In 2012, Baby Gator and Housing came
together to help meet the growing need for
additional child care spaces on campus. With
the persistence and dedication of Housing
staff, project managers, and administration,
Baby Gator at Diamond Village opened its
doors in September 2014. The Diamond Village
partnership enabled Baby Gator to provide 63
additional child spaces to the students and
faculty of the Health Sciences department.
From apartment to classroom, children enjoy
activities at Diamond Village.
No matter the project, HRE and Baby Gator
staff jointly find ways to make them happen.
Baby Gator is not your average child care
facility. With 3 locations on campus, we
are able to provide quality early education
services to 330 children ages 6 weeks to 5
years and their families.
In addition to offering child care, the
Baby Gator facilities are used as sites
for UF students and faculty to compete
coursework, research studies, and trainings
related to early child hood education, child
development, and teacher professional
development.
Baby Gator’s collaboration with HRE
represents a symbiotic relationship of two
vastly different departments on campus.
The 10 year relationship began with Housing
offering community space to Baby Gator
staff for professional development trainings.
Finding a space for all 70 Baby Gator staff to
come together regularly is no small feat and Baby Gator teacher training in Diamond Village's
the Housing staff were extremely helpful in common room.
coordinating these events.
BABY GATOR DAYCARE
From that, a partnership to house Baby Gator’s
summer camp program at Graduate and
Undergraduate apartments and halls, became
an annual summer commitment. Being
able to have these additional 100 campers
located close to the main Baby Gator facilities
on campus is critical to the success of the
program.
HRE ALUMNI MAGAZINE | UF STUDENT AFFAIRS
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