Thomas Stockwell, assistant professor of economics, used his expertise to explain the benefits and downsides of personal budgeting, and shared some tips on creating and sticking to a plan.

University of Tampa Economist Shares How Trump’s Tariffs Could Impact Floridians

FOX 13
Jordan Bowen
Feb. 3, 2025

America's three biggest trading partners – Canada, Mexico and China – are now firing back after President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% tariff on goods from China. Associate Professor of Economics Abby Hall Blanco says, “Economics teaches us that trade is remarkably beneficial and that things which limit our trading capacities make us worse off. They make us poorer.” Blanco explains it may take time before Americans feel the strain on their wallets. “So maybe when we're talking about going back to school in July or August and you're buying those school supplies for your kids or next year, when you are looking at buying toys for your kids for Christmas or Hanukkah, those things are going to be more expensive," Blanco said.

Local Reaction to Tariffs on Canada and Mexico

ABC Action News
JJ Burton
Feb. 1, 2025

Amidst the public’s reaction to the introduction of tariffs on consumer goods, Michael Coon, associate professor of economics, doesn’t “recommend that people panic.” He explains that price increases won’t be reflected for at least six months, so if the masses buy as much as they can now with the “lower prices,” it will increase prices even faster.

There’s Still a Real Threat That Inflation Makes a Comeback

The Hill
Vivekanand Jayakumar
Feb. 1, 2024

Vivekanand Jayakumar, associate professor of economics, reviews the trends of inflations over recent years and theorizes how President Trump’s policy agenda will affect it in the near future.

Zoe Piller’s Bay Area Birthright fulfilled at University of Tampa

Tampa Bay Times
Joey Knight
Jan. 31, 2024

Senior Zoe Piller felt destined for Tampa after being born during the 2003 Superbowl game when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored their first Superbowl win. Now, she is the top scorer and rebounder on UTampa’s basketball team. “She’s the strongest kid. She could be an Olympic weightlifter maybe,” head coach Tom Jessee said. “I mean, when she posts up and seals you, you’re not moving her. And she’s very, very nimble for her size; she’s got good quickness. She can put the ball on the deck, go around you. She’s not just a power player, although that is her strength.”

UTampa Baseball Begins Title Defense with Retooled Line-up

ABC Action News
Kyle Burger
Jan. 29, 2024

UTampa’s baseball program is coming off a ninth Division-II National Championship season in 2024. “All year, it's championship or bust around here,” head coach Joe Urso said. “That’s what we signed up for and we are very happy with that.” “We’re here to win championships,” starting pitcher Skyler Gonzalez added. “This club has a lot of history. A lot of national titles, a great head coach.” Urso was busy this offseason assembling a squad to compete for a tenth title this season after many standout players graduated last year.

UTampa President Trains with ROTC

WFLA
Jan. 29, 2025

President Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg took part in ROTC personal training workouts. Dahlberg completed battalion runs and the “Spartan Circuit,” which includes deadlifts, kettle bell swings, push-ups and a buddy team sled drag.

Longtime University of Tampa Athletics Director To Retire

Tampa Bay Business Journal
Breanne Williams
Jan. 28, 2025

Larry Marfise, UTampa’s athletic director for the last 26 years, has announced his retirement, effective in November. “I cannot overstate the profound impact Larry has had on UTampa’s co-curricular experience and on the hundreds of student-athletes who have competed on our fields and courts,” said President Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg. His legacy at the University includes creating gender equity plans, increasing athletics fundraising, improving athletic facilities on campus, creating new teams for the university and leading the charge on ensuring Spartan athlete GPAs were at or above UTampa’s overall student GPAs.

Best Online Loans

WalletHub
John Kiernan
Jan. 28, 2025

Sridhar Gogineni, associate professor of finance, was tapped as an expert to give insight on the best online loans.

Power 100: Tampa Bay’s Most Influential Business Leaders of 2025 Named

Tampa Bay Business Journal
Pam Huff
Jan. 27, 2025

President Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg was named to Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Power 100, which celebrates Tampa’s most influential business leaders who significantly impact the community. Former president Ronald Vaughn was previously named to the list, and is now labeled as a “2024 Legend.”

Best & Worst States To Start a Business

WalletHub
Adam McCann
Jan. 20, 2025

Bert Seither, manager of operations for the Lowth Entrepreneurship Center, was tapped as an expert to give insight on the best and worst states to start a business.

The Strong Dollar Conundrum Facing the Trump Administration

The Hill
Vivekanand Jayakumar
Jan. 19, 2025

In this opinion piece, Associate Professor of Economics Vivekanand Jayakumar says that economists predicted the dollar to weaken in 2024, but that is rose sharply instead. Now, with President Trump sown in and planning to implement trade tariifs and restrictive immigration policies, both of which are likely to be inflationary, signal a further strengthening of the dollar.

Massive New Trump Tariffs Are Looming. Here’s How These Import ‘Taxes’ Work and Who Pays for Them

Bankrate
Sarah Foster
Jan. 16, 2025

One of President Trump’s main campaign promises was to create a “universal baseline tariff,” believing that it will bring jobs back to communities hurt by globalization and increase government revenue. But economists, including Associate Professor Michael Coon, say that tariffs aren’t a reliable tool for either of those objectives. “One of the few things that most economists unanimously agree on is trade is good,” said Coon. “If you implement a world that’s super protectionist by putting in a lot of tariffs, it’s going to raise prices on consumers and effectively make everybody poorer.”

UT Professor Reveals Worst Thing You Can Say to a Cancer Patient

Bay News 9
Jeff Butera
Jan. 5, 2025

Colter Ray, assistant professor of communication, has studied how people communicate with cancer patients for more than a decade. When talking to patients ages 18-39, two-thirds of the population had experienced a lack of support from a friend or loved one they expected to hear from. “The most common thing is, ‘I don’t think what to say’ or ‘I’m afraid I’m going to say the wrong thing.’” Ray said. While there are unhelpful things that people can say to a patient, the worst thing is nothing at all.

Does a Lack of Faith Lead To Suicide? One Study Says Yes. Scholars of Secularism Say No.

Religion News Service
Bob Smietana
Jan. 3, 2025

A recent academic paper drew on crime-tracking data on college campus and religious affiliation surveys to show that states with higher percentages of so-called “nones” — people who claim no religious affiliation in surveys — have higher rates of sexual assault on campus as well as higher suicide rates overall. Ryan Cragun, sociology professor at UTampa, reviewed the paper and said that while it does show a correlation, the paper’s author fails to prove that disbelief causes those higher rates. Cragun also said the paper ignores other data, such as that showing that states with higher murder rates are correlated to higher per-capita populations of evangelicals. “If I were to use his logic, then I should be able to argue that evangelicals are more likely to kill people,” said Cragun.