Former USF President gifts $200,000 to Tampa Bay EDC

Former University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft announced Tuesday that her family’s new philanthropic initiative, the Genspiration Foundation, donated $200,000 toward a first-of-its-kind internship program.

The donation was gifted to the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, and will allow the EDC to launch a “results-driven” internship program aimed at training the next generation of economic development professionals, according to an announcement.

The inaugural group of three USF student interns will work in the Tampa Bay EDC’s Business Development, Community Development and Marketing departments for a full academic year, beginning in September. The interns will be directly involved in projects that drive economic growth in the community and will have the opportunity to collaborate with some of the region’s largest employers and developers.

“The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council was a natural fit for the Genspiration Foundation to support because, like our foundation, it strives to improve life in our community so individuals, families and businesses can thrive,” Genshaft says in the announcement.

The Genspiration Foundation is a private family nonprofit founded by Genshaft and her husband, Steve Greenbaum, in 2020. The foundation’s mission is to support education, health and community and economic development through invitation-only grants.

Genshaft, who retired in July 2019, served as president of USF for nearly 20 years.

A long-time advocate for economic development and student success throughout the region, Tampa Bay EDC President and CEO Craig Richard praised Genshaft for her leadership in the EDC as one of its founding members, a former chair and current member of the board.

“We look forward to fulfilling the mission of the foundation by training these interns to make a difference in our community,” Richard says.