ORLANDO, Fla. —Addition Financial Credit Union has become the first financial institution to be recognized as a Pegasus Partner by the University of Central Florida.
The credit union said it joins AdventHealth, Orlando Health and Nemours Children’s Health as organizations that “share the university’s vision and commitment to continuing to lead the region in key industries” such as aerospace, engineering, defense, optics, digital media, finance and healthcare.
Pegasus Partners engage across the university in ways that create meaningful value for both organizations, including talent development and recruitment, shared research projects, joint ventures and strategic philanthropy, according to UCF.
As a new Pegasus Partner, Addition Financial supports the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion, the new and expanded home for UCF’s College of Nursing that is anticipated to open in Fall 2025 and which will help the university graduate 150 much-needed additional nurses each year.
The credit union is also a core supporter of UCF Downtown, where students gain invaluable real-world experiences in the heart of downtown Orlando.
By investing in UCF Downtown, which opened five years ago, the credit union said it helped the university partner with Valencia College to establish a campus that is now home to the nation’s top-ranked graduate video game design and emergency management programs. Students benefit from many internship and job opportunities in industries, as well as government and nonprofit offices, located in or near downtown Orlando, it added.
The credit union has naming rights to Addition Financial Arena, which over the past five years, has hosted 1.4 million visitors for university commencement ceremonies, basketball home games, concerts and other events.
In total, Addition Financial said its philanthropic support of UCF, as well as its projects and programs, has exceeded $25.8 million throughout the course of 20 years. The credit union has operated a branch on UCF’s main campus since 1971.
“Addition Financial’s longstanding and successful partnership with UCF speaks volumes to the deep commitment we share in improving the Central Florida community,” AFCU President and CEO Kevin Miller said in a statement. “As a credit union founded nearly 90 years ago by educators, witnessing UCF unleashing the true potential of its students, Addition Financial is proud to be the first financial institution to be a UCF Pegasus Partner.”
To encourage the mutually beneficial relationship and regular conversations that already exist between UCF and Addition Financial, UCF has created the President’s Industry Advisory Council, where representatives of the Pegasus Partners program will hold a seat, providing input to President Cartwright and exchanging ideas with other members of the Council on topics of current interest to the university and its partners.
Joining the new President’s Industry Advisory Council will be Miller, whose philanthropic work includes UCF, including the Knights Helping Knights Pantry and the UCF Student Housing Insecurity Fund, the College of Community Innovation and Education, UCF Downtown, and the College of Nursing.
Miller is an also elected director for UCF Foundation Inc. and serves on the UCF Downtown Executive Advisory Council. He is also past chairman of the Foundation for Seminole County Schools and a board member for A Gift for Teaching and the Galileo School for Gifted Lea