University Communications and Marketing
Brunch on the Bay, the signature philanthropic event for the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, is set for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, on the campus grounds. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Brunch on the Bay marks a significant milestone, reflecting three decades of unwavering community support and commitment to educational excellence for students to achieve their academic goals.
Brunch on the Bay has raised more than $6.5 million for student scholarships at USF Sarasota-Manatee since 1994.
From its small-scale beginning in 1994 as an effort to raise awareness of USF within the Sarasota-Manatee community, Brunch on the Bay has evolved into a uniquely compelling annual experience. Centered around samplings of local cuisine, each year more local business leaders have joined as sponsors and participants in this event that has raised more than $6.5 million in scholarships for over 2,000 students. Proceeds for this year’s Brunch will continue to support scholarships and campus initiatives.
The event will be co-chaired by Scott Olthoff, president of CORE Construction Florida, the general contractor for the USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Student Center and Atala Residence Hall, and Bill Mariotti, a member of the USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Board and USF Foundation Board of Directors.
USF Federal Credit Union is once again the title sponsor for the 2024 Brunch on the Bay.
Brunch on the Bay will feature food and drink from some of the area's leading restaurants.
“Brunch on the Bay, and the support it has generated from our community for our students for three decades, have been pivotal to the growth and progress of USF Sarasota-Manatee,” said Sarasota-Manatee Campus Regional Chancellor Karen Holbrook. “With great co-chairs like Scott and Bill at the helm, this year’s event promises to be special, as we celebrate what we have accomplished with the help of the community.
“In addition to the dining experience this event is known for, attendees will get to see our new Student Center and Atala Residence Hall, the first on-campus residence hall for our students. The new facility, along with other campus renovations, are the first in a series of campus expansion projects on the horizon. Holbrook said.
Tickets for Brunch on the Bay will go on sale later this summer. Visit the Brunch on the Bay website for the latest updates.