Happy first week Gators, and welcome to The Swamp! Whether you’re stepping onto campus for the very first time or returning for another chapter in your journey here, I am beyond excited to greet you as this year’s Student Body president.
UF is more than just a place — it’s a community full of the best and brightest in the country. One of the many things that makes UF special is that there is a place for everyone, and you can achieve whatever it is you put your mind to.
For those who may not be familiar, the UF Student Government is one of the largest and most active in the nation. We manage the Activity and Service fee, and we utilize this to invest directly back into the student experience. That means funding the organizations you join, the events you attend and the services you rely on.
SG has three branches: the Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The Executive branch puts on impactful programming that includes leadership development, community service and even bringing speakers and performers to campus. Speaking of, we hope to see you at our first Accent show, as we host “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston Thursday at 7 p.m. in the O’Connell Center.
The Legislative branch, our Student Senate, passes resolutions and bills and allocates funding to hundreds of student organizations. The Judicial branch ensures accountability and fairness in the interpretation of our governing documents. Together, these branches give our students real power to shape their university experience.
SG also provides many important services students should take advantage of. We subsidize tickets to the Harn Museum of Art and the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, as well as help fund a free The New York Times subscription for all students.
Furthermore, we also have SG Print Labs (check out the Reitz Union location for free colored printing), SG Bike Repair and Student Legal Services. We also have the SG Copy and Graphics center for free resume printing! All of these services are available to students, and we encourage you to utilize these throughout the year.
Another important area of work for SG is advocacy. We work with UF’s administration to enact changes that students want to see around campus, such as the new “UF” app — which all students should download. Students had been asking for one consolidated app with many of the One.uf features, and we worked with UF Information Technology to prepare the app.
SG is a great place to make a positive impact, and we are working every day to make campus better for past, present and future Gators. We will be working on a lot of exciting projects and I encourage everyone to follow our Instagram @ufstudentgov to see what we’re up to.
To the incoming Class of 2029: Welcome home. You are joining a community that will challenge you, inspire you and cheer you on every step of the way. To returning students: Thank you for continuing to make UF a place defined by its passion and pride. I promise you SG will work tirelessly to make your experience here the best it can be.
Go Gators!
Blake Cox is the 2025-26 UF Student Body president.
