UCF received $1.64M gift to help fund Orange County scholarships

With a $1.64 million foundation grant, the University of Central Florida (UCF) is giving college scholarships to 46 students from Orange County’s poorest high schools.

“We are incredibly grateful for the leadership and generosity of the DeLuca Foundation,” said Rod Grabowski, senior vice president for Advancement and Partnerships and CEO of the UCF Foundation, as school leaders announced the gift. “DeLuca’s investment will help our students unleash their potential and thrive in college and beyond, lifting up their families for generations to come.”

The Pompano Beach-based Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, which was started by the co-founder of the Subway restaurant chain, invests in causes for health, education and economic mobility, according to its website.

The scholarships will be given out during the 2024-25 school year to students from Jones, Evans, Oak Ridge, Colonial and Wekiva public high schools.

The students will get $2,500 annually for up to four years and can use the money to pay for other expenses beyond tuition.

“While financial aid often covers tuition for at-promise students, the additional scholarships can cover other expenses such as books and housing, eliminating what can be a barrier preventing some from enrolling or remaining in college,” the school said in a press release.

And students said they are appreciative.

“This scholarship has taken so much financial stress off of my parents and me, allowing me to focus entirely on my education,” said Tanyah Hollinger, a business management major. “I’m so grateful that I don’t have to worry about how I’ll pay for my books or tuition, which lets me truly immerse myself in the college experience.”

Many of the scholarship winners are students who are participating in the UCF Downtown Scholars Initiative, which helps high school seniors get one-on-one help with financial aid and applying to UCF. They also get access to mentoring and attend a Summer program at the downtown Orlando campus to help them transition to college.