UCF Foundation News, Spring 2015

SPRING 2015

I n d i v i d u a l s a n d g i f t s t h at a r e t r a n s f o r m i n g U C F

DREAMING BIG DOWNTOWN

UCF commits to full medical school scholarships for students from downtown Orlando’s nearby Parramore Heritage Community

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new University of Central Florida campus in downtown Orlando aims to provide more opportunities for students in the surrounding community to pursue college degrees — including medical school.

Thanks to the generosity of hotelier, philanthropist and longtime UCF benefactor Harris Rosen, UCF is making strides toward that goal even while the downtown campus is still in the planning stages.

Rosen’s foundation will cover the cost of undergraduate degrees for students who attend a new K-8 school that is being built near the future site of UCF Downtown and then for those who graduate from nearby Jones High School. Students would have the option of attending UCF for four years or going to Valencia College for two years, earning an associate degree and then enrolling at UCF. A new UCF initiative would then allow those students who qualify for admission to receive free

tuition to UCF’s College of Medicine.

Orlando Solar Bears partner Joe Haleski and his wife, Kate, acting through the Haleski Foundation, have already stepped forward with a leadership gift of $100,000 to help fund the Parramore student medical school scholarships.

“To me it’s all about giving back,” said Dr. Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the UCF College of Medicine.

German, who received a full scholarship to Harvard Medical School, was the first in her family to graduate from college and could not have afforded medical school without the scholarship. She called the Parramore scholarship a way of “paying forward” the gift given to her. “During the announcement (for the new K-8 school), I saw a 2-year-old child standing where the new Parramore school will be built,” she said. “I wanted to pick him up and say, ‘You can be a doctor. And we will pay for it. You just have

Memorial Fund Established for Journalist Steven Sotloff When Steven Sotloff was brutally murdered by the Islamic State group last September, the world lost a courageous, passionate and principled journalist. Now, to commemorate his life and to perpetuate his work, his family has established the Steven Sotloff Memorial Endowed Fund at UCF, where Sotloff studied journalism from 2002 to 2004.

The fund will provide scholarship support to UCF students majoring in journalism as well as funding for symposia, lectures and other programming to advance journalism and journalism education.

Tony and Sonja Nicholson, longtime UCF donors after whom the Nicholson School of Communication is named, have made a commitment to match gifts to the fund up to $25,000.

For additional information about contributing to the fund, please contact Ray Allen at 407.823.1952 or ray.allen@ucf.edu. Online gifts may be made at ucffoundation.org/sotloff.

to work incredibly hard. Dream big. You can do this.’ ” UCF Downtown is projected to open with about 6,000 UCF and Valencia College students. By 2021, upwards of 10,000 UCF students and 3,000 Valencia College students will be enrolled at the downtown campus.

UCF Downtown also will host a new initiative designed to make college fully accessible for students with intellectual disabilities, providing these students with the opportunity to earn meaningful higher education credentials and prepare them for employment. This program, the first of its kind in Central Florida, will begin in fall 2015 on UCF’s main campus but will relocate to the downtown campus once it opens.

For additional information about contributing to scholarships for Parramore students or UCF Downtown, please contact the UCF Foundation at 407.882.1247 or donorrelations@ucf.edu.

THE BIG NUMBER

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Consecutive years UCF has been named by Kiplinger’s as one of the nation’s best college values

UCF Stands for Opportunity is more than just a tagline. In fact, making a first-rate university education accessible to as large and diverse a group of promising students as possible is central to our identity. That’s reflected in five consecutive appearances on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s annual list of the 100 best values among public colleges and universities. For 2015, UCF ranked 42nd out of nearly 600 institutions. UCF also ranked 150th this year out of 2,000 on the Princeton Review’s list of best value universities.

Message from the CEO

In the Years Ahead Dear friends: I’ve often used this space in our newsletter to applaud the positive impact that donors are making throughout the University of Central Florida. This message is no different — except that it’s my final one as the foundation’s CEO.

Full Potential

With the help of scholarship support, Sarah Sacra is overcoming a traumatic past to help create a safer future

As you may know, I will be retiring from my current post July 1, so this message of thanks is particularly heartfelt. Nothing we have accomplished during my 17-year tenure with the UCF Foundation would have been possible without you, our loyal alumni, friends and contributors. I am enormously proud of and grateful for what we have achieved, together, on behalf of UCF. Chief among those pride points has been the growth of the foundation itself. Today we have in place an experienced and dedicated staff, highly productive fundraising programs, and strong partnerships with our campus and community. Since my arrival at UCF, donors have committed more than $600 million in gifts to benefit all areas of the university.

“This is not a farewell as much as an opportunity, one more time, to express my appreciation.”

This successful track record positions UCF well for its current comprehensive campaign, now in the leadership gift phase. Thanks to UCF President John C. Hitt, I’ll be able to play a role in the new campaign as special assistant to the president for principal gifts. In addition to working with President Hitt, I will collaborate closely with the new foundation CEO, whom UCF expects to hire by mid-2015.

Happily, then, this is not a message of farewell as much as an opportunity to express one more time, from this unique vantage point, my personal appreciation to our alumni, friends and the entire UCF family. I encourage you to stay involved with UCF and the foundation, and to offer the new CEO the same friendship and support that you have shown Ginny and me through the years. With your continued help, UCF is assured of even greater success in the years ahead.

Warm regards,

Robert J. Holmes CEO, UCF Foundation, Inc.

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There’s no ambiguity about Sarah Sacra’s professional ambitions. “My ultimate goal,” she says, “is to create partnerships between research universities and law enforcement agencies to reduce crime — particularly murders. To accomplish this, I would like to be a tenured university professor who researches crime with the intention of favorably changing public policies.”

Sacra is well on her way. After graduating summa cum laude from UCF in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a 3.99 GPA, she transitioned directly into UCF’s master’s program in applied sociology. She’s on track to graduate this August with a 4.00 GPA and has already been accepted into UCF’s doctorate program in sociology.

Although Sacra makes it look easy, it hasn’t been. After high school, even though she’d been a good student, she couldn’t afford university tuition, so she enrolled first at Brevard Community College (now Eastern Florida State College) and earned a two-year degree before transferring to UCF, where her tuition and fees were almost completely covered by a variety of scholarships.

Those included the Martin Andersen -

Gracia Andersen Foundation Endowed Scholarship and the Debbie K. Phillis Space Coast – UCF Scholarship, funded by the Space Coast UCF Alumni Chapter and named in honor of Phillis, ’84, a dedicated and muchadmired alumna who had led fundraising efforts for the chapter until her death in 2009.

But the financial challenges Sacra faced in college were minor compared to the trauma she had already overcome. For nearly two years of her adolescent life, she was sexually and emotionally abused by her stepfather, and emotionally abused and neglected by her mother. The pair were eventually arrested and convicted, and Sacra went to live with her father and her stepmother, with whom she remains very close.

That strength and perseverance suggest that, like so many scholarship recipients, Sacra likely would have found a way to excel even without scholarship support. But she’s not so sure herself. “It’s wonderful,” she says, “that there’s this kind of help for people who can’t necessarily afford college, because there are so many people like me who might not reach their potential because they simply don’t have the opportunity.”

Engineering Dean’s Suite Named for UCF Trustee Bev Seay To honor her leadership and generosity to UCF and the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the dean’s suite in the Harris Engineering Center was recently dedicated to Beverly J. Seay, longtime UCF donor, CECS Dean’s Advisory Board Chair, and UCF Trustee.

Seay has generously supported the university for more than a decade as a donor in a variety of areas. She also serves as chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board, which provides strategic guidance to the college, and has leveraged her contacts within the business community to Bev Seay with President Hitt and daughters Tiffany secure several key donations to UCF and Kaminski, ’06, ’11, and Michelle Nicol the college.

“As a member of the UCF Board of Trustees, Bev provides thoughtful and enthusiastic leadership, and she has become a champion for the advancement of the College of Engineering and Computer Science,” said President John C. Hitt at a small ceremony in the Harris Engineering Center.

“Helping to set up our next generation for success,” said Seay as a commemorative plaque was unveiled, “is something that just makes me feel good when I get up every morning.”

SPRING 2015

‘ This Little Chunk of Money’ Recalling his own training, UCF administrator Bryan Zugelder, ’98, helps student teachers focus on what matters As an undergraduate elementary education major at UCF, Bryan Zugelder, ’98, made up his mind that he wasn’t going to work during his internship. For the first-generation student who grew up in a trailer park near campus, that meant stashing away money ahead of time that he earned working in child care and after-school programs. But it was worth it to Zugelder, who says, “I knew that if I didn’t give it my all I’d be missing out on a real opportunity to be the best teacher I could be.”

Zugelder clearly made the most of that opportunity, going on to a master’s degree and a doctorate, several years of distinguished classroom teaching and professional development leadership with Seminole County Public Schools, a year in Tallahassee overseeing development of the elementary mathematics FCAT, and eventually an administrative position back at UCF, where he oversees all aspects of undergraduate education in the College of Education and Human Performance.

Now, with a generous planned gift to fund scholarships, Zugelder has committed to helping future student teachers concentrate, like he did, more on their training and less on their bills. “When you really focus on one thing, really flourish and grow in that one thing, that’s when you learn,” he says. “But I see a lot of student teachers who have a part-time job, two part-time jobs, struggling to put themselves through school. It’s hard to put forth your best effort when

you’re worrying about how you’re going to put gas in your car to get to your internship. I know this probably isn’t going to keep a student from having to work at all, but if somebody can benefit from this little chunk of money then I’ve done something to help.”

Giving Thanks

“ Change is what higher education is all about.

This institution has a distinguished past and will have a much more distinguished future.”

— H. Trevor Colbourn, UCF’s second president, who passed away in January in Winter Park at age 87

Indeed, constant positive change was the defining feature of Colbourn’s 11-year presidency, from 1978 through 1989. He oversaw not only the changing of the institution’s name from Florida Technological University to the University of Central Florida, but also the establishment of the university’s honors and football programs. His focus on partnership with Orange County transformed both the university and the regional economy through the creation of Central Florida Research Park.

Also under Colbourn’s leadership, enrollment grew by more than 60 percent, research funding quadrupled, and the UCF Foundation’s assets exploded from less than $1 million to more than $11 million.

After retiring as president, Colbourn, an Australian-born historian who specialized in the American Revolution, remained active at UCF as a scholar and teacher. “He was an astute academic leader with a keen vision,” said current president John C. Hitt. “I greatly valued his advice and contributions to our university.”

Tuesday, Feb. 10, was Appreciation Day at UCF, and nearly 250 students (like Bradley Brown, right) took a few moments to express their thanks to donors with personal notes. The effort was coordinated by the Student Philanthropy Council, which manned a tent outside the Student Union to educate other students about the impact of donor support on the student experience at UCF. Appreciation Day was part of Philanthropy Week at UCF, a four-day campuswide campaign to promote the spirit of philanthropy on campus, raise awareness about the impact of private support, and cultivate a tradition of giving back among students. Founded in 2013, the Student Philanthropy Council is a student-led organization advised by UCF Foundation staff.

Students’ donations, for obvious reasons, comprise a tiny portion of all giving to UCF, but raising money is not the council’s focus. Rather, the goal is to instill in students a sense of gratitude for private donations to the university and to open their eyes to the rewards of charitable giving — two things that, according to numerous studies, make a profound difference in future support.

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SPRING 2015

Faculty and Staff Give $1M “Kindness,” said freshman English major Tali Trenkamp at a lunch celebrating the success of Believe 2015, this year’s drive for faculty and staff donations, “is the glue holding our community together, the instrument that inspires one person to act on behalf of another. It stems from a belief in a brighter future, in a better tomorrow, in a world where the sky is the limit … from the true and honest conviction that one person can make a difference.”

That kind of conviction appears to be spreading at UCF. Over the course of slightly more than three weeks in February, a record 1,544 faculty and staff donors — up 12 percent from last year — collectively gave more than $1 million to support UCF, including $662,680 to help fund student scholarships. “This year’s successful campaign,” said President John C. Hitt at the lunch, “tells our community, our peer institutions and, most important, our students that those of us who work here are deeply devoted to the success of UCF.”

Holmes to Retire After 17 Years

Bob Holmes, UCF vice president for alumni relations and development and CEO of the UCF Foundation, will retire this year after 17 years of service to UCF and 41 years in higher education fundraising. “I am … enormously grateful,” Holmes said, “to the donors, advocates and volunteer leaders who have made my time at UCF a great privilege.”

Holmes led UCF’s first capital campaign, which concluded in 2006 after raising $366 million in gifts, well in excess of its original $250 million goal. Those gifts helped build the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus, the College of Medicine campus and Bright House Networks Stadium, and funded many other projects and initiatives.

At UCF President John C. Hitt’s request, Holmes will remain in his current role until his successor is hired, then transition to a part-time role as special assistant to the president for principal gifts.

A search committee, chaired by UCF trustee Beverly Seay and including foundation board chair Phyllis Klock, foundation campaign chair Rick Walsh, ’77, several other distinguished alumni, and two UCF deans, expects to identify finalists by late spring.

Different Income, Different Outcome

UCF moves to close the achievement gap between students of equal abilities but from different socio-economic backgrounds

Last fall’s entering freshman class was UCF’s best ever, with an average high school GPA of 3.9 and an average SAT of 1255. That’s great news for the university and great news for its alumni, whose degrees become more valuable as UCF grows more rigorous and selective.

Of course it’s also great for the promising young students responsible for those numbers. But not as universally as most would assume. In fact, according to several recent studies, even students with nearly identical test scores, grades and abilities have very different chances of graduating.

One key determining factor is family income. Consider the highest achievers in the class for example — those with SATs over 1200. National averages say that those who come from well-off families, earning incomes in the top 25 percent, are almost twice as likely to graduate by the time they’re 24 as those from families earning incomes in the bottom 25 percent. For groups with lower test scores, the discrepancy is far worse.

Closing that gap is one of the chief goals of the new University Innovation

Alliance, a collaborative group composed of UCF and 10 other leading public research universities. Among the successful strategies UCF will share with the Alliance is the DirectConnect to UCF program, which grants guaranteed admission to students (like Sarah Sacra, profiled on p. 2) who earn associate degrees from one of four area colleges.

Students who come from families earning incomes in the top 25 percent are almost twice as likely to graduate by age 24 as those from families earning incomes in the bottom 25 percent.

Of course, private philanthropy also plays a central role in increasing success rates for low-income students. Gifts like Bryan Zugelder’s (p. 3) can make a real and meaningful difference for students who are stretching to their financial limits. To learn more about supporting scholarships or to make a gift, visit ucffoundation.org or call 407.882.1220.

Center Heralds New Era for UCF Athletics Construction is underway on the innovative — and fully funded — Wayne Densch Center for Student-Athlete Leadership

Ground was ceremonially broken in late November for the Wayne Densch Center for Student-Athlete Leadership, and the heavy equipment wasn’t far behind. The center, though, represents more than the early stages of another UCF construction project.

Rather, it heralds a new era for UCF Athletics — one made possible through generous philanthropic support. Named for the lead gift from the Wayne M. Densch Charitable Trust, the center is the beneficiary of generous support totaling nearly $7 million from a small, committed group of donors.

When it opens in the winter of 2016, the three-story, 22,000-square-foot building will serve as headquarters for the personal, professional and academic development of nearly 500 student-athletes. The center will help these Knights maximize their potential and reinforce an important lesson — that graduation day is only the beginning of their journey.

The University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc. — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the university’s primary partner in securing philanthropic resources — encourages, stewards and celebrates charitable contributions from alumni and friends to support the University of Central Florida.

Ways of Giving The UCF Foundation offers a wide range of giving options. You may make a direct donation to the UCF Fund, plan one of several types of deferred or estate gifts, or establish a named endowment to benefit UCF in perpetuity. All gifts can be designated to support the college, program or initiative of your choice.

Types of Gifts The foundation welcomes gifts made via cash, check or credit card; stocks; real estate; goods or services such as lab equipment or transportation; and other means. Pledge gifts may be paid over a period of up to five years. All gifts may be designated in honor or memory of a family member, friend or mentor.

Next Steps To make a gift online or learn more about giving opportunities, visit ucffoundation.org. To make a gift by phone, call 407.882.1220. Check gifts, payable to UCF Foundation, Inc., may be mailed to the foundation with the intended area of support noted on the memo line.

UCF Foundation, Inc. I 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 250 I Orlando, Florida 32826-3208 407.882.1220 I ucffoundation.org

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