University of West Florida

The University of West Florida is a mid-sized public university, located in Pensacola, it is a member institution of the State University System of Florida. UWF is a Doctoral/Research university, specializing in engineering and the humanities. It is a space-grant institution that was established in 1955, sitting on the third largest campus in the Florida University System, 1600 acres. The UWF main campus is a nature preserve that is bordered by two rivers and Escambia Bay. The University of West Florida is an exceptionally progressive university in terms of technology and environmental policy, as exemplified by their investment in the new Science and Engineering building, the BEST house and their investments in solar powered student housing. UWF is known for its small class sizes and its intimate, private school like educational atmosphere, which distinguishes it from the larger universities in the Florida SUS. The university's mascot is an Argonaut, and the school's logo is the Chambered Nautilus.

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Tuition and Costs

• Florida Resident-- $2,860 tuition and fees; $6,600 room and board; $1,000 for books
• Alabama Resident-- $3,900 tuition and fees; $6,600 room and board; $1,000 for books
• Non-Resident-- $13,702 tuition and fees; $6,600 room and board; $1,000 for books

(approximate costs for the 2006-2007 academic year from the official UWF webpage)

School Songs

The Alma Mater

Where learning's light sends forth its beam
Through darkness of our youth,
There you, West Florida, home of dreams
Prepare the way of truth.
You guide us toward tomorrow's shore
With knowledge of our past;
Your power in us rests secure,
And evermore will last.
Your stately mansions were our home
Where minds and hearts are free
And though we may far from you roam,
We'll always honor thee.

The Chambered Nautilus

Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul,
As the swift seasons roll!
Leave thy low-vaulted past!
Let each new temple, nobler than the last,
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast,
Till thou at length art free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!

The Chambered Nautilus is a poem selected by UWF founding president Crosby. It is the reason for the school emblem, which is the Nautilus shell.

Campuses

Main Campus

The main campus of 1,600 acres of rolling hills and natural woodland along the Escambia River is ten miles north of Downtown Pensacola. Its facilities have been designed to complement the natural forest and waterways.

Fort Walton Beach, Florida

UWF shares a branch campus in Fort Walton Beach, with Okaloosa-Walton College, and has several centers and sites where academic programs and/or courses are taught.

Historic Pensacola Village

In 2001, the university acquired Historic Pensacola, Inc, the previously state-controlled group that manages the Historic Pensacola Village. A few years later, Dr. John C. Cavanaugh became the fourth president on July 15, 2002. Under his supervision the university has created several classes taught by and/or in conjunction with the staff at Historic Pensacola. The Clara Barkley Dorr House was also appropriated as a downtown home for the institute president.

Other locations

In addition, the University of West Florida has waterfront property on Santa Rosa Island that is available for recreational, academic, and research pursuits. The University operates the OWC/UWF Fort Walton Beach Campus, the Eglin Air Force Base Center, and offices at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Hurlburt Field, and Whiting Field.

Student Life

Greek Life

North-American Interfraternity Conference fraternities

• Alpha Tau Omega (AΤΩ) - ^{Eta Psi Chapter}
• Kappa Alpha Order (ΚA) - ^{Epsilon Sigma Chapter}
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣAE) - ^{Florida Sigma Chapter}
• Sigma Alpha Mu (ΣAM) - ^{Delta Eta Chapter}
• Sigma Chi (ΣΧ) - ^{Lambda Beta}
• Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) - ^{Tau Psi Chapter}

National Panhellenic Conference sororities

• Alpha Gamma Delta (AΓΔ) - ^{Theta Lambda Chapter}
• Alpha Delta Pi (AΔΠ) - ^{Zeta Epsilon Chapter}
• Alpha Chi Omega (AΧΩ) - ^{Kappa Xi Chapter}
• Phi Sigma Sigma (ΦΣΣ) - ^{Delta Psi chapter}

National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternity/sorority

• Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) - Beta Gamma Chapter
• Zeta Phi Beta (ZΦB) - Nu Eta Chapter
• Delta Sigma Theta (ΔΣθ) - Nu Kappa Chapter
• Phi Beta Sigma (ΦBΣ) - Beta Beta Phi Chapter

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Multicultural Greek organization

• Delta Phi Lambda (ΔΦΛ)

Professional Fraternity Association

• Delta Sigma Pi (ΔΣΠ)- Eta Upsilon Chapter

Activities

UWF hosts many opportunities for involvement through student clubs and organizations. Registered Student Organizations, administered by the University Commons, include: academic clubs, Greek organizations, professional and honor societies, religious organizations and special interest groups.

Housing

Nearly 1,500 students choose to live on campus. UWF offers traditional residence halls, small community residence halls, and University-owned apartment complexes. Single-student housing is also available.

Traditional residence halls

• Argo Hall
• Martin Hall
• Pace Hall
• Heritage Hall (opened in the 2010-2011 school year)

Single-student housing

• Southside Villages

Student apartments

• University Village Student Apartments-East
• University Village Student Apartments-West

Athletics

UWF intercollegiate athletics compete in the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference.

As of the Fall 2006, the UWF Men's soccer team ranked third in Division II.

Men's intercollegiate sports

• Baseball
• Soccer
• Basketball
• Tennis
• Cross country
• Golf
• Sailing

Women's intercollegiate sports

• Basketball
• Tennis
• Cross country
• Golf
• Softball
• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Track
• Sailing

Students and alumni often joke that UWF stands for "University Without Football", due to the school's lack of a football program.

Mascot

Fall 2009: New Athletic Mascot.

UWF's official mascot is the Argonaut, a mythical group of Greek sailors, who accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest for the Golden Fleece. However, the official logo of the institution is the Chambered Nautilus; because of this, students jokingly refer to themselves as the UWF "Fighting Seashells."

Dr. Harold Crosby, the university’s first president, selected the chambered nautilus to represent UWF because he was inspired by the poem The Chambered Nautilus by Oliver Wendell Holmes; it is "a symbol of growth, change and accomplishment."

References

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