TAMPA — It was another record-shattering year for student scholarships at the University
of South Florida Muma College of Business, with more than $1.5 million awarded to
450 business students.
The college celebrated the milestone at its annual Scholarship Luncheon on Friday,
bringing together donors and scholarship recipients in a superhero-themed event featuring
a bespectacled Rocky D. Bull playing his best Clark Kent amid an 8-foot-tall Tampa
skyline cityscape.
The 90-minute event was sprinkled with superhero references throughout, including
a bat signal splashing the Bull U, comic strip-wrapped floral centerpieces, as well
as a cape-wearing Rocky swooping in, thanking donors for saving the day by vanquishing
the villain of student debt.
The event culminated with the crowd greeting Rocky with a superhero’s welcome and students inducting donors into the League of Powering Dreams with a Superman-inspired lapel pin.
Dreaming bigger
Emcee Brian Stinson, Jr., a sophomore who received the Ellen Cotton Endowed Scholarship,
thanked the donors whose generosity accelerates ambition and gives students the confidence
to dream bigger.
“Today we celebrate the dreams made possible when generous donors and aspiring leaders
unite,” he said. “Your support empowers us to do our best as we learn the knowledge
and gain experiences that will prepare us to lead in business.”
The event was sponsored by the USF Credit Union. The financial institution also gave
away a $1,000 Southwest Airlines gift card as a door prize to one scholarship recipient.
Yadyra Guzman, who received the Badger Bob’s Services Endowed Scholarship and the
Robert P. Bartz Memorial Endowed Scholarship, was the lucky winner.
Richard Sellwood, chief operating officer at the USF Credit Union, said the scholarship
luncheon is one of his favorite events of the year.
He said the event is about the impact of scholarships, noting that he was lucky enough
to receive a few scholarships during his academic journey.
“Those scholarships weren’t just about the money, although that really helped,” he
said. “They were a reminder that someone believed in me. From my first days behind
a teller window to my role today as chief operating officer, one truth has always
stayed with me: no one achieves success alone.”
The power of education
Alumna Silvia Soto Avella, change manager at Microsoft, shared her story of growth,
resilience and the incredible power of education. She said her time at USF was truly
transformative.
As a first-generation college student and immigrant from Colombia, she faced unique
challenges, including moments when her immigration status limited access to scholarships
and certain opportunities.
“What made USF invaluable were the opportunities beyond the classroom,” she said.
Her involvement in the Muma College of Business Corporate Mentor Program gave her
the guidance and access to networks that helped her explore career paths and taught
her leadership, communication, creative problem-solving and adaptability.
“These skills have served me every day in my career,” she said.
Soto Avella is a former Muma College of Business 25 Under 25 honoree. Since graduating
from USF in 2012, she earned a master’s degree from Florida International University,
rose in the ranks at DTCC as a software developer and eventually found her calling
in organizational change management. She now works for the largest technology company
in the world.
She encouraged students to dream big.
“To every student here today: your journey, no matter how challenging, can lead to
extraordinary places. Believe in yourself, embrace every opportunity, and lift others
as you climb,” she said.
Rising above challenges
Featured student speaker Iryna Vasko, who received the Waelter Scholarship for Graduate
Students and will earn her MBA from USF in December, shared her story of resilience.
Vasko is a 25 Under 25 honoree and served as a Florida Gubernatorial Fellow.
Born in Ukraine, her family moved to the U.S. when she completed fourth grade.
“In America, no matter who you are or where you come from, if you work diligently
toward your goal, you can become who you set your mind to be,” she said.
Vasko shared how a serious health challenge set her back from finishing high school,
let alone think about attending college.
But through perseverance, she overcame her health challenges and got her GED. Her
path to USF eventually led her to leadership positions with Phi Beta Lambda — Future
Business Leaders of America.
More opportunities followed, including serving as one of the Governor’s Fellows in
the Office of Policy and Budget. She worked alongside state economists and policymakers
to develop complex forecasts and formulate her own policy proposals.
Vasko said each scholarship she received was like a vote of confidence.
“Every challenge is an invitation to grow,” she said. “The journey has taught me that
heroes aren’t just found in stories — they're the people who lift others up, believe
in their dreams, and help them rise above challenges.”