University of North Florida - Coggin College of Business

Former Students and UNF Faculty
Pay it Forward

As a graduate of the inaugural Weekend MBA program in 1997, Greg Newton appreciated not only the learning and application of skills, but also the networking and collaboration with student colleagues and faculty. His degree helped him to achieve new heights in his career. Following graduation, he joined Humana, where he was promoted to Director of Finance, and he currently serves as a Senior Business Manager at Convergys, working on new employee care client implementations.

Newton also became involved with the Graduate Business Club, a volunteer leadership group of graduates from the MBA and MAcc programs in the college. The Graduate Business Club is now a part of the Coggin College of Business Alumni Chapter.

Newton assumed myriad of leadership positions within the Graduate Business Club, including organizing the annual speaker series, networking events and socials. While Chair of the Club, Newton proposed to the board that it was time to give back to the next generation by establishing an endowed scholarship for new graduate students, to be funded by Coggin College of Business graduates.

“I believe in the philosophy of paying it forward,” says Newton. “I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend the UNF MBA program, as it has helped me immeasurably in my life and career. By sharing my passion with my fellow graduates, we have worked together to establish this first collaborative endowed scholarship.”

Partnering with fellow alumni Julie Krey and Don Packard, Newton spread the word and personally solicited many graduates and faculty members for contributions to the new program. When fully funded, the Graduate Programs in Business endowed scholarship will provide scholarships in perpetuity to students pursuing their graduate degree.

Newton recently completed his original pledge to the scholarship fund and subsequently made an additional gift of $1,000, which will be matched dollar for dollar by the Convergys Foundation.

“We are so close to our goal,” notes Newton. “When the account reaches $25,000, we will be thrilled to begin offering the scholarship on an annual basis. And, the great thing is that it will keep going and going, because it is endowed.”

The Graduate Programs in Business endowed scholarship needs just a few more contributions from graduates to reach its goal. Contributions to the fund may qualify as tax-deductible expenses for federal income tax purposes and may also qualify for matching funds from employers.

If you received your degree from the Coggin College of Business and are interested in participating, please contact Kim Churches, director of development, at (904) 620-1547.

PHOTO: Greg Newton (right) socializes with Greg Kencitzski and Don Packard, who also
contributed to help create the Graduate Programs in Business endowed scholarship.