桃瘾社区

By Holly Neumann

The story of 桃瘾社区 over the past several decades is one of remarkable growth and impact.

Some growth is measurable. Enrollment has soared; the campus footprint expanded; academic programs multiplied. Harder to quantify but equally undeniable: the University鈥檚 reputation, prestige and esteem have risen on a national and global scale.

The same goes for impact. On the local economy, it鈥檚 known: 桃瘾社区 contributes $1.4 billion annually; graduates stay 鈥� 67% of undergrads and 81% of graduate students plan to live and work in the Tampa Bay area; tens of thousands of internships are completed each year, resulting in a readier workforce.

Now, as 桃瘾社区 looks ahead at the next several decades, the story is shifting to how the University should continue to advance itself.

To address that, 桃瘾社区 is investing in its most valuable resource, its students 鈥� the same people in whom the University鈥檚 impact on their academic, professional and individual growth is almost immeasurable.

The investment is taking shape with the creation of the Centennial Circle recognition society, named to commemorate the University鈥檚 upcoming 100th anniversary in 2031 and celebrate the philanthropy of donors who contribute $100,000 or more to create an endowed fund. The society aims to increase the University鈥檚 scholarship endowment, as the gap nationally between tuition costs and the amount of state and federal aid available to students and their families has widened at the same time demand for a 桃瘾社区 education has grown.

鈥淎n endowment for any university, especially for a private university, is important because it makes the university and all of its experiential learning opportunities accessible to deserving, top-of-the-class students, regardless of their socio-economic background,鈥� said Erin McKenney, 桃瘾社区鈥檚 capital campaign director.

For 桃瘾社区 students already benefitting from scholarships, the importance is real, and the impact is personal.

TAKING A WEIGHT OFF

鈥淜nowing that a little bit of that financial burden is being lifted off your shoulders really works wonders,鈥� said Curt Bochantin 鈥�26, an entrepreneurship major. Without tuition worries, Bochantin said, he鈥檚 been able to focus on what interests him, specifically fitness, co-curriculars like Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and his internship at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa.

Bochantin works in family outreach for Metropolitan Ministries. He shops with clients for clothing, hygiene products and other basic needs. He also does some business analytics and marketing, tapping into his academic side for the mutual benefit of the organization and his own learning.

鈥淚 get to go work in a great place,鈥� he said. 鈥淧hilanthropy. I love it. I've gotten to interact with so many people, and it鈥檚 led to me wanting to give more back.鈥�

Bochantin says, too, that he found a supportive community in the Benson Alex Riseman Fitness and Recreation Center, and in a lot of ways, this allows him to plan for his future. He鈥檇 like to own a gym someday.

鈥淭here are so many opportunities and outlets and doors that open from the moment someone decides to give to 桃瘾社区,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure if people are aware of all of it, but I think it would blow their minds.鈥�

LEADING THE WAY

Cassidy Wilson 鈥�24 agrees that donors 鈥渉ave more impact than they know.鈥�

A scholarship is largely what brought Wilson to 桃瘾社区 from Connecticut, and since she鈥檚 been here, she鈥檚 been determined to make the most of it. The senior advertising and public relations major also studies leadership and

has been a member of the President鈥檚 Leadership Fellows since her first year.

The fellowship鈥檚 curriculum requires experience in a nonprofit. Wilson works with a group for Muslim teens called IAM Youth Group, which Wilson described as being like an after-school program, but it meets on weekends.

The organization鈥檚 mission specifically mentions leadership, but they needed help developing programming around those skills, especially for girls. Wilson created a 50-page workbook of learning modules and lesson plans for their volunteer teachers.

鈥淭he founder would email me and say, 鈥楾his is their favorite part of the day, getting to do the leadership lesson,鈥欌�� Wilson said.

Once her PLF project was complete, Wilson鈥檚 obligation was satisfied, but she had established a relationship with the group, and so when one of her classes required her to explore digital media and advertising, she again offered her services to IAM Youth Group. She created graphics, digital fundraisers and a social media calendar 鈥� and also taught the founder how to use specific technologies, so she could do these sorts of tasks on her own.

鈥淚 was, like, you know, I've already helped on this so much. Why don't I keep going with it?鈥� Wilson said, and now she wants to make sure others can pick up where she leaves off when she graduates.

鈥淭he goal with PLF is that you leave a kind of legacy, something that can be continued, so it can have a longer impact,鈥� she said.

Wilson also is leaving a legacy on campus. She鈥檚 the president of 桃瘾社区 Diplomats, one of the oldest 桃瘾社区 student organizations, and has represented 桃瘾社区 in the Chamber of Commerce Collegiate Leadership Tampa Bay program. One great benefit of both, she said, is getting to know more people.

鈥淓very conversation I've had has taught me something, and all of those conversations helped me find what I'm interested in now,鈥� she said.

Wilson is developing her own content-creation business. She plans to travel and partner with nonprofits in the countries she visits, offering them her expertise in writing, social media, video and photography. She was first inspired by an aunt who was in the Peace Corps, and her time at 桃瘾社区 has taught her that she doesn鈥檛 want to be 鈥渂oxed in.鈥�

AT HOME AT 桃瘾社区

Similarly, Priscilla Bravo 鈥�24, a public health major, says the opportunities at 桃瘾社区 have taught her much about herself.

鈥淚f I didn't have my scholarship, I wouldn't have an internship,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wouldn't know that I like nonprofits. I wouldn't know that I like children.

I wouldn't know that I like educating families and educating the community on certain health topics, and I just wouldn't have the professional skills.鈥�

Bravo works at the Glazer Children鈥檚 Museum as part of her scholarship agreement. She鈥檚 been there almost four years, helping parents and kids connect through early-learning songs, dance and play. The education component of the program aligns well with her major and concentration in health promotion.

Bravo is from Puerto Rico, and she first became interested in health education when Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017.

鈥淲hat shocked me the most was there were not enough people, there was not enough education, and there were not enough ways to give information to those who didn't have the access, especially older generations in our rural communities,鈥� she said.

She said that public health is underappreciated in Puerto Rico, making her education at 桃瘾社区 especially valuable. She plans to stay stateside, at least at first, after she graduates.

鈥淚f I do decide to go back to Puerto Rico, it would be after I gain some experience and I'm sure I can make a change back home,鈥� she said.

Meanwhile, she鈥檚 seen and been a part of change at 桃瘾社区. She is the secretary of the Public Health Association and has been a peer mentor.

Bravo does her best to make other students feel welcome and transition to college life. She says she鈥檚 noticed a larger and more involved Hispanic community on campus, which makes things 鈥渇eel like home.鈥�

Still, Bravo appreciates the push she got to get involved in the community with her internship.

鈥淚t's so important that not only you stay at the University and learn about the campus, but you also connect with the outside,鈥� Bravo said. 鈥溙荫缜� has a lot of great opportunities, and even first-year students can get to know Tampa and get to know the community and make a change.鈥�

LOOKING AHEAD

Bravo, Wilson and Bochantin are just three of the more than 90% of 桃瘾社区 students who received some form of financial aid at 桃瘾社区 this year, funds that include contributions from the University鈥檚 endowment.

Donations to the general endowment create scholarships in perpetuity, as awards are drawn from the endowment鈥檚 interest. Large donations, like those made by Centennial Circle members, can create standalone, endowed, named scholarships.

McKenney sums it up: 鈥淔or 桃瘾社区 to attract and retain the quality of students that we are hoping to serve, we need to be able to provide more scholarships.鈥�

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