“Our alumni and friends have made this success possible,” says Michael Morsberger, CEO of the UCF Foundation. “There is an excitement, an energy here at UCF that ignites people’s interest and support of this great university. As for the campaign total, I can say it is not a question of if we reached our goal, but rather by how much we surpassed it.”

The significant and steady growth of fundraising activity has caught the attention of others. In June, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), an international professional organization, announced UCF was one of 90 universities to receive the 2019 Educational Fundraising Award. This was the first time UCF received this national honor, which recognizes overall performance and improvement over a three-year span, as determined by a blind review of data submitted to CASE.

“The beauty of this awards program is that we look at the data not knowing what institution is being represented. In showcasing these best-of-the-best programs, CASE helps its members identify institutions doing smart and innovative work from which everyone can learn,” says Sue Kubik, an educational fundraiser who led the judging panel this year.

The IGNITE Campaign had three main priorities:

1) student success, which includes scholarships, fellowships and academic and athletic programmatic support;

2) academic excellence, which focuses on faculty through endowed chairs and professorships;

3) growth and opportunity, such as UCF Downtown and other projects.

“Our donors know that when they make a strategic philanthropic investment in UCF, the resources they entrust to us are being put to the best and highest possible use to help our students, faculty and staff succeed,” Morsberger says. “As a major economic driver in Central Florida and a producer of the exceptional human talent needed to succeed in today’s competitive business environment, we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Named for UCF’s founding President Charles N. Millican, the society has more than 200 members.

At the event, Lyman Brodie, the College of Arts and Humanities’ executive associate dean, shared his reasons for making a planned gift to the university, and recognized his wife, Janice, a former UCF stewardship director, who was instrumental in establishing the society several years ago.

Michael Morsberger, CEO of the UCF Foundation, gave updates on the university’s fundraising efforts and thanked all of those who have invested in the future of UCF. The Millican Society members were recognized for the $78 million in planned gift commitments to UCF during the IGNITE Campaign, the multi-year fundraising effort to help support the university.

After the reception, guests attended a performance of the National Young Composers Challenge Composium, made possible by Millican Society member Stephen Goldman, and the Stephen H. Goldman Charitable Foundation.

Members of the UCF community are encouraged to support what they love about the university by making a gift to any fund of their choice. And with UCF’s commitment to excellence in everything from the arts to science to research to athletics to its students, there really is a fund for almost anything.

During last year’s first-ever , the community surpassed UCF’s 24-hour goal of 1,000 donors just after lunch. So the Knights have upped the ante this year and set the bar at 3,000 donors.

Giving a gift on this day unlocks thousands of dollars in extra support for UCF — culminating in an extra $60,000 toward the total raised if UCF reaches its goal. Every donor is essential in helping make this happen.

Giving a gift on Thursday is laying the groundwork now for the next big breakthrough in research, for the next star student-athlete to break records, for the next generation of trailblazers to say they were built by UCF.

So support what you love by making your contribution. If you feel like sharing the love on social media after you make a gift, include #GiveTo��AV in your post.

As of Dec. 31, 2018, total gifts and commitments stood at approximately $479.5 million, or 96 percent of the goal amount.

“Being so close to the campaign goal, the question isn’t ‘Will we reach it,’ but rather, ‘By how much,’” says Mike Morsberger, vice president for UCF Advancement and CEO of the UCF Foundation, the nonprofit organization that accepts gifts to UCF. “It is gratifying to see that our donors — many of them UCF faculty and staff — place their trust and confidence in the work we do at UCF to improve lives and livelihoods. It is my hope that before June 30, more people will make a gift to join in this historic effort.”

“It is gratifying to see that our donors — many of them UCF faculty and staff — place their trust and confidence in the work we do at UCF to improve lives and livelihoods.” — Mike Morsberger, vice president for UCF Advancement and CEO of the UCF Foundation

Morsberger adds the campaign grand total will be unveiled in October during UCF’s homecoming.

Donors to the campaign have chosen to support a wide range of priorities across the university, including student scholarships, endowed faculty positions, innovative programming, athletics excellence and new initiatives like UCF Downtown and the Academic Health Sciences Center at Lake Nona. Over the past three years, the UCF Foundation has forwarded more than $75 million to the university for use in those areas and others.

The most ambitious fundraising initiative in UCF history, IGNITE promises to fundamentally transform the future of the university by providing the margin of excellence that is so vital in public higher education. Alumni, friends, faculty, staff, students and partners can add their names to those who have already contributed on UCF’s annual Day of Giving, March 28.

UCF reflected on these moments in the “Best of 2018” video. To learn more about what you see in the video, read the stories listed below.

2018 was a year of making moves.

We went from a program to a powerhouse…

UCF Defeats Auburn to Win Peach Bowl

We honored a visionary who took us places we never dreamed of…

John Hitt Says Goodbye

And welcomed a leader who will take us even further.

Get to Know UCF President Dale Whittaker

We extended our reach from around the globe to out-of-this-world…

UCF-led Consortium to Manage Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico

But we didn’t forget what’s most important in our own backyard.

Nemours, UCF Transform Education for Hospitalized Children through PedsAcademy

UCF Gets an A+ for its Bee Campus USA Designation

UCF Launches National Center to Find Big-Picture Solutions to Coastal Threats

UCF Student Studies Algal Blooms Impact on Sea Turtles in Indian River Lagoon

We made great, new friends…

Bill Gates on What Sets UCF Apart

Couple’s $6.6M Gift Will Boost Many UCF Programs

And even greater heroes.

Shaquem Griffin Drafted by Seattle Seahawks

We asked the right questions…

UCF Student Hannah Sage Finishes 3rd in Jeopardy! College Championship

And searched for groundbreaking answers.

New Laser Technique May Help Detect Chemical Warfare in Atmosphere

UCF PTSD-Treatment Clinic’s 2nd Location Opens in Brevard County

We laughed together…

PHOTOS: UCF First Day of Fall 2018 Classes

We cried together…

Knight-Thon Raises $1.5 Million for Children’s Hospitals Across the Nation

We celebrated what makes us unique…

��AV is a Hispanic Serving Institution

And then came together as one family.

10HANA

We had big wins on the playing field…

UCF Men’s Soccer: A Season to Remember

UCF Volleyball Ranked No. 13 For First Time in Program’s History

Knights Take 2nd in National Cheerleading Championships

And in the classroom.

UCF Programming Team Places 1st in North America, 10th Worldwide

UCF Cyber Defense Team Wins National Championship

UCF Ranks Among the Nation’s Top 10 Most Innovative Universities

We embraced time-honored traditions…

Relive UCF Homecoming 2018 Through These 16 Awesome Photos

And savored the spotlight.

4th UCF Celebrates the Arts to Feature Tributes to Bernstein, President Hitt

Thanks for the Best Weekend Ever, College GameDay

We passed the torch…

Josh Heupel Named UCF Football Head Coach

UCF Names Metzger as New Police Chief

Announcing Our Provost, Elizabeth Dooley

We expanded opportunity…

��AV Extends In-State Tuition Rate for Puerto Rican Students Through 2023

And we kept the streak alive.

Back-to-Back: UCF Football Wins AAC Championship

And while we enjoyed looking back on 50 years of classes…

Tales from UCF’s Very First Day of Classes

As Knights, we will always look to the future…

What UCF Downtown Will Look Like in August 2019

Partners Break Ground for New UCF-HCA Hospital

And continue to reach for the stars.

On Nov. 27, people all over the world will celebrate generosity by giving their time, talent and treasure. We encourage our Knights to consider UCF when participating in Giving Tuesday this year.

In fact, here are five things Knights should know about :
1. Giving Tuesday is on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
But you can #GiveToUCF as early as today by visiting ucffoundation.org/givingtuesday.
2. Last year, 700 donors raised $71,000 to support programs at the university on Giving Tuesday.
From the UCF Football Excellence fund to gifts that enabled the Knights Pantry to provide meals for students, each and every dollar donated has a lasting impact on Knights.

3. This year’s goal is to surpass last year’s success, and it will take all of us working together to make it happen.
Every gift matters. Whether it’s $5, $10 or $50, it makes a collective impact.
4. If you have a passion, we can find a fund at UCF that deserves your support.
If you can’t decide where to donate, consider making a gift to UCF’s Area of Greatest Need. By doing so, the university can direct your gift to a program or department that needs support, and therefore will offer the greatest impact.
5. All giving matters – whether it’s a donation, your time or talent.
Here are some other ways to show your support:

• Volunteer with a local alumni group
• Become a 
• Cheer loud and proud at the next UCF sporting event
• Hire a Knight

Most importantly, share your story. Tell everyone what it means to be a Knight and why you love UCF. Together, we can power the future of this great university.

In its second and final year, the “Give Thanks, Give a Bear” fundraiser enables the public to sponsor one – or an entire unit – of limited-edition bears wearing UCF nursing scrubs to be delivered the week following Thanksgiving to sick kids at Central Florida-area hospitals.

Sponsoring a bear starts at $50.

“These cute little bears will make a major impact for the children they comfort and ultimately, for the community by supporting future nurses and innovative research.” Mary Lou Sole, dean of UCF College of Nursing

All funds raised from the campaign help fund priority areas within the College of Nursing, including student scholarships, faculty research and medical mission trips. In 2017, the “Give a Bear, Warm a Heart” campaign distributed 225 bears to children during the week of Valentine’s Day and raised nearly $15,000.

“This heartwarming effort is one of the many ways our students are touching lives and making a difference in the local Central Florida community,” says Mary Lou Sole, dean of the UCF College of Nursing. “It is exciting to expand the program this year to more regional hospitals, reaching more communities where our Knight Nurses live and provide care. These cute little bears will make a major impact for the children they comfort and ultimately, for the community by supporting future nurses and innovative research.”

This year, the campaign will double its reach — from three to six hospitals — and extend beyond Orlando to Brevard, Volusia and Flagler counties with visits scheduled for: Florida Hospital for Children, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, Holmes Regional Medical Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Parrish Medical Center.

“Similar to the bears, nurses provide compassion to patients when they face difficult times. It was a pleasure to help make a difference in a child’s life and bring a smile to their face,” says Allie Fox ’18, who delivered bears to children in 2017 and will participate again this year as an alumna and practicing nurse. “I feel privileged to partake in this wonderful fundraiser and hope it’s an even bigger success this year.”

To sponsor a bear and for more information about the campaign, visit nursing.ucf.edu/bears. Any questions can be directed to �Գܰ������Բ��𱹱�Գٲ����ܳ���.������or by calling the college’s main line at 407-823-2744.

“Achieving the $400 million milestone puts us right where we want to be headed into the final year of this historic effort,” says IGNITE Campaign Chair Rick Walsh ’77 ’83MS HC’14. “These numbers are proof that the momentum we feel is real.”

“These numbers are proof that the momentum we feel is real.”

Walsh emphasizes that donor generosity through the IGNITE campaign has tremendous long-and short-term impacts for the university and its students, and also for Central Florida and beyond.

“Our students, faculty and community are counting on us,” Walsh says. “We’re funding scholarships for students who can’t otherwise afford a college education, giving faculty the resources to conduct groundbreaking research and cure devastating diseases, and enriching lives through the arts with programs like the Shakespeare Theater and WUCF.”

Among the many other endeavors that inspired this record year of philanthropy were the UCF Restores PTSD Clinic, UCF’s Marine Turtle Research Group, the Knights Helping Knights food pantry, the UCF Downtown campus and the John C. Hitt Initiative for Faculty Excellence. Donors also committed $7 million to create five new endowed faculty positions.

“For public institutions, philanthropy is the margin of success,” UCF President Dale Whittaker says. “When we do something exceptional, it’s often because we have friends that believe in us. So the role of philanthropy is more and more critical as we continue to make sure we are carefully stewarding the taxpayers’ money and keeping tuition affordable.”

Among the generous donors that helped make 2018 the most successful year of the IGNITE campaign were:

“For public institutions, philanthropy is the margin of success. When we do something exceptional, it’s often because we have friends that believe in us.”

The >Knights’ thrilling undefeated football season kindled additional enthusiasm among donors, who collectively gave nearly $16 million to UCF Athletics. Most of those donations will be used to enhance facilities and go toward the Football Excellence Fund.

Also noteworthy is a 30 percent jump in membership in the Charles Millican Legacy Society, a group of donors who have taken the extraordinary step of leaving a lasting gift in their wills and estate plans. Collectively, the 31 new members represent almost $7 million in giving.

In March 2018, the Foundation held its first UCF Day of Giving, a single-day digital effort during which students, alumni and parents support the school financially. The Day of Giving generated $157,000 and attracted a total of 1,951 donors in a single day, with approximately 350 making first-time gifts.

The IGNITE campaign is focused on raising philanthropic support for the following three areas:

As of June 30, nearly 100,000 UCF alumni, friends and partners have given to the IGNITE campaign.

“A visionary leader, Jim Hinson took our organization from a successful for-profit family business to one of the region’s most generous and important charitable organizations,” said Dr. Phillips Charities president Ken Robinson. “Dr. Hitt’s vision and leadership remind us of Jim’s leadership.”

Of the $250,000 grant, $200,000 will help first-generation students, with priority given to Central Florida residents attending the new campus, UCF Downtown. The remaining $50,000 will support the Martha Hitt First Generation Endowment Fund, which provides scholarships for students who are the first in their families to attend college. Through a special matching-grant program, the State of Florida will contribute additional funds, bringing the total contribution to $600,000.

“Dr. Phillips Charities is helping to shape the landscape of our downtown educational ecosystem,” said Mike Morsberger, vice president for advancement and CEO of the UCF Foundation. “We are grateful for this long-standing partnership and the tremendous impact it continues to have on our students and our community.”

Dr. Phillips Charities has donated to UCF every year since the university held its first classes in 1968. During Dr. Hitt’s 26-year tenure, Dr. Phillips Charities has invested more than $12 million in UCF and has provided a significant boost to the development of UCF Downtown. In 2016, Dr. Phillips Charities committed $7 million toward construction of the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons, the first academic building at the campus.

The $250,000 grant moves UCF closer to the $500 million goal of , a multiyear fundraising effort set to wrap up in 2019. Donors have already given more than $385 million to the campaign to support three priorities: student success, academic excellence, and growth and opportunity.

The James A. Hinson Leadership Award, now in its third year, recognizes an extraordinary Central Florida leader or organization that exemplifies the Dr. Phillips motto: “Helping others help themselves.” Orlando Health received the inaugural award in 2016. In 2017, Edgewood Children’s Ranch became the second recipient.

With a nursing shortage of more than 1.2 million in the United States, Bruce and Cox are preparing for crucial roles in our health care system. And with the assistance of the Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust, they will do so without the crushing burden of student loans or the need to compromise their studies with part-time work.

“I believe in the alleviation of human suffering through the means of compassion and empathy that nursing has to offer,” Cox said. “Receiving this scholarship will reduce the current stress of juggling work so I can focus on my studies to provide the best care for my future patients.”

Bruce also recognizes the freedom provided by duPont’s generosity.

“Financing my dream of becoming a nurse is becoming harder and harder each semester, as I have to take out more and more loans. I want to someday help the pediatric population and their families through some of the hardest times of their lives, but I can’t do that if I don’t graduate this program due to financial stress,” Bruce explained.

Dean of the College of Nursing, Mary Lou Sole, recognizes the necessity of scholarships that empower students and allow them to focus on their studies. “Many nursing students are not able to work during the program due to the rigorous curriculum, so is critical and helps us recruit the best and brightest students.“

The Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust is one of America’s most generous supporters of pediatric health care. Since 1935, they have distributed more than $2.7 billion to its primary beneficiary, The Nemours Foundation, for the care and treatment of children primarily in Delaware and Florida. It has helped hundreds of thousands of sick children find health and new hope for the future, regardless of ability to pay.

With 96 percent of UCF’s nursing graduates passing the licensing exam on the first attempt, UCF ranks among the top four percent of nursing programs nationwide. Generous support from donors at every level has helped make this success possible.

The gift from the Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust supports IGNITE: The Campaign for UCF, which seeks to inspire $500 million in philanthropic support from alumni, friends and partners to drive transformational change. The campaign has currently stands at $366 million and is set to run until June of 2019.