newly opened Center for Fine & Performing Arts as the heart of artistic expression for UWF and a primary destination for arts and culture in Northwest Florida.

1992

New Fort Walton Beach Location

August: UWF and Okaloosa Walton Community College, now Northwest Florida State College, build and open a new joint location where the two institutions administer their programs.

1993

National Champions

May: The UWF softball team wins the NAIA softball national championship, marking the first team national championship in UWF athletics history.

1994

NCAA Membership

August: The University transitions from the NAIA to full membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II and the Gulf South Conference.

1995

Library Renovation and Expansion

September: UWF unveils an expanded and renovated John C. Pace Library, featuring the addition of the eastside structure, which includes distinctive, curved first and second floors and a four-story stairwell.  

1999

Academic Realignment Continuation

August: The colleges reorganize into the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and the College of Professional Studies.

2001

First NCAA National Title

May: The men’s golf team wins the first NCAA Division II national championship in UWF athletics history.

UWF Historic Trust

July: Following a repeal by the Florida Legislature, the Historic Pensacola Preservation Board transfers its building and collections to UWF. West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. is established as a direct support organization of the University. In 2013, the organization’s name changes to UWF Historic Trust to emphasize that the sites, structures, collections, programs and exhibits of the organization represent a public trust.

2002

President Cavanaugh

July: Dr. John Cavanaugh becomes president and serves for six years. Under his guidance, the Florida Legislature approves a four-year nursing program at UWF, the University establishes a degree in hospitality, recreation and resort management and graduate classes in historic preservation begin in Historic Pensacola Village. Also, UWF survives Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Dennis in 2005 and becomes a national model for disaster planning and preparedness.

2004

Men's Tennis First NCAA National Title

May: The men’s tennis team wins its first NCAA Division II national championship.

2005

Men's Tennis Second NCAA National Title

May: The men’s tennis team wins its second consecutive NCAA Division II national championship.

2006

Health, Leisure and Sports Facility

March: The new Health, Leisure and Sports Facility opens, which includes offices, classrooms and labs for use by recreation and academic departments, as well as a 10,000-square-foot fitness center, racquetball courts, an indoor running track, multiple gyms and workout spaces and a 36-foot climbing wall.

2008

Men's Golf Second NCAA National Title

May: The men’s golf team wins its second NCAA Division II national championship in University history.

President Bense

July: Dr. Judith Bense takes office as the fifth UWF president and serves for eight years before retiring in 2016. Bense focuses on growth and visibility while enhancing the student experience and creating partnerships to make UWF a first-choice university. She builds a network of community partners and identifies regional workforce needs, and UWF increases its enrollment and strengthens its academic programs during her tenure.

2010

Science and Engineering Building

February: UWF opens a new science and engineering facility. The $30.6 million, state-funded building embodies the principles of Project Kaleidoscope, an advocate in the U.S. for building and sustaining strong undergraduate programs in science, technology, engineering and math fields.

First Multicultural Greek Council Organization

March: Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. is charted as the first Multicultural Greek Council organization at UWF.

Heritage Hall

August: Heritage Hall opens to offer housing that eases the transition from a traditional residence hall to living in an apartment. Programming in Heritage Hall is designed for students in their first year to senior year at UWF.

2011

Baseball First NCAA National Title

June: The UWF baseball team wins the NCAA Division II national championship.

Military and Veterans Resouce Center Opens

October: UWF's Military and Veterans Resource Center was founded to provide active duty service members, veterans and military-affiliated students support throughout their educational experience.

Student Wellness Center

December: The Student Wellness Center, totaling 16,144 square feet, opens and houses Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Services and Wellness Services.

2012

College of Business Education Center

August: The College of Business opens a brand new facility, offering a state-of-the-art location for business students to gather, study and network on campus. The three-story, 44,380-square-foot College of Business Education Center provides modern, high-tech conveniences for engaging in interactive learning.

Presidents Hall

August: UWF opens its newest residence hall, Presidents Hall. The twin of Heritage Hall, Presidents Hall houses 250 residents in a suite-style building with both double and single rooms.

College Reorganization

August: The former three-college structure transitions into four academic colleges: College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities; College of Education and Professional Studies; College of Science, Engineering and Health; and the College of Business. Additionally, UWF launches University College to concentrate on professional readiness and transformative learning experiences.

Women's Soccer First NCAA National Title

December: Women's soccer wins the NCAA Division II national championship.

2014

UWF Center for Cybersecurity

April: UWF Innovation Institute launches the Center for Cybersecurity, providing a hub for research on cybersecurity and opportunities for students to move into high-demand career fields through collaborative partnerships.

Men's Tennis Third NCAA National Title

May: The men’s tennis team wins its third NCAA Division II national championship.

2015

College of Health

August: UWF announces the formation of the College of Health, dividing the former College of Science, Engineering and Health into two separate colleges in order to position the University as a major player in the development of innovative solutions to substantial health care challenges.

Luna Settlement

December: UWF identifies the archaeological site of the Luna settlement in a developed neighborhood in Pensacola. The first multi-year European settlement in the United States existed from 1559-1561.

2016

Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering

January: Hal Marcus donates $5 million to the College of Science and Engineering. The college is named the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering, becoming the first named college at UWF.

Pensacola Museum of Art

June: UWF takes ownership of the Pensacola Museum of Art. This agreement complements art education at UWF as the University assumes responsibility for nurturing an endowment and maintaining the museum’s art collection—including several hundred pieces of 20th- and 21st-century art on paper, as well as three-dimensional works.

Inaugural Football Season

September: UWF football kicks off its inaugural season under Head Coach Pete Shinnick. Argos beat Ave Maria 45-0 in their opener and proceed to sell out each of their five home games at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

50th Anniversary Capital Campaign Public Phase

November: UWF publicly launches its 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign with a fundraising goal of $50 million. This marks the largest capital campaign in University history. The quiet phase of the campaign started in January 2011 and the campaign lasts through the end of 2017.

2017

President Saunders

January: Dr. Martha Saunders assumes the presidency after previously serving in a variety of roles, including provost and executive vice president. President Saunders’ vision for UWF is for it to grow beyond its beginnings as a regional comprehensive university. She plans to build on the University’s strengths and its undergraduate traditions while creating programs that will attract the faculty and research funding needed to make the leap to the next level.

Usha Kundu, MD College of Health

February: Dr. Usha and Mahadeb Kundu donate a gift in excess of $5 million to name the UWF College of Health the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health, marking the second UWF named college.

Division Changes

January: The University creates the Division of Research and Strategic Innovation to advance the state’s economy and strengthens its workforce by nurturing and applying innovative ideas in funded research, scholarship, business development, strategic partnerships and outreach.

July: The University merges the Division of Student Affairs and Office of Enrollment Affairs to create a new Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs to focus on student recruitment, admissions, strategic graduation initiatives, student life programs and high-quality services that support student success. The new Division of Academic Engagement supports students as they make the journey to graduation and entry-level employment.

Reubin O'D. Askew Institute for Multidisciplinary Studies

April: In 2017, Pensacola attorney and community advocate Fred Levin donated $550,000 to establish the Reubin O’D. Askew Institute for Multidisciplinary Studies, in honor of his late partner. The Institute is a place for possibility, where experts come together across disciplines to solve real-world problems and inspire important research. With an emphasis on STEAM integration, the Reubin O’D. Askew Institute for Multidisciplinary Studies will increase the visibility of science, technology, engineering, arts and math initiatives to coordinate partnerships and research opportunities throughout the region.

Men's Tennis Fourth NCAA National Title

May: The men’s tennis team wins its fourth NCAA Division II national championship.

Ranked Top 3

June: UWF ranks in the top three public universities for the Florida Board of Governors performance-based funding model.

First Division II Football National Title Game Appearance

December: UWF's football team becomes an NCAA II 2017 National Finalist, in only the team's second year on the field.

2018

UWF’s President’s Club at Timeless Tanglewood

January: Attorney and local community advocate Fred Levin gifted his multi-million dollar waterfront home and estate to the University. The donation included much of the renovated home’s contents, including works of art and collectibles, totaling more than $8 million to mark the largest gift by a living donor in the University's history. The property, previously known as Timeless Tanglewood, is now known as the UWF’s President’s Club at Timeless Tanglewood.

Reubin O'D. Askew Department of Government

January: In recognition of attorney Fred Levin’s continuous support of the University and in honor of the outstanding service and commitment of former Florida Governor Reubin O’D. Askew, UWF officially named the Department of Government as the Reubin O’D. Askew Department of Government in January 2018. Askew served as the 37th governor of Florida for two terms from 1971-1979 and was Levin’s personal friend and law partner. This marks the first academic department formally named at the University.

Successful 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign

January: UWF exceeds its campaign goal and raises $64.7 million by almost 20,000 donors, including 55 planned gifts and nearly $18 million in scholarships.

Louis A. Maygarden, Jr. Center for Financial Literacy

February: The Consumer Credit Counseling Service of West Florida donates $1.5 million to establish the Louis A. Maygarden, Jr. Center for Financial Literacy at the UWF College of Business. The center aims to improve the financial literacy of students and the citizens of Northwest Florida through counseling service and seminars.

Ranked Top 3 For Second Consecutive Year

June: UWF earns the highest score in University history and the third-highest score in the Florida Board of Governors performance-based metrics.

Inaugural Founders Week

April: UWF raises $115,000 from 900 people worldwide during UWF’s first-ever 24-hour fundraising initiative.

Inaugural Argo Athletic Band

July: UWF announces the Argo Athletic Band will play in the stands at UWF home football games.

University Park Center

November: UWF alumnus Darrell Gooden and his wife, Debbie, donate a major gift to name University Park Center the Darrell Gooden Center and establish scholarships for UWF students.

100,000 Degrees

December: UWF confers the 100,000th degree at its Fall 2018 Commencement on December 15, reaching a major milestone since the institution opened in 1967.

2019

parkrun

January: UWF becomes first University in North America to host parkrun, a series of free 5Ks offered on Saturday mornings throughout the year.

Museum Plaza

February: UWF Historic Trust celebrates the grand opening of Museum Plaza, a new multi-use and educational community space in downtown Pensacola that helps tell the story of Pensacola’s rich history.

New Communication Degree

March: UWF announces it will offer a new communication degree program at UWF on the Emerald Coast beginning in Fall 2019.

Student Body President

March: The first female African-American student body president is elected at UWF.

STEM Academic Programs

March: UWF addresses a workforce shortage in STEM fields with the announcement of three new degree programs beginning in Fall 2019: Master of Science in Cybersecurity; Master of Science in Engineering; and Bachelor of Science in Instructional Design and Technology.

Arcadia Homestead

March: The University of West Florida Historic Trust Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site hosts the grand opening of the Arcadia Homestead. The addition provides a new cultural resource and heritage tourism destination in Northwest Florida.

New Center for Cybersecurity Facility

April: The UWF Center for Cybersecurity celebrated its grand opening in the state-of-the-art Studer Community Institute Building, located in downtown Pensacola.

100th Conference Championship

May: The UWF women's tennis team earns the University's 100th conference championship.

Ranked Top Two

June: UWF ranks in the top two public universities for the Florida Board of Governors performance-based funding model, securing a spot in the top three for three consecutive years.

Football Wins First NCAA National Title

December: The UWF football team wins the NCAA Division II national championship, completing a run of four straight wins over undefeated teams in the playoffs.

2020

UWF Camellia Garden Receives Honor

March: The American Camellia Society named the UWF Camellia Garden as an American Camellia Trail Garden, becoming one of 57 in the U.S. and only three in the state of Florida.

Students and Faculty Manufacture Free Face Shields

April: In response to a shortage of full face shields for healthcare workers at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the University’s direct support organizations manufactured, managed and distributed 3D-printed full face shield supplies at its Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Laboratory in downtown Pensacola.

New Communication Degree

March: UWF announces it will offer a new communication degree program at UWF on the Emerald Coast beginning in Fall 2019.

School of Music

September: The University of West Florida announced an anonymous gift to rename the Department of Music as the Dr. Grier Williams School of Music, in memory of the first chair of the music department.

First Virtual Commencement

August: UWF hosted the virtual commencement in response to the State University System of Florida directing all state universities to postpone in-person spring and summer commencement ceremonies due to COVID-19 health guidelines on gatherings.

2021

New Public Health Degree

March: UWF announces it will offer a new fully online bachelor's in public health degree program at UWF beginning in Fall 2021.

UWF helps in fight against COVID-19

March: UWF nursing students administer COVID-19 vaccinations and UWF announces Argo Nation Vaccination Day.

UWF ranks highest in BOG's Metric 1

June: UWF leads state in percentage of bachelor’s graduates employed in Florida Board of Governors performance metrics.

First football game on campus

September: UWF played its first-ever regular season football game on the UWF Pensacola Campus, hosting Southwest Baptist at Pen Air Field on Sept. 11.

Historic Gift in Excess of $8.5 million

September: The late Dr. Herman and Valerie Rolfs made a historic gift in excess of $8.5 million which created the Dr. Grier Williams School of Music. Their gift will provide significant scholarships and resources for music students annually.

2022

Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center

January: UWF announces a gift commitment of more than $600,000 from Sandy Sansing to support the Sandy Sansing Need-Based Student-Athlete Scholarship and expand the Darrell Gooden Center to include a new Sports Medicine Center.

UWF earns top spot in Board of Governors’ Metric 1

June: UWF is No. 1 in the Florida State University System for Metric 1 of the Florida Board of Governors’ 2021-22 performance-based funding model.

Human Resources Program

July: UWF announces it will offer a new Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in Human Resources Management starting in Fall 2022.

School of Education

July: The School of Education, in the College of Education and Professional Studies, launched on July 1 and replaces two former CEPS departments, Educational Research and Administration, and Teacher Education and Educational Leadership.

Home Football Games on Campus

September: For the first time in program history, the UWF Football team will play the entire 2022 home season at the UWF Pensacola Campus at Pen Air Field.

AWKO Center for Leadership

September: The Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz law firm gifted $2.5 million to name the AWKO Center for Leadership at UWF and enhance its initiatives.

2022-2027 Strategic Plan Approved

September: The Florida SUS Board of Governors approved UWF's new five-year strategic plan. The strategic plan maps out UWF's institutional mission, President's vision and includes seven strategic directions, goals and indicators of success through 2027.

Dr. Muhammad Harunur Rashid Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

October: Drs. Muhammad and Fatema Rashid continued a legacy of giving to UWF through a $1 million gift to name the Dr. Muhammad Harunur Rashid Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. The Rashids have six endowments established in the college -- the most established endowments to UWF by a donor.