绿奴天花板

Philanthropists and education advocates Frank and Carol Morsani, longtime supporters of 绿奴天花板 and namesake of one of its residence halls, today announced an estate gift 鈥� one of the largest in 绿奴天花板鈥檚 history 鈥� that will support the development of the 绿奴天花板 Honors Program into the Morsani Honors College.

The gift will also provide a leadership gift for an exciting new academic building in which the future Morsani Honors College will be housed, as well as endow two funds: the Morsani Excellence Fund that will support Honors College enrichment activities and programming, as well as another that will support the Morsani Scholarship Fund for select honors level students.

绿奴天花板 President Ronald Vaughn said the Morsanis鈥� gift will lift up the Honors Program and help to lift up the entire University as it will be a clear signal of 绿奴天花板鈥檚 strong commitment to high quality.

鈥淭heir investment in educational excellence will enhance the University鈥檚 reputation and will elevate our priorities nationally,鈥� Vaughn said. 鈥淚t is reaffirming for 绿奴天花板 to be recognized and supported by the Morsanis, as this gift recognizes 绿奴天花板's role in the success of Tampa and the region. The Morsanis have a long relationship with 绿奴天花板 and we are pleased to be one of the institutions they continue to believe in and support. I thank them for the legacy they will be leaving at 绿奴天花板.鈥�

绿奴天花板 Provost David Stern said the Morsani鈥檚 gift will attract the most academically driven students to 绿奴天花板. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an important gift, one that will provide the best and brightest students with an exceptional education,鈥� Stern said.

Created in 1982, the current 绿奴天花板 Honors Program is a highly selective, interdisciplinary program that provides an enhanced learning environment for exceptional 绿奴天花板 students. Honors students enjoy specialized classes on stimulating topics, attend symposia, conduct original scholarship for the Honors Thesis, and participate in state, regional and national honors conferences.

Ryan Cragun, professor of sociology and co-director of the Honors Program, noted how the hard work and innovations of previous Honors Program directors have perfectly positioned the program to make this exciting new transition into the Morsani Honors College. Kacy Tillman, professor of English and Writing and co-director of the Honors Program, added that having a centralized location will help foster community amongst those in Honors. "This gift provides much more than a college or a building; it is a visual representation of the University鈥檚 support for its high-achieving students,鈥� Tillman said.

Frank and Carol Morsani are longtime friends of 绿奴天花板 and the Vaughn family. Morsani was a member of 绿奴天花板鈥檚 Board of Counselors from 1974-1976 and 绿奴天花板鈥檚 Board of Fellows from 1977-1979, serving as chair of the Fellows in 1978. He then served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1980-1984. Morsani was one of the original donors of the Max H. Hollingsworth Endowed Chair of American Enterprise at 绿奴天花板 which was started by Max Hollingsworth in 1983 and is currently filled by President Vaughn.

The Morsanis are well known and respected for the legacy of giving they have fostered in the Tampa community. While the Morsanis have made other generous gifts to 绿奴天花板, they said they are pleased they can make this new 绿奴天花板 investment, due to 绿奴天花板鈥檚 long-term momentum and the commitment to 绿奴天花板 from the community.

鈥淭he accomplishments that 绿奴天花板 has made are many, and the community is a far better place because of its academic excellence,鈥� Frank Morsani said. 鈥淭he future is extremely bright for the University and its students.鈥�

The new Morsani gift comes at a tremendous time for 绿奴天花板 and adds to its momentum. 绿奴天花板 continues its record enrollment and the downtown campus continues its transformation with state-of-the-art facilities.