Plaque recognizing veterans and families who donated to the special fund will be unveiled at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7
TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 6, 2017) – The University of South Florida will honor 27 veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and the Gulf War who have been memorialized by their families with donations to help establish the university’s new Next Greatest Generation Veteran Fund. A plaque and accompanying display book – which include each donor’s name, photo and story – will be unveiled during a ceremony at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7 in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom C. Honorees, family members and student veterans are expected to attend the ceremony. The plaque and accompanying book will eventually be displayed permanently in the Office of Veteran Success at USF.
The recently endowed Next Greatest Generation Veteran Fund is made up entirely of gifts from families and friends paying tribute and preserving the memories of beloved veterans who served in wars of the 20th century. The funds will be used to help veterans of the 21st century achieve success beyond service through higher education. More than $40,000 has already been raised.
The fund provides competitive awards, scholarships and other academic or programmatic support to USF’s student veterans. It may also be used to remove financial obstacles impeding a student veteran’s success, as in the case of John Jacoby, one of the fund’s first recipients.
A veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Afghanistan, Jacoby enrolled as a freshman engineering student at USF last August. When Hurricane Irma hit Florida in September, Jacoby, his wife, and infant son lost their home and all their belongings in a fire. The Next Greatest Generation Veteran Fund provided Jacoby with financial relief to take care of his family’s basic needs so that he could remain in college. Currently an Army ROTC cadet, Jacoby intends to graduate and use his engineering degree in service to the country by returning to the Army. Jacoby will be one of the speakers at the event, thanking donors for their support of his education and family.
Military Times currently ranks USF as the #1 Best for Vets College in the nation. The Office of Veteran Success provides programs and services to help veterans successfully transition from the military to campus to a career.
Members of the public interested in making a gift, or learning more about the Next Greatest Generation Veteran Fund, can contact Larry Braue at 813-974-9935 or lbraue@usf.edu.
About the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, established in 1956 and located in Tampa, is a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. The USF System includes three, separately accredited institutions: USF; USF St. Petersburg; and USF Sarasota-Manatee. Serving more than 49,000 students, the USF System has an annual budget of $1.6 billion and an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion. USF is ranked in the top 30 nationally for research expenditures among public universities, according to the National Science Foundation. In 2016, the Florida Legislature designated USF as “Emerging Preeminent,” placing USF in an elite category among the state’s 12 public universities. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.
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