The University of Florida, the state, the nation and the world have lost a true statesman.
Bob Graham devoted himself to his family and to a life of public service. He possessed a unique combination of razor-sharp intelligence and an enduring commitment to understanding the basic needs of everyday people. The result was an approach to politics and service that focused less on ideology and more on accomplishing the most good for the most people.
He loved the University of Florida and especially its students, who he relished meeting whenever he was on campus. He founded the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida to help students develop the skills necessary for effective civic engagement, public leadership, and public service, and to create opportunities for students to “learn by doing,” exemplified by his hundreds of memorable “work days.”
While we are deeply saddened by Bob Graham’s passing, we embrace the opportunity to continue building on his legacy through the Bob Graham Center for Public Service.