TAMPA, Florida -- The fear of massive budget cuts, leading to program losses and fewer classes, has some University of South Florida students doing something they never have before: getting involved in student government.
In four years of working in student government, USF senior Ivan Gil says he's never seen this much interest.
"This is something that's to a whole new level," he explained.
This week, students have loaded up into vans in the middle of the night, sat through budget hearings in Tallahassee, and signed hundreds of letters to legislators.
Gil says he's seen a surge in social media followers and interest.
"I'm very excited to see everything that they've been doing. Signing the petitions, calling their representatives," Gil said.
Longtime USF political science professor J. Edwin Benton says students are getting valuable real world experience.
He's working the budget battle into his classes as a teaching moment.
"For their first time maybe they're understand the connection between what government does and how it affects their life. So it's an adult awakening for them," Benton said.
Just because more students are participating, though, it doesn't necessarily mean they like what they see.
"This has been an eye opener for how politics can be so dirty," Gil said.
That's a lesson you may not pick up just from reading a textbook.
Previous USF Coverage:
2/15/12 - The math behind the USF budget battle
2/15/12 - Gov. Scott on proposed USF cuts
2/15/12 - Budget cuts live, but ''divorce settlement'' brokered
2/14/12 - USF Students depart overnight to protest budget cuts
2/14/12 - 10 News leading charge to #SaveUSF
2/14/12 - High school students impacted by USF attacks
2/14/12 - USF fears "devastating" 58% budget cuts
2/8/12 - JD Alexander pushes "backdoor" path for USF Poly independence
12/22/11 - Barbs traded over Genshaft's handling of USF Poly handling
12/20/11 - Genshaft dismisses USF Poly chancellor
11/10/11 - BOG grants USF Poly conditional independence
11/7/11 - USF Poly spends thousands on Star Wars statues
11/3/11 - JD Alexander's bully pulpit
10/31/11 - Polk leaders vote for USF Poly independence