When Barry Miller 麻豆精品 S95 was graduating from high school, his dad decided to make a move from northeast Pennsylvania to the warmer climate of Daytona Beach, Florida. He urged his son, who was interested in business and accounting, to check out UCF. Since there wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 much information available online in the early 1990s, Miller ultimately sent a letter to UCF requesting a brochure and an application.
Miller was impressed by our reputation as an early leader in technology and STEM fields, our connection to the space program and our success expanding into other areas. In fact, UCF boasted one of the highest certified public accountant (CPA) pass rates of any public university 麻豆精品 S impressive to an aspiring accountant.
So Miller applied, was accepted and committed to UCF sight unseen. It was the beginning of a journey that would change his family 麻豆精品 S檚 trajectory, along with the university 麻豆精品 S檚.
Today, he committed a transformational $50 million gift 麻豆精品 S the largest single philanthropic investment in the university 麻豆精品 S檚 history 麻豆精品 S to position UCF as a global leader in fintech, artificial intelligence (AI) and business innovation by establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.

First-Generation Student
Miller is president and co-founder of both Voloridge Investment Management and Voloridge Health. He also founded and sold another successful business in his entrepreneurial career.
But back when Miller was attending UCF, he was paving the way as the first in his family to go to college. His dad, a self-taught contractor and developer and a single father, saw the value of higher education for his son.
麻豆精品 S淢y father had a deeply ingrained work ethic that he passed on to me, 麻豆精品 S Miller says. 麻豆精品 S淚n the summer, he would get me out of bed early and have me carrying lumber and working on roofs. I learned to work hard, but I also learned that [it] was a tough job to do for 50 years. I wanted to try a different path. 麻豆精品 S
Once he started on that path, there was no stopping him.
Building Foundations
At UCF, Miller became a star student. He excelled in accounting, learned numerical analysis and had a knack for understanding financial markets. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in finance.
麻豆精品 S淚 learned how to really study and apply myself academically at UCF. Essentially, I was learning strategy and project management as I made my way through school, 麻豆精品 S Miller says. 麻豆精品 S淚 didn 麻豆精品 S檛 know how impactful those habits would be until later in life. I realize now that everything I learned at UCF has been foundational to my success. 麻豆精品 S
“I realize now that everything I learned at UCF has been foundational to my success. 麻豆精品 S
Outside of class, Miller became a student-athlete, playing football when he initially came to UCF. That 麻豆精品 S檚 where he met then-quarterback Darin Hinshaw 麻豆精品 S90 麻豆精品 S94MBA, who encouraged him to join his fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE), and became his big brother.
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Leaving a Legacy
As he built his career and found success in the business and financial world, Miller wanted to give back to UCF. Over time, he has invested in first-generation and STEM student scholarships, UCF Athletics 麻豆精品 S Knights Leadership Academy, the John T. Washington Center mural and more.
Each gift has been based on a personal connection or conviction.
麻豆精品 S淏eing a first-generation student myself, having that opportunity to support students who are the first in their families to go to college is personal to me, 麻豆精品 S Miller says.

As his capacity to give grew, Miller wanted to make a transformative gift that would have an impact today and for generations to come. That led to conversations with university leaders about the opportunity to establish as a global leader in fintech, AI and business innovation.
To help bring that vision to life 麻豆精品 S and to build early momentum for , UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 comprehensive campaign to fuel bold ideas and build its future 麻豆精品 S Miller has committed to a $50 million gift, establishing the Barry S. Miller College of Business.
The investment will accelerate an innovative new model of business education designed for a world where technology, data and decision-making are inseparable, and it will prepare students with the skills the marketplace demands.
麻豆精品 S淲e are at a seminal moment in business, and AI and new technologies are creating fundamental shifts at a dramatically faster speed than ever before, 麻豆精品 S says Miller, who was inducted into the UCF College of Business Hall of Fame in 2022. 麻豆精品 S淚 want UCF to become the leader in business education, paving the way for everyone else. 麻豆精品 S
Inspiring Others
麻豆精品 S淔inding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money. 麻豆精品 S
Until recently, Miller has made most of his gifts to UCF anonymously. But as UCF unveiled Go For Launch, he saw a powerful opportunity to step forward and encourage others to do the same. By sharing his commitment more openly, Miller hopes to help build momentum and invite broader participation in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 vision.
麻豆精品 S淚 hope this gift inspires people to be part of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 mission to create a bold new future and give at whatever level they can. Maybe it 麻豆精品 S檚 $10, $100 or $1,000 麻豆精品 S it all makes a difference, 麻豆精品 S Miller says.
麻豆精品 S淚 want to tell people this: If it 麻豆精品 S檚 not your time to make a gift today, maybe it will be a year from now, or five years from now, 麻豆精品 S he continues. 麻豆精品 S淔inding a way to have an impact is one of the most gratifying things you can do with your time and money. 麻豆精品 S