A look at 10 things to look forward to at FSU, FAMU, TCC in 2023

With a new year comes anticipation in the college town of Tallahassee.

As Florida State and Florida A&M universities as well as Tallahassee Community College gear up for the spring semester — which starts Monday, Jan. 9 — they all have a variety of events and milestones for individuals both near and far to experience all throughout 2023.

Here is a roundup of 10 things to look forward to at FSU, FAMU and TCC.

1. FSU’s spring homecoming

While FAMU’s homecoming is expected to make its annual comeback in the fall, FSU’s week of school spirit and celebration will make its return a bit earlier, following its postponement in 2022.

FSU’s homecoming was postponed to the spring semester after classes were cancelled ahead of Hurricane Ian during the initial week it was planned to be held in September.

The university’s highly anticipated parade that was set to take place on Sept. 30, along with alumni events, will now be in April.

Related news:Florida A&M celebrates 2022 Homecoming in annual parade

2. FSU Student Union’s new full-service bar

In early 2023, Proof Brewing Company will be having its second Tallahassee location on FSU’s campus in the Student Union building.

Located on the ground floor of the building, Proof at FSU will be adjacent to the union's bowling alley, covering 5,000 square feet.

The full-service bar will include craft cocktails, boutique wine, mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks as it serves up to 150 customers and operates seven days a week for lunch and dinner as well as brunch hours over the weekends.

More:Cheers! Proof Brewing Company plans to open second location at Florida State University

3. FSU, FAMU’s competitive football seasons

The most heated games of FSU and FAMU’s football seasons are coming back next year.

With the upcoming season’s FAMU v. Jackson State University game being the first football match up without Deion Sanders as JSU’s coach, it becomes more of a highlighted game for fans of both teams. In the 2022 Orange Blossom Classic, JSU hammered FAMU 59-3, making it the Rattlers' worst defeat to a fellow HBCU program in school history.

Another game to keep an eye on is the one between rivals FAMU and Bethune-Cookman University in next year’s Florida Blue Florida Classic. This year, FAMU defeated BCU 41-20 on the Wildcats’ turf.

After a strong 2022 season, Seminoles fans look forward to what 2023 may bring. Matchups such as the University of Miami, where FSU took home the victory with a 45-3 win, and the University of Florida, where FSU also beat UF 38-45, are sure to be circled on football fans' calendars.

4. FSU, FAMU college rankings

FAMU is moving closer to its longstanding and overarching goal of tapping into the top 100 public universities in the nation as ranked by the U.S. News & World Report.

As the university placed no. 103 this year, a step up from No. 104 last year, it hopes to maintain the forward motion in next year’s ranking until it reaches its goal. In the meantime, it continues to hold the title of being the highest ranked public HBCU (historically black college or university) in the country.

FSU maintained its spot in the top 20 rankings as it secured its spot at no. 19, tied with three other schools — the University of Maryland, the University of Washington and Rutgers.

Similar to FAMU, the steady but nail-biting march continues for FSU as it strives to reach the top 15 public universities in the nation.

FAMU rankings:FAMU maintains top-ranked public HBCU standing nationally by U.S. News & World Report

5. FSU, FAMU key hires

The new year is expected to come along with new faces as vacant positions are in the process of being filled at both universities.

FSU President Richard McCullough recently announced during his State of the University address in December that the appointment of a new dean for the College of Medicine will be made in the coming days, following John P. Fogarty’s retirement from the position this year.

With FAMU President Larry Robinson recently making several shifts in his leadership team through his restructuring plan, the search and selection of a permanent provost and vice president for Academic Affairs is expected to be completed by the end of spring 2023. Former College of Education Dean Allyson Watson currently fills the interim role.

Another key FAMU appointment being made soon is for the position of vice president for university advancement and executive director of the FAMU Foundation, where Robinson said a national search will be held to fill the role before the end of the spring semester.

More:FAMU President Larry Robinson announces immediate plans to restructure his leadership team

6. FAMU fab lab for Tallahassee community

A fabrication laboratory called the “FAMU STR²EAM Chevron Innovation Fab Lab,” will serve the Tallahassee community in August and will expose K-12 students to the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field.

Fully funded by Chevron — one of the world’s leading companies to produce crude oil and natural gas — the fab lab will create a space for individuals to learn and to innovate using digital fabrication tools and prototyping machines.

Equipment such as laser and vinyl cutters, 3-D printers and milling machines will be available to the community once the lab is officially unveiled on the first floor of FAMU’s Gore Education Complex building next year.

7. FAMU’s purchased property expectations

Citivue apartments as well as Twelve-Twenty, Paces and Light House at Brooklyn Yard in Tallahassee are all property near campus that FAMU expects to turn into student housing by fall 2023 for a total of 234 additional beds.

The purchase plans come after many of the university’s students scrambled in search of a place to live ahead of this fall semester's start date, following the worrisome news they received about on-campus residence halls reaching full capacity.

Housing crunch:Students, parents on a 'stressful' hunt for off-campus housing: Here are some solutions

But with the $12.65 million October purchase of the apartments at Brooklyn Yard located on Eugenia Street, Conklin Street and Rattler View Court with 118 beds, the university hopes to alleviate the housing crisis in Tallahassee for both incoming and returning students.

Although Citivue Apartments at Railroad Square located on Eugenia Street has not yet been purchased for the expected cost of up to $13 million, the university is in the process of finalizing the plan in order to add 116 more beds to FAMU’s student housing next year.

8. TCC’s new STEM-based charter school

After an initial opening date of August this year, the doors of TCC’s charter school will open in August 2023 — making it one out of five colleges in the state to receive $2 million from Governor Ron Desantis for the incentive.

Back story:Outdated Florida DOE policy forces TCC to postpone opening date of STEM charter school

The 9-12 grade school will be on TCC's campus and will focus on students interested in the STEM field. Programs will potentially include cybersecurity, information technology, game design and animation.

Attending the charter school will also give students the chance to earn a high school diploma and associate of science degree at the same time.

9. TCC’s renovated student union building

A $2.5 million renovation project has been underway at TCC's student union since February.

With the project’s completion date having been this December, students, faculty and staff will have a more well-rounded opportunity to enjoy the building’s upgrades next year as they return to campus for the spring semester.

Changes include more comfortable seating, improvements to the overall look of the union and the return of the college’s dining restaurants — Social Catering, Subway and Voltage Café — that have been closed during the renovations.

Related news:Two food trucks, six restaurant concepts: TCC adds culinary options with student union under renovation

10. TCC sports

Besides the athletics programs on the university level in the state's capital, TCC also has sports of its own to offer fans in the Tallahassee community.

Both men and women’s sports range from basketball and baseball or softball to track and field and cross country.

An addition to TCC's sports family is Bryan Henry as the new head baseball coach, becoming the second head coach in the program's history. He was most recently an assistant coach at FAMU where he would oversee the pitching staff and assist in recruiting.

Another recent addition to athletics at TCC is Esports — where video games are live-streamed.

More:Tallahassee Community College adds 'new and upcoming' sport to athletics lineup

As TCC’s men’s basketball team recently defeated Albany Technical College 94-64 on Dec. 20, its winning streak is now at 15 games. This marks the longest streak since the 2018-2019 season when the team was victorious for 16 games in a row.

The college’s sports schedules for next year can be found on the TCC Athletics website.

Editor's note: Bryan Henry is the son of Democrat sports editor Jim Henry.

Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Preview of 2023 at FSU, TCC, FAMU: Homecoming, amenities, sports & more