2018 News

State Farm makes $20,000 gift to Gus A. Stavros Center Free Enterprise and Economic Education

State Farm, who in recent years has gifted more than $140,000 to the Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise and Economic Education, is continuing their support for the Center’s work in providing free financial literacy education programs to Tampa Bay area teachers.

Stavros Center State Farm Gift | 2018 News | USF College of Education

TAMPA, Fla. (June 18, 2018) –  The University of South Florida (USF) College of Education announced that State Farm awarded $20,000 to the Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise and Economic Education in support of the Center’s 2018 K-12 Economics Education Professional Development Program.

The Gus A. Stavros Center works with educators and school district leaders from Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota county school districts to provide teacher training programs, curricula development efforts and other strategies to ensure that free enterprise and consumer economics concepts reach students in today’s classrooms.

A presentation of the gift was made during the Stavros Center’s Spring Advocacy Board meeting. Mr. Jose Soto, State Farm Public Affairs Community Media Specialist, presented the gift to Dr. Dick J. Puglisi, PhD, Stavros Chair in Free Enterprise & Economic Education and Director of the Gus A. Stavros Center.

“State Farm has been a very strong partner with the Stavros Center over the past several years in making sure that K-12 educators receive professional development in the area of economics education, especially as it relates to financial literacy,” Dr. Puglisi said. “We are very pleased that State Farm is a partner with the Stavros Center in providing students with the knowledge and skills needed in managing their financial affairs.”

During the recent academic year, approximately 1,800 K-12 educators participated in various professional development programs offered by the Gus A. Stavros Center. Many of these programs are funded through support from State Farm to cover a range of expenses, including instructional costs, curricula materials, and other outlays related to workshops. 

“Through the support provided by State Farm, the Gus A. Stavros Center is able to provide free training and resources to hundreds of K-12 educators who go on to share this knowledge with thousands of students in the Tampa Bay region,” Dr. Robert C. Knoeppel, Dean of the College of Education, said. “The College of Education is incredibly grateful to State Farm for their continuous support of the Stavros Center’s work in advancing financial literacy education in today’s classroom.”

To learn more about the Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise and Economic Education, visit www.usf.edu/education/stavros-center.

About the USF College of Education: 
Home to more than 2,200 students and 130 faculty members, the University of South Florida College of Education values high-quality education and excellence in research, teaching and learning. Through innovative research opportunities, hands-on field experiences and community partnerships, the College of Education provides the resources students need to become world-class educators, researchers and leaders. The USF College of Education is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and is fully approved by the Florida Department of Education. 

About State Farm®:
The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its nearly 19,000 agents and nearly 65,000 employees serve more than 84 million policies and accounts – more than 81 million auto, fire, life, health and commercial policies, and more than 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 36 on the 2018 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.