You are making a difference...
on campus and beyond.

Thanks to a generous anonymous Giving Day 2025 donation, UF English Language Institute (ELI) student Silvano Tandela received a $5,000 scholarship that will allow him to continue his academic English studies. Hailing from Angola, Silvano plans to pursue Networking Systems Technology after completing his program at the ELI. He shares deep gratitude for this opportunity, which he says will help him strengthen his problem-solving skills, support his academic and personal growth, and ultimately enable him to make a positive difference in the world.

With the help of Giving Day donors, Dance Marathon at the University of Florida raised more than $1.3 million in 2025 to support UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. These funds support the hospital’s greatest needs, including an extensive renovation project currently underway. The hospital recently completed upgrades to Unit 44 and is now renovating Unit 45, the general pediatric medical and surgical units. Designed with the youngest patients in mind, the top-to-bottom renovation features bright, welcoming spaces inspired by Florida’s natural landscape. Some of the major enhancements include all-new private patient rooms, dedicated family gathering spaces, toddler and teen playrooms, and an enhanced procedure room.

Dollars raised through Giving Day helped launch the Astraeus Student Organization, creating new opportunities for students to explore advancements in spaceflight and discover professional pathways in the aerospace field. The UF Astraeus Space Institute is driving Florida’s future in space research by uniting faculty, students and community partners across disciplines to pursue bold exploration and space mission innovation.

Thanks in part to the generous support of Giving Day donors, a group of third graders helped UF researchers and designers launch AR (Augmented Reality) Expeditions, an educational mobile app, designed to inspire reading among Florida elementary school students. Developed through a multi-disciplinary research project in UF’s College of Education, the “mini researchers” tested early prototypes and guided improvements to instructions, visual cues and interactive elements. Designed to spark curiosity about books and make literacy-based media more accessible, the app turns reading into an adventure and helps early learners build the confidence and skills they need to thrive.

Thanks to the help of Giving Day donors, the UF Biomedical Engineering Experiential Learning Fund advances student success by supporting scholarships as well as hands-on internship and research experiences that prepare students for the rapidly evolving biomedical engineering field. With support from the fund, students have been empowered to present their work at the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) conference, develop honors thesis projects, strengthen applications to graduate and professional schools, and collaborate on interdisciplinary teams that mirror future career environments. These opportunities provide practical learning beyond the classroom, allowing students to apply engineering principles to real-world medical and technological challenges, build essential skills and develop professional connections.

Thank you, Gators!

Your gifts make stories like these possible. 

Be sure to check out our donor wall to be inspired by fellow Gators who chose to Stand Up & Holler for UF.

If you have questions or would like information about other giving opportunities, 
please reach out to the Annual Giving team at givingday@uff.ufl.edu.