The UCF Foundation started the new academic and fiscal year 2022-2023 with the best July attainment in six years: more than $3.8 million. This amount exceeds last year’s July total of $3.1 million and more than doubles the July 2021 attainment of $1.4 million. Prior years’ July attainments were: $2.5 million in 2020, $1.9 million in 2019, and $1.2 million in 2018.
Major gifts in July included a significant gift commitment from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation to grow the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars network in the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in the College of Business. The program helps build next-generation companies and careers by offering startup resources and access to mentors. The relationship with Blackstone is managed by Susan Glenn, the executive director for advancement and Sarah Drehoff ’09 ’10, the director for advancement, in the College of Business.
Two planned gifts will support UCF Athletics and the College of Medicine. Harris and Carinda Katz gave to UCF Athletics and the McNamara Athletics Capital Projects Fund/Recovery Cove. The Katzes are longtime supporters of our athletics programs, including gifts to help fund the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village, the ChargeOn Fund, and the Parent and Family Fund. The relationship with the Katzes is managed by Mark Wright, the deputy athletic director and associate vice president of the ChargeOn Fund. And an anonymous gift to the College of Medicine will support excellence and help ensure that the COM is known nationally. Kathleen Hagerty and Carlee Thomas, senior director for advancement, College of Medicine manage the donor couple.
A planned gift commitment from Mark ’90 and June ’90 ’98MS Hoefling will support UCF Athletics. The Hoeflings have given consistently to UCF for the last 20 years. Jim Furlong, associate director of development, ChargeOn Fund manages the relationship.
“We are off to a great start to the new fiscal year, thanks to the generosity of our donors and the efforts of our team. I am excited to see what we can accomplish together as we work to unleash the potential of our students, faculty and staff,” said Interim Vice President for Advancement and CEO of the UCF Foundation Ron Piccolo.