The first African American student to graduate from the University of South Florida received one of the university’s highest honors on Friday.
- Ernest Borger, 72, graduated from USF in 1965, majored in psychology
- He later went on to earn his PhD
- Borger honored with the President's Fellow Medallion
Dr. Ernest Boger, 72, graduated from the university in 1965.
On May 6, USF awarded Boger the President’s Fellow Medallion in recogniztion of his accomplishments as well as breaking down racial barriers.
Boger said the university deserves a lot of the credit.
“It's not so important to recognize me as a person who opened the door, but me as the first person who walked through the open door, because USF had an open door,” said Boger. “Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, they had closed doors.”
While attending USF, Boger majored in psychology with a minor in Russian and music. He later went on to other schools to earn his master's and doctorate degrees.
Boger now serves as chairman of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.