Gary and Laine Silverfield Honored as UNF Names Education College After Generous Philanthropists

The College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida has a brand-new name, honoring the generous support of longtime donors. It is now called the Silverfield College of Education and Human Services. This makes it only the second education college in Florida to carry a donor’s name.

Gary and Laine Silverfield, along with their family, celebrated the announcement with fireworks, confetti, and the unveiling of the new name. While the exact amount of their donation wasn’t disclosed, it adds to the Silverfields’ ongoing support for two scholarships at UNF.

Laine Silverfield expressed, “Education is very important in our lives. Gary and I worked hard for our education. We want to help students the way others helped us.” Her husband added, “We’ve been fortunate, and we hope this gift encourages more teachers and highlights how great UNF is for Jacksonville.”

Along with the name change, the Silverfields’ generous gift will fund important projects, including an endowed professorship in sports management and hiring a director for programs supporting students with intellectual and developmental differences. Stephen Dittmore, dean of the college, stated that Laine’s experience in special education shows how vital a quality education can be for changing lives.

The college provides various degree programs: early childhood, elementary and secondary education, special education, deaf education, and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). Additionally, it offers programs in sports management, educational leadership, higher education administration, and school counseling.

The family’s gift also includes four dedicated funds:

• The Laine S. Silverfield Endowed Professorship in Special Education, aimed at recruiting excellent faculty in special education.
• The Silverfield Family Coaching Education Fund, which will help cover coaches’ certification costs and support the Silverfield Family Athletic Symposium.
• The Silverfield Special Education Fund, designed to enhance program initiatives and create student opportunities.
• The Silverfield Endowed Excellence Fund, which will assist the dean in expanding degree offerings and scholarship funding.

UNF President Moez Limayem shared his excitement about the Silverfields’ contribution, noting that the college has graduated over 22,000 students since its inception in 1972, many of whom have gone on to guide and inspire future generations.

Laine Silverfield, a Jacksonville native, earned her graduate degree in special education from UNF and received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2008. Her husband has been actively involved in the college’s Advisory Board for many years.