Dr. Hitt honored a very special group of donors, those who have contributed or completed pledges of more than $25,000 in the last year, at his residence at the President’s Appreciation Reception, telling them “your financial support has helped make UCF one of the great success stories in American higher education.”
Every year on this occasion, Dr. Hitt also spotlights a group or individual whose teamwork with UCF students, faculty and staff has advanced the university’s goal to be America’s Leading Partnership University. The 2013 President’s Award was given to R. Malcolm Macleod, president of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.
With the help of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, a $3 million scholarship endowment at UCF is being developed for UCF students coming from DirectConnect to UCF partner colleges – Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, Seminole State College, and Valencia College. “From the beginning of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation Challenge, Malcolm has been singular in his focus of putting students first,” said Hitt.
Senior Hillary Dunn, a pre-clinical major in the College of Health and Public Affairs and a Burnett Honors College student, thanked the Johnson Scholarship Foundation for the support she and her brother Trey, a computer science major at UCF, received as Johnson Scholars.
“The Johnson Scholarship Foundation has not only changed the lives of my brother and me, but of the countless other students just like us,” she said, as she explained the health challenges that prohibited her from working full-time while attending school. “I represent every student who is struggling to pursue their education; for them and for me, I offer a heartfelt thanks to everyone here who has committed to helping students achieve their dreams.”