Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars will be getting an extra $28,000 for scholarships this year because of three students.
UF Student Body President Joselin Padron-Rasines, Vice President Kevin Doan and Treasurer Nicholas Carre combined their one-year salaries and donated them to the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars. The program benefits low-income, first-generation students.
Carre said his job shouldn’t have a monetary incentive.
"It shouldn’t be taking the students’ money for something we were elected for," he said.
The executive officers decided to donate to the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars because they wanted to help first-generation students come to UF, Carre said.
"We didn’t just want our money sitting in reserves," he said. "Who doesn’t want to help first-generation students go to college?"
Doan said he hopes the donation gives opportunity to others.
"It’s a cause that we can really stand behind," he said.
Revel Lubin, a 19-year-old UF political science freshman, said UF was his dream school, but he needed financial aid to afford it. The Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship sealed his decision.
The donated salaries will help students focus solely on school without worrying about getting a job, Lubin said.
"I think that’s, like, a huge sacrifice on their behalf," Lubin said.
Contact Caitlin Ostroff at costroff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @ceostroff
