Dec. 11, 2015
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) -- When John Rivers walked into the glass doors of Roth Tower at Bright House Networks Stadium for an early-stages meeting about his company's partnership in the Carl Black and Gold Cabana, he was struck by a wall of gold-plated names in front of him.
The names recognize donors who have given generously to UCF's Everyday Champions Scholarship Fund. These privately funded scholarships provide the opportunity for student-athletes to pursue their academic, athletic and personal aspirations while competing for the Knights.
The 4 Rivers Smokehouse founder and his wife Monica immediately started asking questions about how they could get involved. Just a few months later, at a lunch meeting in his University Blvd. restaurant, Rivers came face to face with the embodiment of the scholarship he is funding -- UCF sophomore guard Aliyah Gregory.
"I didn't want to just give money into a fund ... for clubs with boosters or alumni. I wanted to give it so that it helps students and helps in the education process," Rivers said. "(UCF) picks somebody as fine as Aliyah and you give them the opportunity to come to school. To be a part of that, it means the world."
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A bit of careful thought and a dash of fate helped pair the two together.
Fate -- chalk that up to UCF head women's basketball coach Joi Williams' friendship with Rivers that dates back to their Bishop Kenny High School days in Jacksonville. Once Rivers was committed to supporting an Everyday Champions scholarship, a women's basketball student-athlete seemed like a natural fit.
Williams felt strongly about involving Gregory.
"He was always a great guy, fun-loving guy. Everybody knew John Rivers, everybody loved John Rivers and really he just was always kind to people," Williams said. "When I think about John, I think about servant leadership. It's rare when you find a youngster that has a heart to serve like Aliyah. I think that starts with her family, but I knew that she would be somebody that he could connect to very quickly because of the charity that she devotes a lot of her time to."
That connection was evident at a recent lunch meeting where the two were introduced and found meaningful conversation about their respective families and their passion to help change the world in their own ways.
They've already started brainstorming about future charitable projects they could work on together.
"She's the right person. She's got the right heart," Rivers said of his first impression. "It's one thing for people to be an athlete. It's one thing for them to be a student. But it's another thing for them to truly care and to go out of their way and take a leadership position and help other people in the community."
Rivers said he hopes to see Gregory grow over the next few years and help support her all the way up to graduation through his involvement in the Everyday Champions program. Just a sophomore, Gregory has already found a starting role on the basketball team and is headed for a career as a physical therapist.
She said she was grateful to meet the "kind-hearted" man who is helping support her and is looking forward to learning more about him as their newly-formed relationship continues.
"It just shows me that somebody else believes in me. And somebody is willing to help me get to my goals," Gregory said. "So I'm really appreciative for that."
Story by Jenna Marina; Video by Chip Fontanazza