News
The Duck Lady’s last quack
By Pristine Thai | Apr. 24Kendall Johnson handed out hundreds of ducks on the University of Florida campus during her last day as The Duck Lady.
Pristine Thai
Senior News Director and Copy Desk Chief Pristine is The Alligator's Spring 2026 senior news director and copy desk chief, roles she also held in Fall 2025. A UF political science and journalism senior, she previously served as a university general assignment reporter and a copy editor. Her free time is spent attending classical music concerts, roaming walkable cities and befriending feral cats.
Sports
‘It makes us feel young’: Senior citizens show out for slam-dunk championship game
By Pristine Thai | Apr. 7At the Oak Hammock retirement community, more than 400 elderly fans gathered in orange and blue to show their Gator pride.
El Caimán
UF recorta miles de dólares en financiamiento y apoyo a asambleas de bienvenida centradas en la identidad
By Pristine Thai and Gabriella Chavez | Apr. 1La UF está eliminando miles de dólares en financiamiento y apoyo al personal para varias asambleas de bienvenida centradas en la identidad, lo que podría poner en peligro los eventos hechos para asimilar a los nuevos Gators al campus. Los recortes afectarán las asambleas anuales de bienvenida de al menos cuatro organizaciones estudiantiles: la Unión estudiantil Afroamericana, la Unión estudiantil de Orgullo, la Unión estudiantil Hispana-Latina y la Unión estudiantil de Mujeres
News
UF cuts thousands in funding, support for identity-centered student welcome assemblies
By Pristine Thai | Apr. 1UF is eliminating thousands of dollars in funding and staff support for four student organizations: the Black Student Union, Pride Student Union, Hispanic-Latine Student Association and Women’s Student Association.
Metro
Gainesville USPS workers, supporters rally against DOGE’s plans to slash postal service
By Pristine Thai | Mar. 23, 2025More than 75 mail carriers, postal service workers and supporters gathered near UF’s campus on March 23 to protest the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the U.S. Postal Service, which include cutting 10,000 jobs, billions of dollars and potentially privatizing the federal agency.
News
The club behind Marston’s swimming showstoppers
By Pristine Thai | Mar. 14, 2025Thousands of students walk past the aquarium by Marston Science Library’s third-floor elevators every week. Some worn-out studiers pause to appreciate the creatures’ calming presence before getting to work, but few know the fishes’ stories or who ensures the ecosystem runs swimmingly.
El Caimán
La Universidad de la Florida suspende las Comunidades de Aprendizaje Vivenciales sin enfoque académico en el alojamiento estudiantil
By Pristine Thai and Gabriella Chavez | Feb. 25, 2025La UF suspendió indefinidamente todas las actividades en seis Comunidades de Aprendizaje Vivenciales sin enfoques académicos el 17 de febrero, justo días después de que la Oficina de Derechos Civiles de la administración de Trump prohibiera la consideración de la raza en cualquier decisión tomada por las instituciones académicas a nivel nacional.
News
UF pauses non-academic Living Learning Communities in campus housing
By Pristine Thai | Feb. 24, 2025UF indefinitely paused all activities in six non-academic Living Learning Communities Feb. 17, just days after the Trump administration’s Office for Civil Rights banned the consideration of race in any decisions made by academic institutions nationwide.
News
UF stands to lose tens of millions in medical research funding under Trump administration order
By Pristine Thai | Feb. 19, 2025UF could lose tens of millions of dollars in research funding this year if a change to the National Institutes of Health's grant distribution policy survives a wave of legal challenges.
Metro
UF student pleads no contest to animal cruelty charge in killing of Broward Hall hamster
By Pristine Thai | Feb. 3, 2025A UF student pleaded no contest to a first-degree misdemeanor of animal cruelty Monday morning in connection to the death of Timmy the hamster, a former Broward Hall resident.
