Capital One helps UF alumna fund $5,000 grant

With the help of the Capital One #WishForOthers campaign, Takeya Bland, a 2010 University of Florida graduate, was able to present a $5,000 grant to the Division of Student Affairs’ Center for Leadership and Service.

The generous donation will be used to fund Project MASCOT (Mentoring Alliance: Students and Communities Outreaching Together), a one-year program for University of Florida students interested in helping and motivating elementary school children in the Gainesville area. Specifically, the grant will enable 30 mentors and 30 mentees to participate in Project MASCOT’s annual trip at no cost for the next three years.

While earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at UF, Bland was a Machen Florida Opportunity Scholar and the president of Project MASCOT her senior year.

“As a former member of Project MASCOT, I recall some college students not joining because they couldn’t afford to pay membership dues. Tremendous effort was exerted by the leadership board and members to conduct fundraisers and find sponsorship,” the Panama City, Fla. native writes . “It was truly an honor to be able to gift Project MASCOT at UF with funds from the Capital One #WishForOthers contest in order to continue this exceptional program!”

Bland received her Master of Science in Project Management through the Florida Institute of Technology, and is now working as a human resources generalist in the Washington, D.C. area.

During last year’s #WishForOthers campaign, Capital One helped individuals who were donating to a nonprofit, volunteering at a food bank or just doing something nice for a loved one.

Credits

Media contact: Stacie Schultz, stacies@leadershipandservice.ufl.edu, 352-392-1215