Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan will flex their fundraising muscles this year for the sake of college affordability.
UF President Bernie Machen announced at a news conference Tuesday that the coaches will co-chair a $50 million fundraising initiative for the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program, a need-based scholarship program for students who are the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college.
"It took about 30 seconds in each of these guys' offices to get them on board," Machen said.
Men's basketball coach Billy Donovan said when he recruits at high schools, he often comes across students who may not be good at basketball but are gifted academically. However, some of these students can't afford to come to UF.
This program seeks to change that, he said.
Chris Brazda, spokesman for the UF Foundation, which oversees UF's fundraising efforts, said the popularity of Meyer and Donovan would make raising $50 million easier.
"Even those who are not alumni of UF will be willing to get behind something they are behind," Brazda said in a phone interview after the event.
About 1,100 students are in the program, which serves college students whose families make less than $40,000 a year and whose parents don't have bachelor's degrees.
Funding for the program comes from UF and gifts from private individuals and organizations. The program is expected to cost $5.7 million this academic year.
The new fundraising effort plans to fund the increase in student enrollment expected next year and to make up for the loss in state funding, Brazda said.
He said UF also hopes to create an endowment, so it can invest a portion of the funds in the stock market.
Chandra Spires, a UF sophomore and scholarship recipient, spoke to the crowd about how the scholarship has helped her overcome hardships.
Spires said she was 10 years old when her mother died, and the death left her devastated and confused.
She lived with an older sister for a while, but by age 16, she was homeless, she said in a post-conference interview.
After moving in with her kickboxing coach toward the end of high school, she learned about the scholars program and decided to enroll at UF.
"This school has given me a greater sense of stability," she said in her speech.
