Thanks to the commitment from the DeVos family, students accepted into the DeVos Sport Business Management program at UCF will be automatically considered for scholarships based on need and academic achievement. The gift further distinguishes UCF’s globally ranked graduate program, which is known for producing top talent in the sports business industry like San Antonio Spurs General Manager Brian Wright ’06MBA ’06MS and Orlando Magic Executive Vice President of Marketing and Social Responsibility Shelly Wilkes ’02 ’04MBA ’04MS.
“The DeVos family’s continued support has helped make us the world’s premier sport business management program,” says Adrien Bouchet, the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation endowed chair and eminent scholar of the DeVos Sport Business Management program. “These scholarships allow our students to fully focus on their studies as they prepare to be leaders in the sport and entertainment industry.”
The DeVos family donation funds dean’s scholarships, based on outstanding academic performance and need, for six students and expands on the initial gift from Richard and Helen DeVos that helped start the program in 2002.
“These scholarships enable talented and highly capable students to pursue their dreams without financial barriers,” says Ryan DeVos, member of the DeVos Family’s Orlando Magic Leadership Council and vice president of shareholder engagement for the Orlando Magic. “By investing in their education, we hope to honor my grandparents’ legacy and equip students with the tools they need to excel and make a lasting impact in the sports industry.”
Over the years, the DeVos program has been recognized as a top sport business program in America by the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Forbes Magazine.
“At the Orlando Magic, we have seen firsthand the exceptional quality of leaders who emerge from the DeVos Sport Business Management Program,” says Dan DeVos, chairman of the Orlando Magic. “Their dedication, innovation and integrity set them apart in the sports industry, and we are proud to support a program that consistently produces such outstanding talent.”
The DeVos program offers students the opportunity to earn their master’s in sport business management and an MBA. A minor also is available for undergraduates. In addition to Wright and Wilkes, notable alums of the program include Orlando City Soccer Club Chief Strategy Officer Chris Kamke ’09MBA ’09MS, BSE Global Vice President of Partnership Strategy Nicole Pincus ’09MBA ’10MS and NASCAR Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion Caryn Grant ’16 ’17MBA.
“We can’t thank the DeVos family enough for being such vital partners and helping students pursue their dreams,” says Ashley Turner ’09MBA ’10MS, director of external affairs for the DeVos Sport Business Management program.
