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One of my favorite quotes that has guided my leadership philosophy over the years comes from Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Serving as Regional Chancellor of USF St. Petersburg these past 3 ½ years has been one of the great honors of my career and being part of the St. Petersburg community has been a true privilege. I’ve learned and experienced so much during my time here. Most of all, I’m left with how this community made me feel – welcomed, embraced and connected – and overall how it made me and my family such a part of the many incredible things happening here.
Earlier this month, I announced that I have accepted the position of President at Texas A&M University-Victoria. Becoming a university president has been a longtime dream and career aspiration of mine, and I am excited for this new opportunity.
But as I prepare to close this chapter of my life and step into a new journey, I find myself drawn to a deep well of gratitude for a place, a community, and a city that has shaped me in ways I could never have imagined. From the moment I first drove into St. Pete, passing the iconic Mediterranean Revival-style welcome tower off I-375, I knew I was entering somewhere timeless, where the past tips its hat to the future. First stepping onto the USF St. Petersburg campus, greeted by the vibrant bougainvillea, sparkling waterfront, and the buzz of students, I knew this was a place unlike any other.
Located on Bayboro Harbor and stitched into the fabric of downtown, I discovered early on that you cannot separate the campus from the larger community it serves. We are partners in progress, neighbors in spirit, and collaborators in shaping a brighter future.
For me, exploring St. Petersburg has been to feel the pulse of possibility. Its museums, galleries, and theaters stand as pillars of culture that invite us to think differently and dream boldly. Its businesses, large and small, embody resilience and entrepreneurial spirit. The endless sky, the calm of the bay, the dolphins and manatees that surprise and delight me daily demonstrate the natural beauty of this haven, matched only by the warm, generous and inquisitive nature of the people that make up this exceptional place.
Our residents reflect a deep commitment to one another and to the place they call home. It is a community of people that never stops asking, “What’s next? What more can we do? How can we do it together?”
During my time as chancellor, I have seen our students chart their paths with resilience and determination, arriving with dreams as vast as the Florida sky and leaving with the tools to make those dreams a reality. I have witnessed faculty members spark curiosity in the next generation while guiding ground-breaking discoveries, and staff who work tirelessly to ensure that our students succeed and our campus sparkles. And of course, I’ve taken immense joy in seeing community partnerships expand opportunities for our campus, strengthening education, innovation and economic prosperity for all.
The university’s trajectory is inextricably tied to the city’s own. That is perhaps what I love most about this place: progress is never a solitary act. Here, success is shared, growth is collective, and belonging is the common thread.
I’ll carry with me memories both ordinary and extraordinary: cheering as our students competed in our Homecoming cardboard boat race, prepped for finals while enjoying our Late Night Breakfast, or celebrated milestones at our Sailebration commencement extravaganza; welcoming new and returning faculty and staff to campus to start another academic year; spotting with childlike excitement dolphins along the waterfront; concluding an evening event and stepping outside as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in colors that defy description.
And of course, memories of four manatees being rescued in the cooling waters of our harbor and later rehabilitated and released – how many times can you take part in that?!
Maybe the most indelible are memories of planning, responding to, and recovering from more hurricanes than I would like to count (ok, it was six … I counted). And though these storms greatly impacted us all, they also showed our campus and our community’s resilience, strength, and forward momentum.
While I may be stepping away from this role, I will never step away from this city’s embrace. St. Petersburg has given me more than I could ever give back: friendships that feel like family and experiences, both professional and personal, that will shape my leadership for years to come.
So this is not goodbye. It is a heartfelt thank you. Thank you, St. Petersburg, for welcoming me, for inspiring me, and for reminding me each day of the power of community.
You will forever hold a place in my heart – bright, beautiful, and full of possibility.
Christian Hardigree is Regional Chancellor of USF St. Petersburg. Dr. Thomas W. Smith will succeed her effective Nov. 4.