Some ask it because they paid for their tuition, their books, their housing, their four years of college. Some ask it because they know a public university such as UCF receives state-funding. And some ask it because they see us ask for contributions and just want to know why. Whatever the reason for asking, we want to help answer the question as much as we want to help answer the need.
There was once a time when higher education institutions had to choose between being accessible or being excellent. And we just don't think that's how it should be. At UCF, we are committed to expanding access by creating new means of entry and success, while also maintaining our reputation as a worthwhile institution. We achieve that through private support. We achieve that with help from donors who are passionate about UCF and want to ensure that the UCF experience continues to be as attainable as it is extraordinary.
Funding for public higher education was among the first line items to be cut on budgets in the wake of the last decade's recession. Florida has reduced its financial support to UCF by 49 percent in the last few years. That's $144 million of support we no longer receive. But raising tuition costs to make up that number would mean many potential Knights have to cross UCF off their list of dream schools. We're not OK with that. We need private support to help UCF withstand cuts without wavering in our pursuit of accessible excellence.
Put aside for a minute the art exhibits, performances, community events, hundreds of thousands of hours of service-learning and community service per year and the athletics program that continues to impress, and focus just on UCF's economic impact. The university employs more than 12,000 people. It impacts more than 112,000 additional jobs and adds $7.73 billion of value to the economy. Great things happen when one of the largest universities in the nation is located in one of the fastest-growing cities.
A better UCF doesn't just benefit present and future students, it benefits past alumni as well. Your degree isn't judged nearly as much by your alma mater's reputation when it was awarded as it is by your alma mater's reputation now. If you're a UCF alumnus or alumna, the better the university gets, the more impressive that Pegasus emblem on your diploma becomes. We've got grit, drive and momentum to keep on charging on and getting our name and our story out there. Let's do it together.
At UCF, we pursue breakthrough research in disciplines ranging from cancer treatment to hospitality management and other optical networks to public administration. Today's American colleges and universities perform the majority of the nation's basic research — the kind of research that not only seeks medical and scientific breakthroughs but also yields discoveries that positively impact our daily lives and drive the innovation economy. Research is costly, and federal funding for basic research is declining. If we're going to continue using the exceptional minds at UCF to make the world a better place, we're going to need your help.
Even if you think you can't, even if you think the $10 you have to spare a month won't do much, even if you already paid your own tuition. You can, it would, and you can help out someone who can't. Philanthropic contributions to UCF add up. They add up to a scholarship for a first-generation college student who will transform the field of engineering. They add up to the exact funding a researcher needs to make his breakthrough medical discovery. They add up to wins on football fields, successes in classrooms and a continual celebration of human potential on display. Every gift, whether it's $5 or $500, adds up when we come together to invest in the future world-changers of UCF. They add up to opportunity.
Why not give toward something that excites you? Our goal is to connect you with your passion. Donor intent is important and we want your donation to support something you believe in. So whether it's first generation scholarships, furthering the arts at UCF, rooting for our athletics through your donation, or something else entirely — there's a fund for you and we want to help you find it.
Academic Advancement Programs (AAP)
Alumni Excellence Fund
Alumni Scholarship Endowment
Area of Greatest Need
Art Department
Austin Fragomen Study Abroad Grant
Burnett Honors College
Cheerleading Scholarships
COHPA General Scholarships
College of Arts & Humanities
College of Business Student Opportunity Fund
College of Education and Human Performance
College of Engineering
College of Medicine Excellence Fund
College of Nursing
College of Science Excellence Fund
CREOL/General Scholarships
First Generation Scholarships
Football Excellence Fund
Graduate Studies Excellence Fund
Graphic Design
Honors College Scholarships
International Student and Scholar Services General Scholarship
Knights Helping Knights
Lampp Scholarship Fund
Lead Scholars
LGBTQ+ Services
Limitless Solutions
Mathematical Sciences
Modern Languages
Multicultural Academics & Support Services
Music Scholarship Fund
Nicaragua Study Abroad Fund
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
Performing Arts Center Building Fund
Physical Therapy Program
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
School of Visual Arts & Design (SVAD)
Social Work
Student Development & Enrollment Services Student Emergency Fund
Student Health Services
Students with Disabilities
Study Abroad
The Aphasia House Fund
Theatre Department
UCF Athletics Student Athlete Scholarship Fund
UCF Creative School
UCF Downtown
UCF Opera
UCF RESTORES PTSD Clinic
Undergraduate Research
Undergraduate Studies
University Writing Center
Veterans' Academic Resource Center
Women's Sports
Writing and Rhetoric General Fund