South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Fort Lauderdale couple pledge $10.25M to UCF
A Fort Lauderdale couple who met at the University of Central Florida has promised $10.25 million to their alma mater, making theirs the largest alumni gift to the Orlando university, UCF announced Friday.
Joyce and Vince Virga’s gift will help UCF’s College of Business and its athletics department.
The couple — he graduated in 1995 and she in 1998 — want their gift to support entrepreneurship programs in the business college and UCF football. They credit UCF, the university said, with helping them find professional success — and each other.
“It is the backdrop of some of our fondest memories and the place where we forged lifelong friendships,” said Joyce Virga, in a statement. “It is also the place where we met and started our lives together. It’s truly an honor to be able to give back to an institution that has given us so much.”
Vince Virga is a founder and the chief executive officer of Skillstorm, according to the company website.
He said in a statement that the gift will allow them to support their passions, “specifically entrepreneurship, business and, of course, UCF football.”
The Virgas are “ardent UCF Knight football fans,” he said, and happy to “support a program that has come so far, but still has so much potential. Our championship ways are just beginning.”
Their gift, described as a mix of “estate and currentuse resources” helps UCF meet the $500 million goal of its IGNITE campaign, which is to wrap up next year. More than $405 million has been donated to that fundraising effort.
“We are grateful for the Virgas’ generosity and pride in their alma mater because their gift will help grow our academic and athletic excellence, impacting students for many years to come,” said UCF President Dale Whittaker in a statement.