In an ocean of collegiate UTs across the country, University of Tampa president Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg decided it was time for her school to make a name for itself.
For decades, the downtown riverfront campus has been colloquially known by its initials, but now the school wants to be known as “UTampa.”
“There are numerous other UTs in the higher education space, including the universities of Texas, Tennessee, Toledo, Toronto and Tulsa. Since its founding, the university has been closely linked to the city of Tampa, and by calling ourselves UTampa, we can strengthen that association, eliminate confusion and assert our pride in our university and our city,” Dahlberg said in the release.
Dahlberg, who become president in June after the retirement of Ronald Vaughn, says she recognizes the importance of increasing the university’s reputation and “making it a household name”
The private university dates to 1933, when it moved into Henry B. Plant’s iconic, minaret-topped Tampa Bay Hotel. Over the past 25 years, the school has expanded exponentially through the construction of dorms, classrooms, sports complexes and more. It now boasts an enrollment of about 11,000 students with about 200 graduate and undergraduate programs.
Dahlberg hopes to build more partnerships with the business community and notes that UTampa’s downtown presence is among its distinguishing features. To strengthen that association, “UTampa” will be used in the school’s publications, correspondence and communications.
Also, as part of the branding change, new logos were introduced.
The new moniker may spark memories for older graduates and longtime fans from when the university was known around town as “Tampa U.” Those days, the school was mostly known for its often-successful “small college” football program, which was shuttered in 1974.
Of course, UTampa’s athletic teams, which participate in NCAA Division II, will continue to be known as the Spartans.
