Stetson University has received the 2026 “Education Leader of the Year” award from the Central Florida Pledge, recognizing the university’s long-standing commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful and student-centered learning community. 

The Central Florida Pledge has brought together 6,000 individuals and organizations in the region over the past two years. Each signer commits to treat others with dignity and respect, especially when they disagree about politics, religion and other issues. 

President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD, served as the first university president in the region to sign the Central Florida Pledge. Under his leadership, Stetson has strengthened programs and initiatives that promote belonging, student success and community engagement. 

His early signature on the pledge signaled an institutional promise to uphold those values not only in policy but through action — inside classrooms, residence halls, student organizations, athletics and in Stetson’s partnerships throughout Central Florida. 

“We are honored to receive this award,” said Roellke, who accepted the award on Stetson’s behalf at the Central Florida Pledge’s annual luncheon in Orlando on Feb. 12. 

“Stetson’s mission is rooted in human dignity, intellectual exploration and a steadfast belief in the potential of every learner. This recognition affirms the daily work of our faculty, staff and students who bring these values to life,” he said. 

The “Education Leader of the Year” award is given to an institution that actively demonstrates the principles outlined in the pledge — dignity, respect, equity and compassion for all. 

Marc McMurrin, President & CEO of the Ginsburg Family Foundation, cited Stetson’s deep engagement with the region, its support of thousands of students each year, and its institutional commitment to fostering the principles of the pledge on campus and in our surrounding communities. 

In addition to signing the pledge, President Roellke added Stetson’s endorsement to “The Pledge Business Network,” signaling that the university community stands with Central Florida business and community leaders in modeling the principles of the pledge in its organizational culture. More than 100 students in Stetson’s fraternities and sororities joined the president on that day and signed the pledge.

Key Stetson Values-Based Programs Supported by the Ginsburg Family Foundation

The Ginsburg family and its foundation, established by real estate developer and entrepreneur Alan H. Ginsburg, have close ties to Stetson. Grandson Joseph Ginsburg ’21 is a graduate, as were Joseph’s late parents, Jeffrey ’88 and Diane Ginsburg ’90. In addition, the Ginsburg Family Foundation has supported several Stetson programs and initiatives in recent years. These programs, in addition to numerous other initiatives, are a significant reason Stetson was awarded “Education Leader of the Year.”

• Last April, the United Against Hate initiative came to the Stetson campus, where students also staged a Pledge-signing ceremony with the foundation providing 100 Stetson-themed Pledge T-shirts as giveaways: United Against Hate.
• In a position funded by the Ginsburg Family Foundation, Rev. Caitlin White Swann was hired as associate director of Stetson’s Center for Dialogue and Civic Action. The foundation also funds the center’s programing, which includes evenings of meaningful dialogue, cohosted by the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life: Things We Don’t Talk About at Dinner: Religion Edition” Creates Space for Dialogue.
• Funded by the foundation, Changemakers Academy began last summer as a free four-day overnight summer experience designed to help rising sophomores, juniors and seniors turn their passion for social justice into real-world progress: Changemakers Academy.
• By virtue of numerous targeted programs, the foundation has bolstered the university’s efforts toward civic preparedness: Civic Preparedness: Stetson’s New Self-Report.
• The Ginsburg Fellows Program was established in 2023 as a civic engagement incubator for youth leaders who aim to be positive activists against social injustice, prejudice and bigotry. The Stetson Ginsburg Fellows relationship-centered values work is also a key reason Stetson was awarded the “Education Leader of the Year” honor.
• In February 2025, Stetson hosted the Ginsburg Family Foundation-supported Phoenix Generation Conference — a dynamic gathering designed to inspire, equip and support the next generation of leaders through civic engagement, community organizing and positive activism: Phoenix Generation Conference Ignites Student Leadership.
• In February 2024, several Stetson leaders along with five students attended the launch of the Central Florida Pledge — an event that eventually led to Stetson receiving the “Education Leader of the Year” award. The Central Florida Pledge was initiated by Alan Ginsburg: Central Florida Pledge, University Commitment.
• The Jeffrey and Diane Ginsburg Hillel House was made possible by the foundation: Stetson, Ginsburg Family Foundation Announce the Jeffrey and Diane Ginsburg Hillel House.
• Lua Hancock, previously Stetson’s vice president for Campus Life and Student Success, is now a vice president for the Ginsburg Family Foundation, where she is a critical university partner, as is Marc McMurrin, the foundation’s president and CEO.

-Stetson Today