TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – University of South Florida President Dr. Judy Genshaft will preside over her final commencement exercises for the university this weekend.
Genshaft is set to retire on June 30.
At the 9 a.m. commencement Friday, Genshaft was presented with a commendation by the Board of Trustees.
After, she down with News Channel 8’s Rod Carter to talk about her 19 year tenure at USF.
Genshaft said picking one of her favorite memories of her time at the school is difficult, but chief among them is helping usher USF to a status not seen before
“When we received the name of preeminent university in the state of Florida. That was definitely a high point, because we earned it,” she said.
But her tenure hasn’t been all roses.
The 2001 controversial case of former computer science professor Sami Al Arian was arguably the biggest test of her administration.
Al Arian was arrested for being a chief fundraiser for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Dr. Genshaft eventually fired Al Arian.
Now, with the bad and the good, behind her, she looks ahead.
What’s next for her? She said she certainly won’t be sitting around, but says to stay tuned.
