The Florida Independent College Fund (FICF) has distributed $82,500 in scholarships to assist thirty students at private colleges and universities in Florida. The scholarships were made possible by a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, D.C., through the CIC/UPS Educational Endowment.
“All Floridians deserve access to affordable, high-quality higher education regardless of their background,” said Dr. Ed Moore, president of the Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida (ICUF). “ICUF’s 30 colleges and universities are proud to partner with CIC and the UPS Foundation to make access easier for students throughout Florida.”
Nationally, CIC and the UPS Foundation provided more than $1.5 million in student scholarships through state-based associations to make private higher education institutions more affordable and accessible to underserved students.
“Independent colleges and universities in this country are remarkably effective at educating and graduating low-income and first-generation students in less time, with less student debt,” said Richard Ekman, president of CIC. “Helping these students afford a private college education is a truly critical need in our society, and it is rewarding to be a partner with the UPS Foundation and Independent Colleges and Universities as we help to support deserving students.”
The CIC/UPS Scholarship Program has positively impacted individuals, families and communities across the country by making private college education possible for more than 20,000 low-income and first-generation students.
“The UPS Foundation is honored to work with CIC to provide scholarships for students at independent colleges and universities,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of the UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS. “Our goal is to fund powerful programs that make a lasting difference to the global community.”
The Florida Independent College Fund (FICF) is a not-for-profit organization working closely with the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) to expand access to higher education for all students. These organizations represent 30 private, non-profit educational institutions based in Florida and accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Serving nearly 155,000 students at 135 sites throughout the state, FICF/ICUF institutions offer programs at main campuses, branch campuses in communities, and state colleges, as well as nearly 600 fully online degree and graduate certificate programs. For more information, please visit www.icuf.org.
