Alumni Community Profile: Southwest Florida

Alumni living in southwest Florida enjoy some of the best beaches this country has to offer. Boating trips to Key West are common, and baseball fans can enjoy the fact that the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins hold spring training in that region. With hundreds of public golf courses and dozens of marinas, alumni are rarely indoors. As a group, the Southwest Florida Alumni Community volunteered at the Harry Chapin Food Bank to distribute meals to the community after Hurricane Irma and are planning to do a beach cleanup this spring or volunteer at the Manatee Reserve Park.

Question: What makes southwest Florida such a great place for UD alumni to live

“People living in this area love to be outdoor folks. We get to enjoy the milder temperatures of Florida in this area, which is great. We have a lot of recreational activities that you can take part in because of the weather afforded to us here. We love the water and enjoy going out on boat rides. There’s a lot of alumni in the area so there are a lot of friendly faces around.” —Rick Granite ’88

“With an average year-round temperature of 75 degrees, southwest Florida is paradise!  There are miles of beaches, rivers and bay for fun outdoor activities. We are a short drive away from Tampa, Naples, Captiva and Sanibel Islands, Miami and Key West. You can be a part of the city life or find an escape from it.” —Emily Spicer ’08

“With endless outdoor activities available year round, you are never without a fun activity to try.  The cities in the area offer great culture, restaurants, craft breweries and bars. It’s easy to see how this area was voted one of the happiest and healthiest places to live in the U.S.” —Jennifer Graul Granite ’12