Physical Plant team empowers student success through scholarships
September 01, 2025
The Physical Plant Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in 2007 through generous contributions from Physical Plant employees. Serving as an annual giving ambassador, Vikki McConnell, associate director of Physical Plant, realized that the team could pool individual employee donations together to establish an endowment to support students pursuing interests tied to the department.
Since then, Physical Plant employees have donated over $33,300 and have obtained community donations for more than $700,000. Jim Hehl, associate vice president of Physical Plant, and others on the team continue to share this initiative with business partners to promote funding, internships and employment opportunities for students.
The Physical Plant department showcases photos of student scholarship recipients and donors throughout the years.
As a testament of the dedication to student success, the funds raised have made it possible to award scholarships to 39 students so far, helping relieve the financial burden to allow students to focus on their studies. The scholarships focus on students who are majoring in construction management, environmental and civil engineering, and environmental studies.
Many of the student recipients also work directly with the Physical Plant, strengthening their resume by developing skills such as performing quality control inspections and learning database and reporting tools. Having students work in the department creates an opportunity for meaningful connection between donors and the students who are impacted by their generosity.
If you are interested in learning how you can support the scholarship fund, visit fgcu.edu/adminservices/physicalplant/scholarship to learn more. To discuss how your department can create a similar scholarship, contact Vince Modarelli, director of Annual & Leadership Giving Development, at vmodarelli@fgcu.edu.
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