The University of North Florida officially celebrated the inauguration of Moez Limayem as the university’s seventh presidenton Friday.
The event included a processional of faculty, staff and students through campus, the installation of Limayem as president, his inaugural address and a campus celebration that included 10 $2,500 scholarships given to students.
The theme of the celebration was "Soaring Higher Together." Limayem expressed his goal for the university to rise in national prominence to a Top 100 spot in annual rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
UNF serves nearly 17,000 students on a 1,381-acre campus surrounded by nature in Southeast Jacksonville. Limayem is a former business school dean at the University of South Florida who took over as UNF’s president last summer.
Limayem on Friday emphasized four strategic areas of focus for the university: student success, research and innovation, community partnerships, and faculty and staff success. He said UNF has already received gift commitments that will exceed its fundraising goal of $25 million for this fiscal year.