The University of Florida’s No. 7 spot in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report Top Public Schools rankings will likely be a draw for students who are seeking nationally recognized academic and research opportunities.

But those who do choose UF will also find communities that complement and enrich their education.

Valentina Nunez pored over lecture notes to review for an upcoming anatomy exam. The pre-nursing sophomore sat with several friends, including some from her multicultural sorority, Gamma Eta.

“When you are plugged into organizations and in those vulnerable spaces, that’s where you can really find community,” Nunez said. Starting college as a first-generation student posed logistical challenges, like figuring out financial aid and maneuvering class registration. Her UF experience changed once she found a community of other first generation students.

“Even though we are from different backgrounds, my friends understand my struggles,” she said. “UF is a place where you can make a lot of connections and develop in a way where your growth will shine differently than others.”

Sometimes those connections happen during chance meetings.

Tommy Rosilio and Karim Yousry sat on the grass on the Plaza of the Americas, catching up before they had to go to class and work. Rosilio sings in the all-male a cappella group, The Staff. He met Karim through the music scene, and they’ve been friends ever since.

“UF feels very interconnected,” Yousry, the biomedical engineering master’s student said. He said he values the opportunity to build community and meet people, but he also takes advantage of the resources and perks of going to a top-10 public university.

Both Rosilio and Yousry have scholarships to attend UF.

“If I’m going to go to school for free, I am definitely going to go to what is, by far, the best engineering school in Florida,” Yousry said. Plus, he said he appreciates the fluidity of his engineering program because it allows him to take classes across disciplines.

UF’s academics also were attractive to freshman Haiden Burrichter when she was deciding where to go for college. She reclined in her hammock under a shady canopy of trees on the Plaza and read “Siddhartha” for the class What is the Good Life?

Burrichter is a sustainability studies major, and she’s already joined Outdoor Adventure Recreation. Although it’s only her first semester, she sees UF as a place that encourages people to connect with one another through their common loves.

While she’s not so sure how much she likes the Good Life class, she said she’s enjoyed her first few weeks on campus because people have been welcoming and kind.

“Maybe because of him,” she laughed and nodded toward Cheeto, a 5-year-old yellow lab who works as her service dog. “He goes everywhere with me, and people are really respectful of him.”