It seems like every holiday season, we all immerse in that time of reflection and are left wondering, “How did we get here already?”
While 2022 may have flew by, many exciting things happened over the past year. Businesses opened. Records were broken. Here are just a few highlights that Greater Gainesville has to be proud of.
Business
In 2022 alone, the Greater Gainesville area has already had several big boons for its thriving entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem.
In January, ground was broken for The Convergence, a 420-acre development adjacent to Progress Park in Alachua and “designed as a hub for major science and technology research companies.” This development adds to the flourishing community of biotech startups and mature companies in Alachua. It will bring 54,000 square feet of space at Momentum Labs, a 10,000-square-foot Conference and Meeting Center, 1,000 residential units and 3 million square feet of mixed-use commercial space.
Greater Gainesville Young Professionals officially launched on Feb. 3. It kicked off with a launch event at Celebration Pointe attracting more than 150 attendees. As part of the Greater Gainesville Chamber, this organization provides young professionals aged 21 to 39 the opportunity to develop themselves professionally and personally, become involved with community service and venture on recreational trips within Greater Gainesville.
Health Care
Significant discoveries and progress were made toward the fight against cancer at UF Health. In August, Dr. John Ligon, a pediatric oncologist at UF Health, received a $600,000 grant for his proposed treatment of osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer typically affecting longer bones in the arms and legs, but it can begin anywhere.
The The Elekta Unity MR-Linac at the Radiation Oncology clinic at University of Florida’s Davis Cancer Pavilion at UF Health debuted the Elekta Unity MR-Linac machine, which provides safer, targeted therapy with less risk and less impact on patient well-being. The first patient was treated with the Linac machine on July 26. The sophisticated device, which required over two years of construction, installation and training, is one of only 42 in clinical use worldwide and the first in the southeastern United States.
In addition, the Florida campus of Scripps Research was integrated in April as a part of the University of Florida’s academic health center as UF Scripps Biomedical Research.
Education
Approximately 60,000 students applied to the fall 2022 entering class at the University of Florida. That is more than double the nearly 29,000 students who applied for the fall of 2014.
UF reached the nation’s top five public universities in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
Within the local K-12 school districts, Gainesville High School Football team made the final four, while a record number of Alachua County students were named semifinalists for the 2023 National Merit Scholarship program.
Wiles Elementary School had eight students selected as Florida All-State choir. They will perform at the Tampa Convention Center in early 2023.
New Year, New Highlights
As Greater Gainesville reflects on the past year, it is exciting to see what the future will bring. A new year will undoubtedly bring continued highlights, and Greater Gainesville is ready to continue to thrive in 2023.
By Meredith Biesinger.