USAUniversity of Florida, Gainesville

The University of Florida (UF) is a major, public, comprehensive, research university. It is the state's oldest and largest university, and is among the nation's most academically diverse public universities. Florida has a long history of established programs in international education, research and service. UF traces its roots to 1853, when the state-funded East Florida Seminary took over the Kingsbury Academy in Ocala, which was later combined with the Florida Agricultural College, then in Lake City. In 1905 the college became a university and was moved to Gainesville. Classes first met with 102 students on the present site on Sept. 26, 1906. UF officially opened its doors to women in 1947. With more than 46,000 students, Florida is now one of the five largest universities in the nation. Florida has a 2,000-acre campus and more than 900 buildings (including 170 with classrooms and laboratories). The northeast corner of campus is listed as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. UF's extensive capital improvement program has resulted in facilities ideal for 21st century research including the McKnight Brain Institute, the new Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy Building, the Genetics and Cancer Research Center now being built, and the Proton-beam Therapy Center that will be located in Jacksonville.