Cutting the ribbon to the new office were, left to right, Joann Strobbe, USF Health associate vice president and CFO, USF President Judy Genshaft; Dr. Michael Barber, associate dean for COM Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, and Stan Douglas,  director of USF Health Facilities Planning, cut the ribbon to the new Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Faculty, staff and students celebrated the grand opening of the new location for the College of Medicine’s Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs Office Dec. 6.

The office moved from its relatively tucked-away upstairs location to larger, newly remodeled space downstairs, around the corner from the USF Bookstore and Cafe. The new facility includes a reception area, staff offices, and display of student dissertations, as well as gathering areas and an outdoor patio where students can meet and socialize.

The new facility was designed to foster increased visibility for COM graduate education and enhance the delivery of quality student services, said Michael J. Barber, DPhil, distinguished professor and associate dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Afffairs.

“Now, the first thing you see when you come down that road and pull into the parking lot is the Office of Postdoctoral and Graduate Affairs,” Dr. Barber said. “This gives us real curbside appeal.”

USF President Judy Genshaft said the new office was needed to accomodate a growing number of graduate students (doctoral, master’s and graduate certificate) within the College of Medicine — a jump from 104 in 2003 to 800 total students last year. The number of PhD students only has risen from 19 in 2003 to 211.

“Congratulations, and thanks for all you do to make a difference,” Genshaft said before cutting the ribbon marking the office’s official opening with an extra-large pair of scissors.

You can learn more about USF Health’s graduate programs here.

Story by Anne DeLotto Baier, and photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications