A Guide to the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program Records

Finding aid created by Sarah Coates

University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections

October 2020

Biographical/Historical Note

In the Fall of 2005, UF President Bernie Machen asked Patricia Telles-Irvin, Vice-President of Student Affairs, to create a financial aid program to support first-generation Florida resident undergraduate students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to allow them to attend the University of Florida. The Office of Student Financial Affairs developed several proposals and President Machen approved a proposal to fund first-generation students from families who made less than $40,000 per year. This program was open to Florida resident undergraduate students enrolling at UF for the first time in Summer 2006 or later, and provided a full grant and scholarship package for up to five academic years or receipt of a baccalaureate degree. The program was named the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program, and had an initial commitment of $2 million for the 2006-07 academic year.

While this program was being developed, President Machen was also concurrently working with Florida Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Legislature to create a matching grant program for financial aid to assist economically disadvantaged first-generation college students at all of Florida's state universities. The First Generation Matching Grant Program was established in 2006 and had a state-wide appropriation of $6.5 million for its first year.

In Fall 2012, the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program received its largest one-time gift of $10 million to rename the program in honor of President Machen and his wife, Chris, who championed the program. The program is now named the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program.

The inaugural Director of the program is Dr. Leslie Pendleton, who has served as Director since 2009.

Sources: Florida Opportunity Scholars Annual Report, 2006-2007 History of the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program, accessed October 2020.

Scope and Content

Collection contains records documenting the beginning and administration of the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program (now the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program) at the University of Florida. Includes presentations from the MFOS Program, annual reports, demographic information, publicity (in the form of brochures, flyers, and newspaper and magazine articles) for the MFOS program and fundraising efforts for the program. Also included are transcripts of oral histories conducted by the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program with recipients of the scholarship. Photographs of events and graduation ceremonies are also included.

Arrangement

Arranged into four subseries:

Subseries 1: Administrative Records, 2005-2020

Subseries 2: Miscellaneous Files, 2006-2014

Subseries 3: Photographs, 2007-2012

Subseries 4: Memorabilia, undated

Access or Use Restrictions

Access

The collection is open for research.

Related or Separated Material

Marquitta Brown's oral history interview transcript may be viewed online in the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program's digital collection. Additional transcripts are available by contacting the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program Records, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program Director, August 2020.

Selected Subjects and Access Terms

College students.
First-generation college students.
Scholarships.
University of Florida. Division of Student Affairs. Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program.

For further information, please contact: Special Collections Access Services.

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