The Board of Regents appointed Thomas G. Carpenter as the first University President in July of 1969. Work immediately began to hire staff and construction planning. Before the groundbreaking on September 18, 1971, University employees worked in temporary locations in downtown Jacksonville at the First National Bank building and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. The Groundbreaking ceremony welcomed over 600 guests with Florida Governor Reubin Askew as the keynote speaker.

To view more images from UNF's Groundbreaking Ceremony in 1971, please visit the gallery in the UNF Digital Commons.