On Aug. 2, 1933, Tampa Junior College was transformed into The University of Tampa when its headquarters moved from the local high school to what is now known as Plant Hall. Leading the new institution was Frederic H. Spaulding, the former principal of Hillsborough High School and the man who had been the motivating force behind establishing the first local university for Tampa’s high school graduates.
Plant Hall, the main academic and administrative building for the University, already had an extraordinary history. Formerly the Tampa Bay Hotel, the building represented, and still remains, a symbol of the city and its history. Local historians credit its builder, railroad and shipping magnate Henry B. Plant, with the transformation of Tampa from a sleepy fishing village to what would become a vibrant city of the 21st century.
Built between 1888 and 1891, the hotel was designed to surpass all other grand winter resorts. At a cost of $3 million, the 511-room giant rose to a flamboyant height of five stories, surrounded by ornate Victorian gingerbread and topped by Moorish minarets, domes, and cupolas.
The rooms that once hosted Teddy Roosevelt, the Queen of England, Booker T. Washington, Stephen Crane, and Babe Ruth (who signed his first baseball contract in the hotel’s grand dining room) are now classrooms, laboratories, and administrative offices–the heart of The University of Tampa and a landscape for state-of-the-art student learning environments. Today, The University of Tampa serves more than 9,605 undergraduate and graduate students, and Plant Hall remains the foundation of a 110-acre, 70-building campus that successfully blends the historic with the modern.
Known for academic excellence, personal attention and real-world experience in its undergraduate and graduate programs, University of Tampa students come from 50 states and 130 countries. There are over 200 programs of study, including 19 master's degree programs, one doctorate and numerous study abroad opportunities. From its humble beginnings in Plant Hall, UT boasts a $335 million annual revenue and a $1.1 billion estimated annual economic impact.
The University of Tampa is a comprehensive, independent university that delivers challenging and high-quality educational experiences to a diverse group of learners. Four colleges offer more than 200 areas of study through a core curriculum rooted in a liberal arts tradition. Beginning with an innovative first-year student experience, the University of Tampa students explore global issues, examine career possibilities, and refine communication and critical thinking skills. Graduate programs in each college, as well as a continuing studies program for adult learners, exemplify the University’s commitment to the professions and to the community.
The University’s 110-acre residential campus in the heart of downtown Tampa provides a historical and cultural setting for learning both on and off-campus. Valuing the community’s international heritage, the University attracts students, faculty, and staff from around the world with diverse backgrounds to facilitate intercultural awareness and understanding.
The University is committed to the development of each student to become a productive and responsible citizen. To this end, the University ensures that students balance “learning by thinking” with “learning by doing.” Students are taught by highly qualified, experienced faculty members who are committed to teaching, academic advising, and continued intellectual growth. Classes are conducted in personalized settings in which learning is enhanced through the application. Students participate in learning partnerships with faculty and the community through independent studies, internships, research, and other practical experiences that complement classroom learning. The University’s academic services and co-curricular activities support individual discovery and development and provide leadership opportunities. Involvement and participation inside and outside the classroom are valued. Through complete engagement with the educational environment, UT students are prepared for careers, graduate and professional education, and lifelong learning.
UT Recognition and Rankings
- UT is regarded as one of the nation's best 386 institutions for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review. Only 15 percent of four-year colleges in the U.S. share this honor. For 2021 it additionally named UT among the Best Southeastern Colleges, No. 2 for its library, and No. 37 among the top 50 undergraduate entrepreneurship programs.
- U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UT in the top tier of the category Regional Universities (South), and for 2021 is again included on six additional lists: Best Colleges for Veterans, Best Undergraduate Teaching, Best Value Schools, Most Innovative Colleges, Top Performers on Social Mobility and A+ Schools for B Students. It rates the Sykes College of Business as a top undergraduate business program. The college’s entrepreneurship program, housed in the Lowth Entrepreneurship Center, was tied for 36th in a national ranking.
- Since 2010 UT has been included in Forbes' annual ranking of America's Top Colleges. The list is based on factors such as educational quality, graduation rates, and career prospects.
- UT has won 18 NCAA Division II championships in baseball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball, and 105 Sunshine State Conference championships. UT’s student-athletes compete on 22 varsity teams.
- UT has won 18 NCAA Division II championships in baseball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball, and 105 Sunshine State Conference championships. UT’s student-athletes compete on 22 varsity teams.
- UT’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi — the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society — was recognized in 2013 as a Chapter of Merit. The award is given to chapters that excel in promoting academic excellence and engaging in service to others.
