Hailey Kon is a fourth-year public relations and psychology double major serving as this summer's student government reporter. This is her first semester on staff at The Alligator, though she previously worked as a contributing writer for The Alligator and The Gainesville Sun. When she's not on campus, she can be found in the Dutch Bros drive-thru or a Ticketmaster queue trying to buy concert tickets.
The 16-year-old Eastside High School student recently completed her Eagle Scout service project by installing two lending libraries outside Baby Gator’s Lake Alice and Diamond Village locations, giving children and families free access to books they can borrow, keep and replace.
Originally from Sudan, the 22-year-old electrical engineering junior had never been to the United States. She left behind her family, friends and everything familiar from her high school in Tanzania to start over in a new country. Buying groceries — something never too difficult at home — suddenly meant carefully reading every ingredient label because of her dietary restrictions.
The ranking evaluated public institutions based on affordability, graduation rates and median earnings upon graduation, emphasizing return on investment for undergraduate students.
In many cases, students in majors like sport management and applied physiology and kinesiology are required to complete an internship before earning their degrees.
But current students say the program serves a broader purpose, allowing incoming Gators to learn about campus resources, experience life on campus and build connections before moving to Gainesville.
From farmers markets to Fall preparations, Gainesville business owners who frequent campus say the slower months are less about stopping work and more about shifting focus.
The UF community will have its first opportunity to hear directly from presidential finalist Stuart R. Bell during a series of forums on Wednesday as the university enters the final stages of selecting its next president.
UF will implement an early decision admissions option beginning with students applying for Fall 2027 enrollment, the university announced Thursday.
Summer is anything but a slow season for innovation students. It’s one of the program’s primary semesters, focused on hands-on projects, design challenges and collaborative coursework intended to prepare students for careers built around entrepreneurship and problem solving.
In the PaCE program, students begin their UF education online before transitioning to in-person classes after completing certain requirements.
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