Alumni to Co-chair 2011 UB Scholarship Gala, Set for Nov. 4

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Four University at Buffalo alumni will serve as co-chairs for the sixth annual UB Scholarship Gala, which will take place from 6-11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in the Edward Wright Practice Facility on the UB North Campus.

Helen Cappuccino, MD '88, BA '84, and Andrew Cappuccino, MD '88, along with Pamela Davis Heilman, JD '75, and Robert Heilman, MBA '75, are all longtime supporters of UB. Independent Health, Turner Construction and Verizon are the presenting sponsors for the gala.

Attracting the best and brightest students is one of the goals of UB 2020, the university's strategic plan to become a model 21st-century public university. Scholarships are one of the most effective ways to guarantee that top students choose UB.

Only about half of UB students who qualify for financial aid receive it through scholarships and grants, while the others use jobs, work-study programs and student loans to help pay the bills. Nearly 70 percent of students who graduate with a bachelor's degree from UB have loans averaging $29,000.

As a result, the university began holding an annual gala in 2006 to increase access to UB; to date, UB has raised more than $1 million in scholarship funds through five gala events.

Donor support -- by corporations, foundations and individuals -- helps to ensure that every promising student has the opportunity to pursue a first-rate education at UB.

This year's event will include dinner, dancing, student performances and competitions, and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $200 per person, with sponsorships ranging from $2,500 to $25,000. For more information on the event, tickets or sponsorships, call 716-881-1709 or visit http://giving.buffalo.edu/ubgala.