Big Year. Big Plans. Big Thanks.

Written By Tyrel Clayton

The 2024–2025 club year is wrapping up, and wow, what a year. We grew, we gave back, we showed up. Now we’re looking ahead to even more.

But before we dive into what’s next, I want to take a moment to reflect and say thank you.

Big Year: What We Accomplished Together

Here are just a few highlights from the past year:

  • 🏆 We were named the 2023–2024 Outstanding Gator Club® of the Year, a national honor we officially received in March 2025.

  • 🎓 We awarded scholarships for the first time in five years, granting three $1,000 awards to deserving students.

  • 🧡 We held 49 events, including:

    • 24 football and basketball watch parties

    • 6 community service events

    • 3 social events with our SEC alumni partners

    • 4 collaborations with campus partners like UF Innovate, Coach Kelly Rae Finley, Warrington College of Business, and the College of Engineering

    • Special programming for International Gator Day, Welcome to the Gatorhood, and Gator Nation Giving Day

  • 💸 We blew past our $5,000 fundraising goal this year, raising $7,038 to support scholarships. That’s up from just over $3,500 raised the previous year—clear proof that momentum is building. We reached that total through:

Thanks to that success, we’ll award three $1,250 scholarships this coming year.

  • 🛍️ We also launched a brand-new logo and debuted new merchandise, including our LGBT Collab shirt that proudly supports inclusive alumni programming.

  • 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 We began building ties with UFAA Affiliate Groups, starting with LGBTQ+ alumni, and hope to expand into First Gen, Military, and more in the year ahead.

🙌 Big Thanks

None of this happens without people. I want to thank:

  • Our incredible board members, who bring vision, time, and heart to every project

  • UF Alumni Association staff, for their guidance and support

  • Our campus and community partners, for saying yes to collaboration

  • Our donors, for helping us grow our impact

  • Brownstone, our partner bar, for hosting so many of our events

  • And of course, you—our members. You are the reason we exist.

🔭 Big Plans: What’s Coming in 2025–2026

We’re not slowing down. In the year ahead, we’re focused on:

  • 🧠 Boosting alumni engagement, with a wider variety of events for all ages

  • 🫶 Expanding our board, especially with liaisons to UFAA Affiliate Groups

  • 💰 Continuing to grow our scholarship fundraising, ensuring New England Gators can access a UF education

  • 🏳️‍🌈 Launching more inclusive programming, including LGBTQ+ events and collaborations

  • 📆 Trying new things—from board retreats to cross-city events, we want to keep innovating

We’ll be holding a board retreat soon to set goals, assign new roles, and finalize plans for the coming year.

📣 Want to Get Involved?

We’d love your help.

  • 🎉 Come to an event – check out our event calendar

  • 💼 Join the board – learn more on our About Us page

  • 💸 Make a donation – every dollar helps support scholarships. Donate here

  • 📬 Reach out – contact us with ideas, questions, or feedback

  • 🛒 Grab some Gator gear – support the club and show your pride in our online store

And don’t miss our next big event: Welcome to the Gatorhood is coming up on July 24th, and we’d love to see you there.

Thank you again for being part of this community. It’s been an incredible year, and we’re just getting started.

Go Gators!
Tyrel Clayton
President, New England Gator Club®

Tyrel Clayton
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