IMPACT, Winter 2017-18

SPECIAL ISSUE:

2017 ANNUAL REPORT TO DONORS

IMPACT T H E M AGA Z I N E O F I G N I T E : T H E C A M PA I G N F O R U C F

Behind every gift, another story of generosity

17 WINTER

Inside Winter 2017-18 | Issue 2, Volume 1

RECORD YEAR Every year is a great year to be a Knight, but this one was especially sweet — both on the field and off.

Even before UCF’s explosive football squad started piling up wins on their way to a history-making perfect season, an American Athletic Conference Championship and a trip to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, passionate alumni and friends like you had already made some history of their own, committing a recordsetting $17 million to support UCF Athletics in Fiscal Year 2017. Read more on p. 11.

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“ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS IS NOT ONLY AN INVESTMENT IN THEM; IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN US.” — Paul Luna, President and CEO, Helios Education Foundation

2 FLASH POINTS President Hitt steps down / honoring outgoing dean Alvin Wang / Kiana Boodram / faculty and staff campaign / playing for a cure / $92,106.50 / perspective: Paul Luna of the Helios Education Foundation

4 TEN MINUTES WITH… Ken Robinson, President and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities 2017 Annual Report to Donors

6 VA R I E D A N D I N S P I R I N G The stories behind the 33,167 gifts made to UCF in Fiscal Year 2017 are as different as the 15,236 different donors who gave them.

14 NEW ENDOWED FUNDS IN 2017 We salute the donors who established endowments this year to benefit UCF and its students.

16 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS fundraising results / endowment performance / financial position / university support / campaign progress IMPACT is published three times a year by UCF Advancement for alumni, friends and partners of the university who have made philanthropic commitments to IGNITE: The Campaign for UCF. Please direct correspondence and address changes to foundation@ucf.edu or Impact Editor, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 250, Orlando, FL 32826.

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VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT AND CEO, UCF FOUNDATION, INC. Michael J. Morsberger, CFRE

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS Stephen Toth (interim)

MANAGING EDITOR Zack Thomas

ART DIRECTOR John Sizing | jspublicationdesign.com

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Thinking Ahead

President Hitt Steps Down On October 24, President John C. Hitt announced his decision to step down in June 2018, concluding a remarkable 26-year tenure during which he led the transformation of UCF from a commuter school at the edge of town into one of the largest and most dynamic universities in the nation.

“I’ve never felt better about the future of UCF,” Hitt told a gathering of colleagues, friends and reporters. “Making this decision now provides the best opportunity for our momentum to continue.”

“In terms of impact, integrity and longevity, there’s never been a university president like John Hitt,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Marcos Marchena ’82, who now leads the search for UCF’s fifth president.

The search committee includes members of the Board of Trustees as well as representatives from the university’s faculty, staff, student body and alumni community; the Central Florida community; and the Florida Board of Governors.

Hitt will remain part of the UCF family, serving as president emeritus and lending his considerable advocacy to several priorities close to his heart, most notably the John C. Hitt Initiative for Faculty Excellence — a focused effort to inspire new philanthropic commitments for endowed faculty positions.

Alvin Wang

For the latest on the search process, visit ucf.edu/ presidential-search.

To learn more about bou outt the John C. Hitt Initiative tiat ti ativ ivee for Faculty Excellence, ence en ce,, contact Bill Deann at william.dean@ucf.edu f.e .edu d du or 407.882.1361.

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In high school, senior biomedical sciences major and first-generation student Kiana Boodram didn’t put a lot of thought into college. In fact, by the time she decided to try applying to UCF, she’d missed the deadline.

But there was still time to enroll at Valencia College, where she excelled, finishing her associate degree in just a year and a half and then moving on to UCF via the DirectConnect to UCF program. She also earned a Johnson Scholarship — a generous award funded by the Johnson Scholarship Foundation specifically for DirectConnect to UCF students.

“The scholarship has made a huge difference,” says Boodram, who worked for a time as a pharmacy tech but struggled to keep up with the course load in her unusually demanding field of study.

As Boodram nears the end of her undergraduate career, she’s thinking a lot further ahead than she did back in high school. With dreams of training as a neuro- or cardiovascular surgeon, she’ll take the MCAT this summer and then start the medical school application process. Her top choice? UCF’s College Coll Co lleg egee of Medicine.

Med edic icin ine. e.

“HE’S THE FIRST PERSON OUTSIDE OF MY FAMILY TO TELL ME I COULD D DO ANYTHING WITH MY LIFE. HEARING IT FROM A DEAN WAS THE PUSH I NEEDED. HE DESERVES S HAVING A SCHOLARSHIP IN HIS NAME. THAT’S WHAT HE EMBODIES.””

—First-generation graduate MELONIE SEXTON ’07, speaking about Alvin Wang during a celebration of his 12 years as dean of The Burnett Honors College. Wang’s colleagues, es, friends and former students gave nearly $40,000 to establish the Alvin Y. Wang Endowed Scholarship arsh ar ship sh ip in his honor when he decided to step down to focus on classroom instruction.

Kiana Boodram

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Powerful Example More than 2,000 faculty and staff members combined to give $1,010,644 in this year’s Believe faculty and staff campaign. The participation level set a new record in the 10-year history of the annual drive.

“We are all partners in the advancement of UCF,” said Provost

Playing For a Cure Nearly $1 Million in Bowl Game Proceeds Boost UCF Cancer Research

UCF faculty and staff gave more than $1 million to support a wide range of priorities at the universities.

and Executive Vice President A. Dale Whittaker. “Together, our giving sets a powerful example for others. We demonstrate that we are united in a common goal: making UCF the best it can be.”

The faculty and staff contributions will benefit many different areas on campus. More than $65,000 was raised to help fund scholarships for first-generation students. Other areas supported included the Knights Helping Knights Pantry, the student emergency fund and student-athletes.

The donations also will count toward IGNITE: The Campaign for UCF, the university’s campaign to raise $500 million by 2019.

UCF cancer researcher Dr. Annette Khaled (right) and Dr. Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine

“WE’RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS, AND THAT SHOULD GIVE CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS GREAT HOPE.”

Georgia State fans weren’t the only ones with cause for celebration after their team beat Western Kentucky 27-17 in the AutoNation CureBowl at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium on Dec. 16. In fact, with all due respect to the Panthers and the Hilltoppers, perhaps the day’s biggest news was the $3.3 million in game proceeds donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation since 2015.

Of that total, nearly $1 million has been directed to support the work of Dr. Annette Khaled, a professor at the UCF College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and head of the medical school’s cancer research division.

Khaled’s lab has discovered a peptide, CT20, that kills metastatic cells.

Metastatic or spreading cancer cells move from the original tumor to the brain, lungs and bones and are what kill most patients. Dr. Khaled’s lab has studied the peptide for stopping metastatic breast cancer cells in animal models and licensed it, with the next step being clinical trials.

“We’re making great progress,” Khaled said on the field at the game.

“And that should give cancer patients and survivors great hope.”

DOLLARS DONATED TO THE KNIGHTS HELPING KNIGHTS PANTRY by alumni and friends — including UCF Foundation board chair Nelson Marchioli ’72 and his wife Carole, who gave $25,000 in the form of a matching challenge, and an anonymous donor who gave $10,000 — to keep the shelves stocked in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

$92,106.50 igniteucf.org

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10 MINUTES WITH...

Ken Robinson

President and CEO, Dr. Phillips Charities

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t’s not easy to get through a day in Central Florida without hearing or seeing the Dr. Phillips name. There’s the community of Dr. Phillips, of course, but also the Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate at UCF, the Dr. Phillips Charities Rotunda at UCF’s College of Medicine, the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA, the beautiful Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts downtown and countless other projects to advance healthcare, education, the arts and youth wellbeing in our region.

Now, another one of those projects is underway: the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons, the first building of the new UCF Downtown campus, named in honor of a $7 million philanthropic commitment to the project from Dr. Phillips Charities, the Orlandobased organization that is the legacy of early citrus “PARTNERSHIPS producer Dr. Philip Phillips and his wife, Della.

MEAN A “Our relationship with UCF is a very strong COLLABORATIVE one,” says Dr. Phillips President and CEO Ken ENVIRONMENT, Robinson. “We think of giving to UCF as an excellent investment in our community.”

WHICH YIELDS How much has philanthropy contributed to making Orlando the city it is today?

Philanthropy certainly has played — and will continue to play — a

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A BETTER PRODUCT.

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major role in the development and the vibe of downtown Orlando, as it does in any major city. It was a primary driver in the creation of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, for example, and we have two world-class hospitals — Orlando Health and Florida Hospital — that have major philanthropic components.

We’re different from more historic, established cities — like you see in the Northeast — that are home to large philanthropic organizations with long histories. But there’s a growing philanthropic community.

We’ve got some wonderful organizations in town like the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation and the Martin AndersenGracia Andersen Foundation. We’ve also got some great for-profit companies participating in philanthropic efforts like the Orlando Magic,

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Disney, Universal and Darden. And of course we’ve got a city mayor, Mayor Dyer, who has been a catalyst for bringing government, business and philanthropy together to create that energy downtown.

What’s Dr. Phillips’ vision for downtown Orlando?

Our vision for downtown is an environment that attracts businesses which bring high paying jobs with them. That requires embracing culture and education. A wonderful cultural environment is developing downtown — with the Dr. Phillips Center as an anchor — and we’re a world-class sports city with the Orlando Magic, Orlando City soccer and Florida Citrus Sports hosting two major bowl games every year.

We felt education was the missing component, but that’s changing with the new K-8 community school in Parramore and UCF and Valencia coming downtown.

What did Dr. Phillips see in the idea of a downtown campus for UCF and Valencia that merited such generous support?

Dr. Phillips didn’t need to be motivated to make this commitment. When President Hitt and Mayor Dyer spoke to our board and outlined their vision for downtown, we were all-in. What we see is the perfect opportunity to encourage and inspire downtown youth to see college not as an unattainable goal but as something right in their backyards, something achievable both academically and financially.

A downtown campus also facilitates internships and experiential learning, which lead to jobs. Our motto is “helping others help themselves,” and there’s no better way to do that than through education.

Public-private partnerships like the one behind UCF Downtown often seem to yield exceptional results. What’s special about them?

These partnerships are about more than just money. In the case of the downtown campus — and more specifically the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons — the partnership between public entities and private donors created an emotional environment to get this

done now and right. It isn’t just about paying for a few academic buildings; it really is about creating something special for our community. Partnerships like this also mean a collaborative environment with multiple perspectives, which yields a better product.

The Dr. Phillips organization has been very successful as a charitable organization by almost any measure. What do you attribute that to?

I think first you have to look at the culture. Dr. Philip Phillips was a citrus pioneer, an entrepreneur, and ran a very successful business that was built around innovation, strong marketing and delivering a quality product at a competitive price.

When the citrus operations were sold in 1954, Howard Phillips, his son, moved us into commercial real estate but maintained those exact same business principles and provided exceptionally good products.

When he passed away in 1979, Jim Hinson, who’d had the opportunity to work with both Dr. Phillips and Howard Phillips, took over the organization and led it into its third phase — the philanthropic phase — again with the exact same principles. We still open our office at 7:30 every morning and run a very dedicated real estate investment business that allows us to invest back in the community through grants. In 1979, the Dr. Phillips organization was about an $80 million asset. Since then, we’ve grown it to something close to $300 million and given away more than $180 million in grants in the same timeframe.

When we give those grants, it’s the same as investing in a piece of real estate. We want to make sure we’re investing that grant into the best organization possible to help others help themselves. Our grants are also focused 99-percent right here in Central Florida, which I think makes a major difference. We can be a catalyst for change by doing so much in one concentrated area, versus spreading those dollars all around the country. We know we can make a difference in Central Florida. We’ve been doing it for over 100 years, and I can assure that we plan to be 100 years from now.

PERSPECTIVE

Investment in Us Leveraging the power of education IF THERE IS ONE VEHICLE THAT REPEATEDLY YIELDS A HIGHLY valuable return, it is education. More lucrative than a temporary bull market, an investment in the postsecondary education of all students, particularly first generation, minority and underrepresented students, will change the long-term composition of our community by elevating the quality of our workforce and the socio-economic potential of our citizens.

Helios Education Foundation is proud to invest in partnerships that assist students to achieve a postsecondary degree because we believe in the transformational power of education. Only through collaboration and partnership can we harness the power of community to ensure that all children start their education journey in a high-quality early learning environment that prepares them for academically rigorous K-12 classrooms, ultimately ensuring they are poised for success as they pursue a postsecondary education.

As leaders willing to invest in education, we can transform outcomes for our local communities and for our state by availing more students with not only increased access to a postsecondary education, but also support services that will ensure completion. As documented by Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce in The College Payoff: Education, Occupations, Lifetime Earnings, individuals who complete a postsecondary degree earn more over the course of their lifetime — an average of $2.8 million more — as compared to individuals who do not complete a college degree.

Bringing community members together to address the needs of students is not only an investment in them; it is an investment in us.

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—Paul Luna is president and CEO of the Helios Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching lives by creating opportunities for individuals in Arizona and Florida to succeed in postsecondary education. The foundation has made a series of generous grants to support first-generation students at UCF; the work of the Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities, of which UCF is a member; and, most recently, program planning related to Orlando’s Parramore community.

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Notes of Gratitude In this space, we feature excerpts from thank you letters the foundation receives from students whose lives have been changed by donors like you. This one was sent by environmental engineering major Ian Gosch, who was awarded the Paul B. & Constance D. Hunter Charitable Foundation Scholarship in early 2017.

9/22/17 I want to express my deep and heartfelt gratitude to the Paul B. & Constance D. Hunter Charitable Foundation and to those who chose me to receive this award. I am a father of four beautiful children, and I work full-time. School has been a great challenge for me, but it has also been a great opportunity to better myself and set an example for my children. Thank you for showin g them how charity can change the lives of others and the world around them.

Annette and Craig Sutton at the Aphasia House, 2017

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2017 Annual Report to Donors

VARIED&

INSPIRING Behind every gift, another story of generosity With almost $63 million in total commitments to UCF, Fiscal Year 2017 was the best since the inception of IGNITE: The Campaign for UCF in mid-2011. That $63 million came in the form of 33,167 different gifts and pledges from 15,236 different donors — individual alumni and friends of UCF, corporations large and small, and other foundations and nonprofit organizations of all shapes and sizes. The stories behind their gifts are as varied and inspiring as the donors themselves. Choosing the few of them that we tell each year in these pages is simultaneously a treat and a trial.

The number we can’t report is how many people were — and will be — positively impacted by the generosity of those 15,236 donors. In fact, many of those impacted may never even realize it. That doesn’t matter to those of us who give.

We give not for gratitude, not for recognition. Giving, after all, is its own reward.

STRONGER THAN EVER A tattoo on Annette Sutton’s left forearm says, “Never give up.”

Another on her right forearm says, “Come back strong.” She’s earned them. Every single day since April 10, 2004, when a stroke left her unable to speak or walk, she has struggled to reclaim those abilities. Now, she expresses herself with confidence, laughs easily, fears nothing.

Her husband, Craig, isn’t one to give up either. On that April day nearly 14 years ago, the two had been married only a few weeks. They’d met at a Denny’s where Annette waited tables. But Craig hasn’t wavered once from her side — not even during the long months when nobody knew if she’d ever speak again.

Those months ended in 2005, when the Suttons first came to UCF and met speech pathologist Janet Whiteside, now director of the Aphasia House at UCF, where she and a staff of students and professionals treat people who are partially or completely unable to speak as a result of damage to parts of the brain that control language and speech.

At first, the Suttons attended frequent and intensive therapy sessions, where Annette slowly re-learned how to speak. Now, they come to the Aphasia House just once a week, for the Friday Only Club, a time for previous clients to visit and stay connected with each other and the program. They usually show up in a 1928 Ford Model A hotrod that they bought recently with money from the sale of their Harley.

One Friday this past April, they brought along a $5,000 check. It was, they said, to help the Aphasia House change more people’s lives in the same way it had changed theirs.

Nobody had asked them to give, and they didn’t want to be thanked. “This place has done a lot for us,” Craig says simply, and leaves it at that. I

Nobody asked Annette and Craig Sutton for the check they brought to the Aphasia House last spring, and they didn’t want to be thanked.

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Donors sponsor hundreds of special Knight Nurse teddy bears that are delivered by UCF nursing students to young patients across Central Florida.

Karina Bermudez with her Knight Nurse bear

SPECIAL DELIVERIES Thanks to more than 120 generous donors, young patients in three Central Florida hospitals — Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Florida Hospital for Children and Nemours Children’s Hospital — got a special treat in February: UCF nursing students, dressed in their scrubs, visited their rooms to deliver cuddly Knight Nurse teddy bears, also dressed in UCF scrubs.

The inaugural Give a Bear, Warm a Heart project gave UCF alumni and friends the opportunity to sponsor a bear — or even an

entire unit worth of bears — with proceeds supporting student scholarships, faculty research, medical missions and other priority areas within the College of Nursing. The college’s exclusive scrub partner, MorUniversity, donated the limited-edition bears.

The result was some 225 bears delivered and nearly $15,000 in support for the college.

Karina Bermudez, who has a closet full of stuffed animals at her Melbourne home, got her visit while waiting for a chemotherapy

treatment at Nemours. “It’s super, super soft,” she told the students while trying to figure out how to accessorize the bear in her favorite color, purple. “It’s the softest bear I think I have. It feels kind of like my unicorn.”

The 2018 Give a Bear, Warm a Heart project kicks off in midJanuary. Bears — pandas this year!

— will be distributed the week of Valentine’s Day in the same three hospitals plus two more in Brevard County. Visit nursing.ucf.edu/ bears to learn how to participate. I

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The special value of giving by families, says incoming Parent Philanthropy Council Chair Roslyn Burttram, lies in its deeply personal nature.

> Roslyn Burttram at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center with husband Jody and son Jackson

FAMILY SUPPORT Chairing the recently formed Parent Philanthropy Council at UCF wasn’t something Roslyn Burttram saw coming. In fact, she had only joined the year before.

But when she was asked to serve a two-year term beginning in 2018, she didn’t hesitate. To her, the value of giving to UCF by parents of students was clear, as was the need to inspire more of it.

That value, Roslyn believes, lies in the deeply personal nature of parent giving — the idea that parents who are able, through philanthropy, to make the university experience richer, safer and more productive have

a shared obligation to do so, not just for their own students but for all students. That’s especially true, she says, at an institution with a student body as large and economically diverse as UCF’s.

The fact is that state funding and revenue from tuition and fees cover only part of the real cost of a UCF education. The rest comes from a variety of sources, among which philanthropy is key. Gifts from parents, collected each year through the Parent & Family Fund, are used primarily for programs that depend on such generosity — “Study Union,” for example, the round-the-clock operation of the

Student Union for a 10-day period before and during each finals week, complete with on-site tutoring.

Of course, parent involvement isn’t all so serious. Roslyn, her husband, Jody, and their son, Jackson, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, are also passionate Knights fans and dedicated tailgaters who support UCF Athletics with season football and basketball tickets.

To learn more about the Parent Philanthropy Council, contact Annie O’Donnell, director of parent & family philanthropy, at 407.882.0542 or annie.odonnell@ ucf.edu. I

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Alumni Clay Scherer and Juliann Hickey celebrate the “profound impact” three UCF biology professors had on their lives with scholarships in their honor.

Professor Emeritus Llewellyn Ehrhart

EXCEPTIONAL TEACHING The decision to give back to UCF in the form of an endowed scholarship was an easy one for Clay Scherer ’94 and Juliann Hickey ’95. “We both had really, really good experiences there — academic, social and cultural,” says Clay, “and we wanted to help students pursue their degrees. I certainly could have used some financial support.”

In addition to helping students, though, the pair also wanted to

honor and support the exceptional teaching that made such a difference for both of them. So, when they established that first scholarship, in 2015, they named it for Walter K. Taylor, a biology professor (now emeritus) who had inspired and mentored Clay as an undergraduate, nurturing his interest in entomology (insect study) before UCF offered formal classes in the subject. Clay — who now serves as lead-global product biology for Swiss-based global agribusiness Syngenta — went on to earn his doctorate in entomology from the University of Florida.

A year later, in 2016, Clay and Juliann established a second endowed scholarship, this time named to honor another biology

professor emeritus, I. Jack Stout, who, as Clay’s undergraduate advisor, also supported his interest in entomology research.

This year, they established still another scholarship, this one named for renowned marine turtle researcher Llew Ehrhart, also a UCF professor emeritus of biology. “Ehrhart was a fantastic all-around field biologist,” says Clay, “and a gifted teacher who knew how to inspire. He set very high expectations of his students and demanded commitment. His vertebrate zoology class — which required field trips to get into the weeds and mud and learn about vertebrate groups and their habitats — was one of the most, if not the most, influential to me.”

In the future, says Juliann —

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a dual Spanish and journalism major who went on to a law degree — the pair plan to honor one or more of her professors in a similar way. “They had a profound impact on our lives,” she says. “They were champions for their students who took the time to look for opportunities we might not have thought of. Their dedication to their fields and to teaching inspired us to work harder and think bigger.” I

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As the Knights make history on the field and the court, a cadre of passionate alumni and friends commit more than $17 million to UCF Athletics, a new record.

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WINNING STREAK The football field isn’t the only place the Knights have been on a roll recently. In fact, a schoolrecord 11 programs made postseason appearances in the 2016-17 academic year, five Knights garnered All-America honors, and four programs collected conference championship trophies.

Meanwhile, a cadre of passion-

ate alumni and friends stepped forward with more than $17 million in game-changing commitments to UCF Athletics in Fiscal Year 2017, a new record.

They were led by Tony and Sonja Nicholson, namesakes of UCF’s Nicholson Fieldhouse and Nicholson School of Communication; Bob and Carol Garvy, whose family foundation previously gave $1 million toward the Wayne Densch Center for Student-Athlete Leadership; the Roth family, namesakes of Roth Tower at Spectrum Stadium; Ken Dixon ’75, namesake of UCF’s Kenneth G.

Dixon School of Accounting; and John Euliano. Together, these donors committed upwards of $10 million to the Knights.

That’s just the beginning, though. Rise and Conquer, a special initiative within the IGNITE Campaign, seeks to secure $25 million in philanthropic commitments, primarily to develop the kind of world-class facilities that are crucial to the recruitment, retention and growth of championship-caliber studentathletes and coaches.

Many prime naming opportunities remain available as

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the Knights strive to become a perennial top-25 program and represent UCF and the local community with distinction as Orlando’s hometown team.

To learn more about naming opportunities and other ways to support the UCF Athletics, contact the Golden Knights Club at 407. 823.2086. I

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Chris and Laura Dawkins establish an endowed scholarship to ensure their daughter Brooke’s legacy lives on at the university she loved.

Brooke Dawkins

REMEMBERED FOREVER For three-and-a-half long years since her tragic passing, Brooke Dawkins’ parents have found both solace and direction in her singular legacy, carefully tending it at first and later watching it grow and flourish from within.

As an organ donor, Brooke saved and bettered lives — six of them directly and countless more belonging to the families and

loved ones of those who received her organs. Today, her heart beats in the chest of a Wisconsin grandmother. Her pancreas and one of her kidneys saved the life of a young diabetes patient in Rhode Island. And the BROOKESTRONG Foundation, founded by her parents, Chris and Laura Dawkins, shares Brooke’s story in order to inspire more people to become organ donors.

Chris and Laura also wanted Brooke’s legacy to live on at UCF — where she was a sophomore advertising student with a 3.8 GPA and a member of the Kappa Delta sorority — so they established an

endowed memorial scholarship in her name with preference given to Kappa Delta members.

This fall, Chris and Laura visited the Kappa Delta house to meet the first recipient of the merit-based Brooke Dawkins Memorial Scholarship — Kelsie Nehrboss, a senior marketing major with a 4.0 GPA who serves as academic chair for the chapter — and speak briefly to the gathered members about Brooke and about their decision to create the scholarship.

“It was an easy choice,” Chris told the gathering. “Brooke loved it here. She said the girls were

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goofy, like her, but smart too. She felt at home. When she did pass, the chapter was very, very good to us. The girls came to the hospital a lot and stayed with us. At the reception after the funeral, they each brought a white rose to her little sister, Brynne. Laura and I wanted her to be remembered here. And we wanted that to happen forever.” I

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FOREVERMISSED.COM

After spending much of his life helping those who’d fallen on hard times, Lawrence Gerrell leaves an enduring legacy of generosity at his alma mater.

Gerrell as a young trooper

LEGACY OF SERVICE Lawrence Gerrell ’76 always wanted to provide for people who didn’t have others to fall back on.

An early graduate of UCF’s criminal justice program who retired from the Florida Highway Patrol after 37 years of service, he spent much of his life helping others, routinely paying bills for those who had fallen on hard times and buying clothes and food for needy families in the Tallahassee area, where he spent most of his career.

But when Gerrell began thinking about his legacy, his thoughts turned to his alma mater.

Education, he believed, was the key to a successful future. And, thanks to his generosity, the future of the students in UCF’s Department of

Criminal Justice is brighter. The department recently received a generous gift from Gerrell’s estate — one of the largest donations it has ever received.

Gerrell’s estate gift will endow a scholarship fund for students in the criminal justice program, providing assistance for many students for years to come. “We will all work to share the story of Lieutenant Gerrell’s generosity and selflessness of service to the community,” says Katie Kaukinen, professor and chairwoman of the Department of Criminal Justice.

To learn more about including UCF in your estate plans, contact Kathleen Hagerty at 407.882.1237 or kathleen.hagerty@ucf.edu. I

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New Endowed Funds in 2017 Endowment gifts are vital to UCF’s pursuit of excellence, and growing the endowment pool is a key priority of the IGNITE Campaign. Because they are invested in perpetuity, such gifts represent a relatively stable source of funding that is largely unaffected by fluctuations in state support, tuition revenue and non-endowment giving. We salute the donors who established new endowed funds in Fiscal Year 2017 to benefit UCF and its students.

Dr. Alvin Y. Wang Endowed Scholarship Named in honor of Alvin Y. Wang’s exemplary service as dean of The Burnett Honors College, this fund was established by colleagues, friends and former students when Wang stepped down from his administrative role to focus on teaching and research. The scholarship is for honors students pursuing undergraduate research.

Dr. Kathy S. Cook Endowed Scholarship Established by legal studies faculty member and honors in the major faculty advisor Kathy Cook, this scholarship supports students with demonstrated financial need participating in The Burnett Honors College’s honors in the major program, with preference given to students who plan to pursue a career in the legal profession.

Dr. Frank Juge Study Abroad Endowed Fund Frank Juge has served UCF for over 50 years in roles including professor, dean of graduate studies, associate vice president, vice provost and acting provost. He currently teaches the history and culture of wine and guides tours to wine regions. He established

this fund to help students afford educational travel.

William E. and Mary Jo Davis Endowed M.D. Scholarship Mary Jo and the late William E. Davis were among the 89 UCF founding families who helped secure the site for the campus in 1964 with commitments of money and land.

The Davis family has continued to support UCF in a variety of ways.

This scholarship is for single parents with demonstrated financial need who are seeking an M.D. in the College of Medicine.

Ann McCormick Simpson Endowed Scholarship College of Education and Human Performance alumna Ann McCormick Simpson established this merit-based scholarship to benefit graduate students in the college.

Professor Llewellyn Ehrhart Undergraduate Scholarship in Natural History UCF graduates Clay W. Scherer and Juliann N. Hickey established this fund to honor Pegasus Professor Emeritus and renowned marine turtle researcher Llewellyn Ehrhart.

It is awarded to biology majors who demonstrate interest in natural history or field biology.

benefit undergraduate students in the college, with preference given to veterans.

Mary Jo and William E. Davis at UCF’s 25th anniversary celebration in 1988

William E. and Mary Jo Davis Endowed College of Business Scholarship This scholarship is for students with demonstrated financial need seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree in the College of Business. Preference is given to single parents.

Dively-Dupuis LGBTQ Scholarship Endowment Established by Mike Dively and UCF faculty member Marty Dupuis, this fund recognizes the importance of leadership and activism to achieve social justice for the LGBTQ community. It is awarded to students who demonstrate these qualities.

William R. Lacy Endowed Scholarship in Business Martha M. Lacy established this fund in her father’s honor. It is awarded to juniors, seniors or graduate students in the College of Business, who are considered on the basis of merit and demonstrated financial need.

Frank Juge teaching at UCF

Charles R. Simpson Endowed Scholarship College of Business alumnus Charles R. Simpson established this merit-based scholarship to

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Nurses First Solutions Endowed Scholarship Co-founded by UCF alumnus Alvin Cortez, staffing agency Nurses First Solutions emphasizes the professional wellbeing of the nurses it represents. This scholarship is for nursing students with demonstrated financial need who are members of the Student Nurses Association.

Dr. Angeline and John R. Bushy Endowed Scholarship Dr. Angeline Bushy, the Bert Fish Endowed Chair in Community Health Nursing, is widely recognized as an authority on rural health. This scholarship is for doctoral students in the College of Nursing who study rural health or reside in rural communities.

The opening of the Ravago Lecture Hall Ravago Company COM Endowed Fund

Ravago Holdings America, the world’s largest distributor and compounder of plastic resins, established this fund to support priorities within the College of Medicine and the College of Business, including renovations to the COB’s Entrepreneurship Hub. Robert and Stephanie Suggs College of Business Scholarship UCF accounting alumnus Robert Suggs and his wife, Stephanie,

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Martha Hitt

I M PACT

Incubation Program. A three-sport student-athlete at his alma mater, he established this scholarship to provide awards to student-athletes, with preference given to veterans.

Lawrence M. Gerrell Memorial Endowed Scholarship This scholarship was established with a gift from the estate of Lawrence M. Gerrell ’76, a retired Florida Highway Patrol trooper, to benefit criminal justice students with demonstrated financial need and one or no living parents.

established this scholarship to support students in the College of Business, with preference given to students majoring in accounting.

Kamran Cheema Endowed Scholarship Kamran Cheema, UCF electrical engineering alumnus and member of the College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s Advisory Board, created this scholarship to benefit students in the college.

Martha Hitt Endowed Scholarship UCF President John C. Hitt established this scholarship in honor of his wife, Martha, a champion for students at UCF. This scholarship will benefit students in The Burnett Honors College, with preference given to students who are LEAD Scholars.

The Dr. John C. and Martha Hitt Grand Rounds Endowment Grand rounds help doctors and other healthcare professionals keep up to date in areas that may be outside of their core practice and are an important supplement to medical school and on-thejob resident training. The Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation has established this endowed fund in honor of President and Mrs. Hitt to help secure speakers for grand rounds at the UCF College of Medicine.

Julia Rosengren Endowed Fund for Modern Languages Julia Rosengren is a

linguistic enthusiast who speaks six languages and continues to add more to her repertoire. She established this fund to support the intermingling of cultures, which she believes is important. This fund will provide support for the Modern Languages and Literatures Department.

Nicole and Jason Feig Endowed Scholarship Established by accounting alumni Nicole and Jason Feig, this scholarship supports sophomore or higher level students with demonstrated financial need in the College of Business.

Professor I. Jack Stout Undergraduate Scholarship in Natural History UCF graduates Clay W. Scherer and Juliann N. Hickey established this fund to honor Professor Emeritus I. Jack Stout, an expert in population- and community-level phenomena in Florida ecosystems.

Indian Community Endowed Chair for the India Center The India Center, part of UCF Global Perspectives, broadens awareness and understanding of India through a variety of means. This fund, established by Sarita and Sharad Mehta and Chitra and Anil Deshpande, will support the work of the center and of the holder of the new endowed chair.

Dr. Subrato Chandra Memorial Endowed Scholarship This scholarship was established in memory of Dr. Subrato Chandra, a distinguished researcher in solar energy and building science, by his wife, Mitra Chandra. It is awarded to graduate students in civil, mechanical or industrial engineering.

Jason Seifer “Updog” Memorial Scholarship This fund was created by Doximity, Inc. in memory of Jason Seifer, who graduated from UCF in 2005. Seifer was a web developer, teacher and talented programmer who worked with several tech startups, Jason Seifer including Doximity.

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The Aphasia House at UCF

Inspiring Hope for Aphasia Endowed Scholarship Fund This scholarship, established by an anonymous donor, is for full-time graduate students studying communication sciences and disorders and specializing in the treatment of aphasia — the loss of the ability to speak, to understand what others are saying, or both, resulting from damage to parts of the brain.

Stephen M. Seay, Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Retired) Athletics Endowed Scholarship Brigadier General Stephen Seay’s Army career spanned more than 33 years. Later, he incorporated Seay Business Solutions and became a mentor in the UCF Business

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It is awarded to biology majors who demonstrate interest in natural history or field biology.

Dr. Mary Palmer Book Award Dr. Mary Palmer, Professor Emerita and former dean of the UCF College of Education, established this fund to extend her passion for music and art to UCF students.

It will help students pursuing a music education degree afford books and other expenses.

MAKE AN IMPACT To learn more about establishing an endowment at UCF, contact us at 407.882.1220 or foundation@ucf.edu.

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2017 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017)

I M PACT

FUNDRAISING RESULTS

$63,067,571

15,236

33,167

Total gifts and commitments

Number of donors

Number of gifts

(Includes cash gifts, pledges, securities, gifts in kind and planned gifts)

Current Use

Corporations

41%

24%

Friends

27%

Buildings and Equipment

44%

%

%

DONOR CLASSIFICATION

DESIGNATED USE

Foundations

8%

Endowment

14%

Organizations

21%

Alumni Undetermined

20%

1% ENDOWMENT PERFORMANCE

Beginning market value Net cash flow Appreciation Ending market value

FY 2017 (7/1/16 - 6/30/17)

LAST 3 YEARS (7/1/14 - 6/30/17)

LAST 5 YEARS (7/1/12 - 6/30/17)

$146,948,816 $(6,577,110) $15,553,567 $155,925,274

$155,099,306 $(19,049,132) $19,875,100 $155,925,274

$123,478,186 $(26,163,501) $58,610,589 $155,925,274

10.2%

4.0%

8.3%

Endowment Pool Investment Return

27 587

New funds created in FY 2017

Total funds at end of FY 2017

Net cash flow includes contributions to endowments, endowment fees and spending distributions. Appreciation includes net investment activity and all fees.

FINANCIAL POSITION

UNIVERSITY SUPPORT

(As of 6/30/17, in millions) 30

Cash and investments Property Receivables and other assets Total assets

$216.7 $75.7 $28.2 $320.6

Outstanding debt Payables and other liabilities Total liabilities

$23.2 $4.1 $27.3

Net assets

$293.3

Funds transferred to UCF for use, by fiscal year, in millions.

$26.3 $22.0

20

$19.2 10

$13.1

FY12

$15.0

$15.3

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

IGNITE CAMPAIGN PROGRESS (7/1/11 – 11/1/17)

$334,671,926 78,729 259,642 Total gifts and commitments

Total campaign donors

igniteucf.org

Total campaign gifts

VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP

17

(Fiscal Year 2017)

I M PACT

UCF FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Members of the UCF Foundation Board of Directors give generously of their time, their expertise and their resources to advance the University of Central Florida. The following directors served during fiscal year 2017. A current board roster may be seen at ucffoundation.org/board-of-directors.

UCF ALUMNI BOARD The Alumni Board partners with the Office of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving, formulating and executing strategies and programs that build a culture of service and philanthropy among UCF’s approximately 280,000 alumni. The following members served during fiscal year 2017.

A current board roster may be found at ucfalumni.com.

Officers Nelson J. Marchioli ’72 Chair John D. Euliano Sr. Vice Chair Tony Moreno Jr. ’91 Co-Vice Chair Melanie B. Fernandez ’86 ’91MBA Treasurer Ronald C. Thow ’93 Secretary Phyllis A. Klock Immediate Past Chair

Officers Sara W. Bernard ’00 Chair Daniel R. Ward ’92 Chair-Elect Matthew T. Assenmacher ’93 Treasurer Peter F. Cranis ’84 ’88MA Immediate past chair Ronald D. Spangler ’03 Secretary

Directors Rita N. Adler Judith A. Albertson Richard O. Baldwin Jr. ’80 David W. Boone ’75 Scott M. Buescher Loretta Corey James W. Ferrell ’80 Alan Florez ’98 Douglas E. Gearity, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. Bruce K. Gould Suresh K. Gupta Tracey Henley, PsyD James A. Jahna Sr. ’81 Gideon J. Lewis ’00, P.A. Diane Mahony ’96 ’01MEd ’14EdS Joseph A. Melbourne Jr. Mary Beth Morgan Michael Okaty ’96 Margery L. Pabst-Steinmetz J. Oscar Rodriguez ’86 Joyce W. Virga ’98 Richard J. Walsh ’77 ’83MS IGNITE CAMPAIGN CABINET Members of the Campaign Cabinet — among UCF’s most dedicated philanthropic leaders — work tirelessly alongside executive leadership to propel the campaign forward.

Richard J. Walsh ’77 ’83MS Nelson J. Marchioli ’72 Phyllis A. Klock Lawrence J. Chastang ’80 Michael J. Grindstaff ’78 Allen R. Weiss ’76 (honorary member)

Ex-Officio Directors David Albertson Sara Bernard ’00 Marcos Marchena ’82 John C. Hitt H’17 Directors Emeriti James T. Barnes Jr. R. Van Bogan Phoebe Carpenter Peter Dagostino Mary Jo Davis Alan G. Fickett ’71 Manuel A. Garcia III J. Charles Gray Michael J. Grindstaff ’78 Gerald F. Hilbrich Deborah J. Komanski ’79 John F. Lowndes Michael Manglardi ’84 Gerald R. McGratty ’71 Anthony J. Nicholson Richard A. Nunis Roger W. Pynn ’73 Allen Trovillion Al R. Weiss ’76 Nelson Ying Thomas Yochum Honorary Director Joan D. Ruffier

Members Clint P. Bullock ’95 Cristina M. Calvet-Harrold ’01 ’03MBA Dean S. Caravelis ’02 ’03 MBA Patricia Celano ’10MSN Robert L. Clark ’94 Angela L. Cohen ’98 Linh Dang ’93

Andre Garcia, PhD ’08 ’16MBA Allen C. Lane Jr. ’97 John J. O’Day ’88 Gregory A. Pearlman ’08 William G. Peppler ’96 Joseph Regenstein ’03 Scott M. Rose ’95 Beth A. Smith ’04 Monica L. Thorsen ’02 Ryan J. Vescio ’02 Christine B. Wydra ’93 Kevin M. Wydra ’92 Ex-Officio Members Rachel Barnes ’17 Chris Clemente ’17 John C. Hitt H’17 Daniel C. Holsenbeck, PhD Nelson J. Marchioli ’72 Michael J. Morsberger Julie C. Stroh

UCF BOARD OF TRUSTEES Members of the UCF Board of Trustees set policy and serve as the university’s legal owner and final authority responsible for efficient and effective use of resources. The following trustees served during fiscal year 2017. A current board roster may be found at bot.ucf.edu.

Marcos R. Marchena Chairman Robert A. Garvy Vice Chairman Kenneth W. Bradley ’85 Clarence H. Brown III, M.D. Joseph D. Conte Raymond Gilley Nick Larkins

John S. Lord Alex Martins ’01 Beverly J. Seay William Self John R. Sprouls David M. Walsh William E. Yeargin

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NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 4031 ORLANDO, FL

12424 Research Parkway, Suite 250 Orlando, Florida 32826-3208 407-882-1220 UCFFoundation.org

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

UCF Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

The UCF Foundation encourages, stewards and celebrates charitable contributions from alumni and friends to support the University of Central Florida.

IGNITE: The Campaign for UCF is an intense, focused and strategic effort to channel our collective energies and resources toward a common goal: infusing the university with $500 million in mission-critical private support by 2019.

Directed to three key priorities — student success, academic excellence, and growth and opportunity — the support of UCF’s alumni, friends, partners, faculty and staff is the spark that will IGNITE the future of this singular university.

As a comprehensive, campuswide campaign, IGNITE offers innumerable

opportunities for involvement. From athletics to the arts, environmental initiatives to endowed professorships, and scholarships to service-learning, donors can create positive impact at UCF in the ways that are closest to their hearts.

To learn more about the campaign’s priorities or to make a convenient online gift, visit igniteucf.org.

To speak with one of our dedicated and knowledgeable gift officers about endowments, multiyear pledges, estate gifts, naming opportunities and special priorities of the IGNITE Campaign, please call us at 407.882.1220.