USF will start a multi-phase effort this fall to construct a new Veterans, Military Families & First Responders Service Complex at the Tampa campus.

The complex was a part of the state budget for the next fiscal year signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 12. DeSantis approved $10 million in funding for facility updates for student veterans, military families and first responders on all three USF campuses. 

USF has nearly 1,400 enrolled student veterans and over 5,000 military-connected students, according to a USF Newsroom article.

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This is how the $10 million will be allocated, according to Althea Johnson, a USF spokesperson:

• Approximately $6 million to modernize a facility to expand the capabilities of the Office of Veteran Success (OVS) on the St. Pete campus.
• $4 million to fund the design and initial construction of a new Veterans, Military Families & First Responders Service Complex on the USF Tampa campus.
• A portion of the funds will also go toward new technology and other upgrades at the veteran office on the Sarasota-Manatee campus.

Tampa’s new complex will house OVS, the University Police Department and an Emergency Operations Center, according to Wayne Taylor, OVS director. 

The OVS department at USF provides specialized programs and services for the university’s military and veteran students as well as eligible dependents. This includes help with VA education benefits, scholarship opportunities and connecting veterans and the community through events, according to its website.

Once completed, the facility is expected to improve campus safety, decrease police response times and make the campus more resilient to severe storms and other emergencies, according to Johnson.

Though no official location has been chosen, officials will consider USF’s potential growth, existing structures and which area will best support student success to make a decision, Taylor said.

President Rhea Law plans to start looking for an architect to oversee the construction this fall, according to Taylor. 

The $4 million allocated for the complex will only be used for building design and initial construction, according to Matthew Cimitile, a USF St. Pete spokesperson. He said a final price tag for the project has not been determined.

After that, USF will work with the USF Foundation and OVS to secure private donations, Taylor said.

Renee Amboy, OVS associate director, said the most exciting thing about the new complex will be its ample space. OVS is currently located in an office in the John and Grace Allen building. 

Amboy said the newly-approved funding is the next step in elevating the resources USF provides to its military-connected community. 

“This is the next step to moving away from being a veteran-friendly campus to being a veteran-inclusive campus,” Amboy said.

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Cimitile said this funding could enhance mobility access for disabled veterans and service dogs and labs dedicated to veteran research on all campuses.  

Taylor said Law and the legislators who supported the newly approved funding wanted USF to be the model for the state’s veterans, military families and first responders. 

“How many times have we heard those other universities up north as the model?” Taylor said. “We have a possibility for USF to be posed as a Veteran Research Center and there’s a great opportunity to focus on veteran wellness research that hasn’t been done before in the nation.”

He said having a space with people willing to work with veterans, help them navigate challenges and find resources at USF is a great opportunity.

“We know that if a student doesn’t feel that they belong somewhere, they’re going to leave,” Taylor said. “We want to make sure that they know there are people at USF who care for them and have their interests at heart.”