Published November 8, 2013 This content is archived.
Thank you, and many thanks to all of you for joining us tonight.
This evening, we celebrate the eighth annual UB Scholarship Gala. This is a great UB tradition, and we have all of you to thank for making this such a special event.
I want to thank our presenting sponsors, the Hamister Group, R&P Oak Hill Development, and Verizon for their generous support. I also want to thank our co-chairs, Gary and Donna Bichler, Mark and Sharon Hamister, and Scott and Jo Ann Weber, for all their hard work in making this a memorable evening.
This has been such an exciting year of progress for UB and our entire community. The historic visit from President Obama in August was an unforgettable way to open our academic year.
The president’s message of educational opportunity for all is very close to all of our hearts here at UB. More than 7,000 people listened here in Alumni Arena when President Obama unveiled his plan to ensure greater access to higher education.
UB was proud to be chosen as the site to launch this important dialogue, because we are a national leader in championing student access and success.
We are recognized internationally for the array of educational opportunities we provide to students. And thanks to all of you, we are able to offer more scholarship support for students—one of the most effective ways to give them access to a world-class college education.
The funds we raise tonight will open doors to all students, allowing them to enroll at UB and to remain here, even if they face financial hardship during the course of the school year.
Because of you, we have an excellent chance of meeting our fundraising goal tonight…in fact, we might just break our record!
Your presence here tonight and your generosity change lives for so many students.
You make it possible for more talented students to attend UB.
By doing so, you give them their futures—and you help to create a brighter future for all of us through the opportunities you provide to this next generation of leaders.
For that, we thank you. And so we celebrate all of you tonight. Thank you!
