Judy Genshaft

President Emerita, University of South Florida
Co-Founder and Former Advisory Board Member,
Florida Inventors Hall of Fame

During her historic 19-year presidency, from 2000 to 2019, Dr. Judy Genshaft catapulted the University of South Florida System to statewide, national and international prominence for student success, academic rigor, research and innovation, and economic development. In 2018, USF received the elite designation of “Preeminent State Research University.” Also in 2018, USF was accepted into the distinguished Phi Beta Kappa honor society, In 2019, the USF Honors College was re-named the Judy Genshaft Honors College in recognition of an historic gift. In 2023 USF was invited to become a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. Dr. Genshaft and her team initiated that lofty goal in the university’s 5-year strategic plan beginning in 2007.

President Genshaft has been instrumental in economic development efforts in the Tampa Bay region and in the state of Florida. She served on The Florida Council of 100 for nineteen years, as an Ex-Officio member (reserved for prominent education and civic leaders). Upon receiving “President Emerita” status, the Council recognized her exemplary service to the state by giving her its inaugural “Outstanding Floridian Award.” She is currently a Resident member of the Council and serves on the Economic Competitiveness and Program committees.

In the Tampa Bay region, she served as chair of The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the Tampa Bay Partnership, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp.

Nationally, President Genshaft has served as chair for the American Council on Education (ACE) and has been a member of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Board of Directors. In 2010, she made National Collegiate Athletic Association history when she became the first woman to chair the Division I Board.

President Genshaft earned recognition from professional organizations and community groups throughout her career. Her honors include: 2023 Hillsborough County Women’s Hall of Fame; 2019 Tampa Bay Business Journal Lifetime Achievement award; 2008 Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame; Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2007 Business Woman of the Year; Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Dottie Berger MacKinnon Woman of Influence Award; Tampa World Trade Center’s Betty Castor Lifetime Achievement Award; Florida Economic Council’s Richard L. McLaughlin Award; and recipient of the Amiga Award for Non-Hispanic Women whose outstanding efforts have improved the quality of life in the Hispanic community.

President Genshaft also has received national and international honors, including: APLU’s Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award; ACE Donna Shavlik Award; the Global Leadership Award from Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn in Bangkok, Thailand; the Captain of Education Award from Hadassah College in Jerusalem, Israel; an honorary doctorate from Saint Ignatius of Loyola University, Peru; and as the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate in literature from Yeungnam University, South Korea. In 2016, Dr. Genshaft was honored by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators with the Dr. Claire Van Ummersen Presidential Leadership Award. She also received a 2019 Living Legends honor from the NCAA’s office of inclusion and human resources for her significant contributions in the Tampa area and for furthering inclusion.