Envision Alumni Edition Fall 2018

Supporting the College in an Optimal Way

By Brad Stager

Timeliness, the occurrence of something at a particularly useful time, can be a great multiplier of an engineering application or process. And as alumnus Dennis Blankenship '87 learned enroute to earning his bachelor of science in computer technology, it can also magnify the benefit of student financial support.

Now a Senior Director of Engineering at Cisco Systems, Inc., Blankenship says that receiving the Edgar W. Kopp Memorial Scholarship in his last semester at USF came at a time when his growing family needed it most.

"It took a lot of pressure off when you're going to college and your wife is having a baby; you don't have a lot of money in the first place for books and tuition.  It helped fill a critical gap at an important time of my life," said Blankenship.

Since graduating Blankenship has found success in his career, working with organizations ranging from NASA and its space shuttle program to solving computer problems for technology giants like Ericsson and Cisco. Blankenship has supported the college financially in many ways and shares his industry expertise as a member of the College of Engineering Advisory Board. He says that throughout the years he always remembered the College's timely support to him and his family.

dennis blankenship

"There's always been a desire to give back, now I'm in a position to give back." 

Blankenship adds that he supports the Dean's Fund because it provides the ability to cover expenses and fund initiatives with greater flexibility, as well as timeliness.

"When I understood what direction the Dean wants to take the College of Engineering and bring more prominence to an underappreciated university in Tampa, it became clear to me the more strategic value of my giving back to USF at this particular point in time is a critical need in the Dean's Fund to make sure he has the funds to travel and meet leaders in the industry and talk to alumni throughout the country," says Blankenship. "If the Dean is successful in what he wants to drive then that should bring in way more than funding a scholarship."

Like many alumni who have achieved great success by applying the knowledge gained at the College of Engineering, Blankenship maintains a strong connection to the College and is enthusiastic about helping it achieve its goals.

"Giving back can play a very critical role toward establishing the University of South Florida College of Engineering as one of the top colleges in the country and they're not that far off."

For more information about how you can support the College of Engineering Dean's Fund email Gary Smallwood or call (813) 974-1695.