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I M PACT
Plaumann and Wilson receive on-court recognition for their generosity from Alexander and Melinda Cartwright, UCF president and first lady.
$2 million in scholarships for first-gen students
OPENING DOORS TO OPPORTUNITY passion is “to My invest in the
”
future through education.
Mark L. Plaumann ’74 ’79MBA had already broken down a lot of doors by the time he got to UCF at age 17 — not as a freshman, but as a junior. He had finished his high school’s three-year accelerated program in two years, tested out of all the courses for his two-year degree and was only a year away from earning his bachelor’s degree by the time he started at UCF. Even though he had neither his high school diploma nor his two-year degree officially, Plaumann remembers how UCF welcomed him and allowed him to take junior- and seniorlevel classes, enabling him to graduate from the university at age 18. Plaumann says the
engagement by UCF made a huge difference in his education and career, and credits the university with opening even more doors — ones that would have remained closed to him had he not attended. While his student experience was unique, Plaumann believes UCF’s outreach is not uncommon. “UCF goes the extra mile to assist its students,” he says. And he and wife Marilyn E. Wilson have followed suit. For more than 30 years, they have supported a wide range of programs. Plaumann also serves on the UCF Foundation Board of Directors and the College of Business Advisory Board and is a member of the College
ucffoundation.org
of Business Hall of Fame. “I give back so I can continue to open opportunities to many generations of students — my passion is to invest in the future through education.” Plaumann, a first-generation student who came from a working-class family, is grateful that UCF was affordable for his family, but understands that cost often prohibits many students from attending college. A few years ago, Plaumann and Wilson directed their support to scholarships for first-generation students studying in the College of Business. Earlier this year, they made an additional commitment of $1 million. Just as it did back when he was an incoming junior, UCF once again partnered with Plaumann to increase student success — this time through a co-investment program called the UCF Challenge, where Plaumann and Wilson’s impact will be doubled to $2 million in support of firstgeneration students. “I believe first-generation students are highly motivated to obtain their education and to improve their lives,” says Plaumann. “Our donations will provide funding for scholarships that I hope will help many students obtain their degrees without incurring student debt and will aid in their upward mobility.” I