It was like a circus under the tent on the Reitz Union North Lawn — with games, an alligator and a Fuchs.
UF’s 16 colleges were brought together under one tent during the Campus Showcase on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will continue today at the same time as part of UF President Kent Fuchs’ Inauguration Week celebrations.
There were 25 booths in total, which included Student Affairs, Athletics, Office of Research, UF Cultural Plaza and UF Health.
The showcase was meant to do as its name suggests: showcase what all the colleges do.
"Our school is so large, so we don’t get together and meet," said Nicole Yucht, a Campus Showcase co-chair.
As President Fuchs strolled through the tent, he stopped at booths to talk to students and pose for photos. He said he enjoyed celebrating UF’s colleges and projects.
"We have one of the most comprehensive communities in the country," he said. "We have it all."
Michael Blachly, chairman of the week’s events and former director of UF Performing Arts, said life under the tent was like an academic kid’s candy store: Students learned about everything from the Warrington College of Business to the College of Health and Human Performance.
"(UF is) a great institution that touches so many lives," Blachly said.
Students were given a paper "passport" to encourage them to travel around the booths. They received a stamp at each spot and earning 15 made them eligible to enter a raffle for an orange tote bag with "Florida" printed on it.
Students like Rodel Enderez hopped from booth to booth holding a slice of free pizza. The chemical engineering sophomore saw the tent as he was walking on campus.
He had just stopped by the College of Medicine’s table, where he learned how to perform an ultrasound on a training dummy.
"A lot of great things happen at this university," Enderez, 20, said. "It’s great to be a part of it."
Some students tried on virtual goggles from the College of Engineering. Others stroked a live alligator held by a Florida Fish and Wildlife biological scientist, who was brought by the Florida Museum of Natural History.
A Lego sculpture grew next to the College of Arts’ table. Students walking by were encouraged to write something they hope to see in UF’s future.
Tiana Alderson, a second year Master’s of Fine Arts candidate in lighting design, wrote, "To be a STEAM school" on a yellow block. She said she thinks UF is more focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and that the arts — the "A" in STEAM — should be better funded.
"It’s hard to quantify what art gives back," the 27-year-old said.
Contact Alyssa Fisher at afisher@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @AlyssaLFisher
Rob Cuskley, a 28-year-old biological scientist, introduces a baby american alligator to Albert during the campus showcase for Inauguration Week on Dec. 2, 2015. The Florida Museum of Natural History encouraged Cuskley to bring the alligator to educate students.
