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Bob Graham Center for Public Service College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

For Students

Earn your degree while doing meaningful work to promote stewardship, resiliency, and innovation in communities around the Gulf.

Become a UF Gulf Scholar

Become a UF Gulf Scholar

Focus your studies on the Gulf and contribute to meaningful service in Gulf communities.
Gulf Impact Project

Gulf Impact Project

Ways to find experiential learning opportunities and fund your Gulf Impact Project.
Personalized Advising

Personalized Advising

Let us help you plan your Gulf Scholars journey.

Student News

Aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Steinhatchee, Florida.

Drawing Resilience Through Community Perspectives in Steinhatchee, Florida 

Through a participatory research project in Steinhatchee, Gulf Scholars explored how residents define resilience after repeated hurricanes. Working with the McKune Lab, students analyzed community drawings and discussions that revealed resilience rooted in faith, relationships, and a strong sense of place.

Climate change rally where CLEO Institute interns and volunteers hold up posters

Stewards of Creation: Climate Communicators

University of Florida Gulf Scholars partnered with The CLEO Institute through the Stewards of Creation program to help students become effective climate communicators. Through training in climate science, public speaking, and community engagement, interns worked with Florida faith communities to foster meaningful conversations about climate resilience and environmental stewardship. Read how Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 interns developed confidence, built relationships across diverse communities, and discovered the power of hope, empathy, and authentic communication in inspiring climate action.

Four high school students learn digital literacy on computers in a classroom

Creating CivicScape: How Two Gulf Scholars Are Bringing Data Literacy to the Classroom

Gulf Scholars Olivia Zhang and Chloe Mai partnered with trubel&co to help develop CivicScape, an interactive educational platform that enables teachers to use maps and real-world data to explore climate, geography, and civic issues across the Gulf region. Their work combines geospatial technology, software development, and educational design to create accessible learning tools for classrooms.

Visitors explore a marine science exhibit with an educational aquarium display during an open house event in Cedar Key, Florida.

Inspiring Future Coastal Stewards: How Lily Frierson Brought Marine Science To K-12 Students in Cedar Key 

University of Florida student and Gulf Scholar Lily Frierson spent Spring 2026 inspiring K–12 students in Cedar Key through hands-on marine science education. Through field experiences and interactive lessons, she helped connect young learners to Florida’s coastal ecosystems while fostering the next generation of environmental stewards.

Industrial discharge flows from a pipe into contaminated water, illustrating concerns about chemical pollution and water quality.

Closing the Gap Between Science and Law: How Sophia Guarnieri Examined PFAS Regulation

Political Science student Sophia Guarnieri explored the challenges of regulating PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” through an interdisciplinary Gulf Impact Project. By examining environmental law, scientific evidence, and a Florida case study, her research highlights the gap between scientific knowledge and policy action while advancing conversations around environmental health.

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