Attendees dig in at USF's Brunch on the Bay

USF held its annual Brunch on the Bay on Nov. 5 under beautiful blue skies and low humidity. The event was attended by more than 400 people who stopped at 25 restaurant tables to fill their plates and enjoy culinary delights while raising $465,000 to support academic scholarships and campus initiatives.

"Brunch on the Bay is our premier annual event when our community pulls together in support of our hardworking students and our campus expansion,"  said Clara Reynardus de Villanueva, director of development at USF Sarasota-Manatee. "Over 92% of our USF Sarasota-Manatee campus students remain in the area after graduating thus creating a high-quality talent pipeline for our workforce needs."

While being photographed with USF's past president, Judy Genshaft, current USF President Rhea Law said, "This event is a great time to showcase what we do here to aid students in their quest for the future."

Guests were entertained by the USF Marching Band, the SunDolls Dance Team, and the USF All Girl-Cheerleading Squad.

Kelly Erdman of Nothing Bundt Cakes handed out sweet bites to attendees and said she enjoys supporting the university. "USF is so important to our community," Erdman said. "I'm honored to be a part of this wonderful event."

This story has been updated to include the amount raised by the event.