Allyson L. Watson

@BenSasse You will be missed, God is with you and your family!🙏🏽

Dear Gator Nation and cherished friends, This isn’t an easy note to write but wanted to give you an update on our family. As many of you know, my wife Melissa suffered an aneurysm and series of strokes in 2007. Back then, the docs prepared us for the worst, but – in God’s providence – she made an incredible comeback. In the years since – from Nebraska to DC to Florida – she kept our family grounded while I missed too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears. She’s the strongest person I know. We’ve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but she’s always remained a warrior. In recent months, Melissa has been diagnosed with epilepsy and has been struggling with a new batch of memory issues. It’s been hard, but we’ve faced it together. A lot of late nights, a lot of hard decisions, and a lotta “what matters most?” conversations. Our two wonderful daughters are in college, but our youngest is just turning 13. I’ve got two spectacular callings in life right now: First, I’m a husband and dad. Second, I’ve been blessed to serve as president of the best dang public university in America – Go Gators! – and I’ve loved the challenge of giving this university everything I’ve got. But here’s the bottom line: Those callings are significantly at odds with each other right now. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. After extensive prayer and lots of family tears, I today asked UF Chair Mori Hosseini and our Board of Trustees to initiate a search for a new president of the university. I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems. I’m going to remain involved in serving our UF students — past, present, and future — but I need to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week. I’m grateful for our board’s support. Mori and the board have giant hearts – for this university and for this community. It’s easy to see why. I’m grateful for you, Gator Nation. You’ve welcomed our family with open arms. Professors who change the world, students who pack the Swamp, men and women who do the unsung work of keeping a big place like this rolling (shout out to the third-shift maintenance crews, the early morning cafeteria workers, and the Ben Hill Griffin cleanup team). We love you. You touched our hearts and made this more than a job – you made it our community. That’s why we’re not going anywhere. Our family is staying here in Gainesville. I’ll be here as President Emeritus and professor, continuing to teach classes. It's great to be a Florida Gator! … It’s even greater to be a husband and a dad. With love and gratitude, Ben news.ufl.edu/2024/07/sasse-…

Extraordinary visit to ⁦@FAMU_1887⁩ ⁦@FAMU_COE⁩ winner of ⁦@wtgrantfdn⁩ Institutional Challenge Grant w ⁦@TheFCRR⁩ ⁦director Nicole Patton Terry ⁦@FloridaState⁩ - appreciate the chance to discuss community engagement w campus leadership

@Tiffani_Sykes @CelebrationBowl @theswac @CoachTOliver @HCWillieSimmons So very proud of you my sister!

Honestly, this is surreal. 1. Only woman AD to win a @CelebrationBowl. 2. The only other @theswac AD to win one was my grad school advisor, Obadiah Simmons. 3. I’ve worked with FOUR head coaches who have won, Rod Broadway, Sam Washington, @CoachTOliver and @HCWillieSimmons.

CELEBRATION BOWL CHAMPIONS!!! #FAMU | #Rattlers | #OurTime

@JhonelMorvan Congratulations Dr. Morvan!

🎓📚 Earlier today, I successfully defended my Ph.D. thesis titled: A Quest for Equity in School Mathematics in Ontario: Connecting Black Secondary Students’ School Experiences and Achievement to Principal Leadership. 🎉🎉More to come! #phdlife #phdchat

I'm so proud of FAMU Football team and our coaches and AD @Tiffani_Sykes 🧡💚🧡💚Way to go!

Florida A&M University’s 700-bed housing project approved wctv.tv/2023/11/14/flo…

@Tiffani_Sykes 🙏🏾😔😇

When I got a text that Coach Anderson didn’t have much time left, I responded “I hope he holds on until Homecoming so we can visit.” Shortly after I landed in VA, he gained his wings. Ironically, I had on the same shirt that I wore the last time I visited him when I got the news.

Hey Rattlers and Friends! Strike Tour Tampa has raised over $19,000 towards its $25,000 goal. Support @FAMUAthletics & help us reach our goal by making your tax deductible donation at: fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/StrikeTour/… Or Text StrikeTour5 to 71777

@Tiffani_Sykes @RaysBaseball Awesome!

Thank you @RaysBaseball for inviting me to throw out tonight’s ceremonial first pitch! #FAMU #SWAC #HBCU

#FAMU Meek-Eaton Black Archives Museum Receives Grants Totaling More Than $500K 🎉 Read the full details here: famunews.com/2023/07/famu-m…

#FAMU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Allyson Watson, Ph.D. has appointed three individuals to serve in interim leadership roles within the Division of Academic Affairs. Learn more here: famunews.com/2023/07/famu-n…

@MarcaylaJohnso1 @billionairevsn So proud!

Thank you so much @billionairevsn Love this clip! I appreciate you🙏🏾🏀

@MarcaylaJohnso1 @usabjnt Love y'all so much!!!

So grateful for this experience as I compete at the @usabjnt! My family is everything!

@MarcaylaJohnso1 @jamberbball Go @MarcaylaJohnso1 we are so proud of you! We are praying for you!💜💜💜💜🏀🏀🏀🏀

Thank you @jamberbball for the ❤️🏀I appreciate it!

@Tiffani_Sykes @kickinitwitdom One of those needs to be back on the table!❤💛🐯🐯🐯

Virginia Union, Southern and Bethune-Cookman are all off limits for my niece @kickinitwitdom! 😅

@Tiffani_Sykes @FAMUAthletics Yessss!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

HUGE shout-out to the @FAMUAthletics certification team for completing eligibility evaluations for all of our student-athletes as of 10:54 p.m. tonight. Thanks for hanging in there with me! We’ve met with coaches of 11 of our 14 sports and will meet with the remaining 3 tomorrow.

@dariusjyoung She was like...

Y’all should have saw the concerned look on my daughter’s face when I told her we ate hot dogs and hamburgers on sliced bread when I was a kid.

@regellis1 @NCCU @HBCUGameday Congratulations brother, I can't wait to read this!

I heard somewhere, that ”An Eagle is no Ordinary Common Barnyard Fowl, and While A Sparrow Clings to its Flock, an Eagle Soars Alone!” @NCCU @HBCUGameday

@DrShaunHarper @POTUS A perfect honor and seat for you! What an awesome birthday week!

Thank you @POTUS for asking me to serve our country, its students, and their educational institutions in this important role. I am honored to do so. race.usc.edu/2022/10/27/pre…