Creating a Community Connection

The Board of Counselors and the Board of Fellows

By Janet Siroto

Creating a Community Connection
The annual Fellows Forum, sponsored by the Board of Fellows, features national business leaders. Photograph: Jessica Leigh

In many ways, UT is like a universe unto itself — a self-sufficient system full of high-achieving students, faculty and staff. But it’s also a hub for the entire Tampa Bay community. Two boards comprised of local businesspeople help anchor this symbiosis and lift the school even higher.

THE BOARD OF COUNSELORS

Scott Vejdani didn’t know what to expect when he accompanied a colleague to a Board of Counselors (BOC) event several years ago. As executive director of media services for Catalina, a St. Petersburg, FL-based digital marketing company, he certainly knew that UT served as a kind of glue for the local community, but that day, he tapped into the Spartan Ready spirit. The energy and enthusiasm for UT was contagious, and Vejdani discovered that “volunteering at UT is a great way to build a network and friendships while supporting an incredible institution.”

Established in 1962, the BOC takes a two-pronged approach to enriching Spartan life: The board organizes social events to raise awareness and funds for UT, and it helps prep students for post-collegiate life. BOC members donate a minimum of $400 per year ($200 membership dues plus a $200 contribution to UT’s Annual Fund).

Now serving as chair of the 63-member board, Vejdani has the organization firing on all cylinders. The BOC is well-known around town for its annual Minarets at Sunset fundraising event.

Mentoring students is another important goal. Vejdani, who is also on UT’s Board of Trustees, says the hands-on interaction and skill-building with students has been tremendously fulfilling for him. “We do résumé review days and speed-networking nights,” he says. “It’s great to be able to make a difference in students’ lives.”

To learn more about the BOC, visit ut.edu/boardofcounselors.

THE BOARD OF FELLOWS

It’s not just students and alumni who love UT. Local leaders — like Drew Marshall, owner of the CI Group, which has designed and outfitted business facilities in Tampa for over 30 years — are also inspired by the institution.

That’s why Marshall joined the Board of Fellows (BOF) almost a decade ago and now chairs the organization. “We’re 120-plus business leaders who care deeply about the University and its positive impact on the community,” he says. “We want to do what we can to further its long-term success and that of its incredible grads.”

As part of that mission, the BOF keeps a robust schedule of events, including the annual Fellows Forum, which features nationally known business leaders sharing their game-changing advice. Programs like this help fuel the BOF’s fundraising efforts, which have proved to be unstoppable. Last spring, the BOF’s Scholarship Endowment Fund sailed past the $1-million mark. “Our members give time and treasure to support the institution that has been so important to all of us,” says Marshall, who is also a member of UT’s Board of Trustees.

The BOF has two tiers of membership. A Fellows Member donates $2,000 per year ($500 membership dues plus a $1,500 Annual Fund contribution). A Minaret Society Fellow donates $3,000 per year ($500 membership dues plus a $2,500 contribution to the Annual Fund) and receives an invitation to the annual Minaret Society Dinner (see the next page for details on the dinner). It’s common for donors to first join the BOC and then graduate to the BOF later.

To learn more about the BOF, visit ut.edu/boardoffellows.