President's Welcome

Fellow Members of Florida Blue Key,

            Over the last several months, Florida Blue Key has continued to build upon the legacy of leadership and service that has been the basis of our organization for nearly ninety years.

            This past spring saw Florida Blue Key leave the friendly confines of Gainesville to reach out to our alumni in cities throughout the state of Florida.  Whether a local alumni club event, sending Homecoming and Gator Growl staff on tour with Coach Will Muschamp, or Legislative Day in Tallahassee, quite simply members of Florida Blue Key have been everywhere.  On behalf of the active chapter, we thank all of the alumni who have come out to show support and reconnect with their fellow Keys.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to join us at any of these events, please contact the office or email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

            Back in Gainesville, we were thrilled to host Senator Marco Rubio as our keynote speaker at the tapping banquet in his first return to his alma mater since being elected to the United States Senate.   With several hundred guests in attendance and extensive media coverage, the night was the highlight of the spring semester.  Our annual Legislative Day in Tallahassee brought together the entire University of Florida community and the UF Alumni Association to promote the university during the legislative session.

            Throughout this summer, hundreds of student volunteers have been hard at work organizing and producing our largest annual events: Gator Growl, Homecoming, and our nationally recognized Speech & Debate Tournament.  The Gator Growl staff recently announced the return of fireworks, the moving of the stage to create a more engaging show, and have announced that rock band, The Goo Goo Dolls and comedian Joel McHale will be performing.

            Today, Florida Blue Key remains an active and thriving leadership honorary dedicated to serving the University of Florida, the Gainesville community, and the state of Florida.  In the following weeks, we will be sending you further information about these new opportunities and I encourage all alumni to get involved!  I look forward to seeing you this fall at one of our annual kickoff parties, Homecoming events, and at the “largest student-run pep rally in the world.”

Sincerely,

Craig P. Thompson

President