New College Foundation

Thank you to everyone who supported the New College Foundation’s inaugural Golf Tournament on May 11, 2026. Held at The Concession Golf Club and presented by Halfacre Construction Company, the event raised more than $260,000 to benefit New College of Florida.

The tournament brought together business leaders, philanthropists, and community supporters for a day of purpose-driven play. Proceeds supported student scholarships, intercollegiate athletics, and hands-on academic opportunities that prepare students for success beyond graduation.

We were honored to have Urban Meyer serve as Honorary Chair, helping elevate the event and highlight the College’s growing momentum.

Congratulations to the Royal Tees team—Hunter Rieth, David Spreen, Mason Fox, and Kyle Trautwein—for winning the tournament.

We are grateful to our sponsors and participants for making this inaugural event a success and for investing in the future of New College students. A link to event photos is included for you to relive the day’s highlights.

New College Foundation Hosts Golf Tournament at The Concession One of your neighbors posted in Neighbor News. Click through to read what they have to say. (The views expressed in this post are the author’s own.)

Open to the community!

Congratulations to the Leadership Sarasota Class of 2026!

The Leadership Sarasota program continues to bring together passionate, community-minded leaders who are committed to making a meaningful impact. By fostering connection, collaboration, and civic engagement, the program empowers individuals to lead with purpose across the region.

We’re especially proud to celebrate our own Jeffrey Pourchier, Athletic Advancement Director at New College of Florida, for his participation in this outstanding program.

Leadership takes many forms—whether it’s quiet confidence, bold vision, or genuine curiosity—but at its core, it thrives on teamwork and shared purpose.

Thank you to the Greater Sarasota Chamber, along with the sponsors, community partners, and local businesses whose support makes this transformative experience possible.

New College of Florida to Receive Historic Donation of Berlin Wall Segments, Honoring Freedom, Defeating Communism, and Advancing Civil Discourse

SARASOTA, Fla. — New College of Florida announced the significant donation of segments of the Berlin Wall, one of the most consequential physical symbols of oppression and division in modern history. The generous donation made by philanthropist Dr. Jack Jawitz represents the East German side of the Wall that once divided East and West Berlin and stood as a global emblem of communist tyranny during the Cold War.
New College will recognize the donation throughout the coming year, which began with a press conference and Socratic Stage event on May 5 with Peter Robinson - the author of Ronald Reagan’s famous “Tear Down This Wall” speech. NCF will next mark the 39th anniversary of that same speech this June, culminating in a major public event marking the 40th anniversary in 2027. The commemoration will include academic programming, public lectures, and campus dialogue centered on freedom, the lessons of history, and the enduring responsibility to promote and defend free societies.
“These authentic segments of the Berlin Wall are witnesses to the horrors of communism,” said New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran. “May the Wall remind us what happens when speech is silenced, dissent is punished, and ideology is enforced by force. New College is honored to steward this history and to ensure it serves as a permanent educational reminder of the triumph of freedom over oppression.”
The donated sections are from the East German side of the Berlin Wall. These surfaces were rarely seen or touched during the Cold War, offering students and visitors a uniquely preserved perspective of life behind the Iron Curtain. Rapidly dismantled after the fall of communist rule and German reunification, the segments collectively represent one of the world’s largest collections of the remnants of the Berlin Wall.
Dr. Jack Jawitz, the donor of the Wall segments, described the gift as a commitment to historical truth and civic responsibility.
“The Berlin Wall represented a system that feared free thought and controlled human lives through force,” Jawitz said. “Placing these original segments at New College ensures that future generations will confront the realities of communism, understand the cost of freedom, and appreciate the courage it took to dismantle that system.”
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute praised the donation and its educational significance.
“President Reagan understood that freedom is sustained not only by policy, but by moral clarity and courage,” said Richard Schroeder, chief education programming officer of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. “His words at the Brandenburg Gate gave voice to millions who lived behind the Iron Curtain and helped hasten the collapse of a failed and oppressive ideology. Housing these authentic Berlin Wall segments at New College ensures that this history is not only remembered, but meaningfully taught.”
The donation also underscores New College’s growing national role as a center for rigorous academic inquiry and open dialogue. Through programs such as Cold War Studies and the Markovitz Socratic Stage Series on Free Speech and Civil Discourse, New College has emerged as a leader in fostering debate that is both fearless, civil, grounded in evidence and history with respect for differing viewpoints.
“To study the Cold War is to examine how ideas became weapons and how close the world came to destruction,” said Mitchel Ruzek, Ph.D., a New College historian. “Having these original segments of the Berlin Wall on campus transforms history from abstraction into experience. Students will be able to engage directly with the physical reality of ideological division and apply those lessons to today’s global challenges.”
Gary Powers, Jr., son of CIA U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and Chairman of The Cold War Museum, emphasized the broader meaning of the gift.
“The Berlin Wall was a concrete manifestation of fear, control, and the suppression of human dignity,” Powers said. “Its collapse marked a decisive defeat of communism’s claim over the human spirit and millions of people. By preserving these eastern segments, New College is creating a living classroom that teaches why freedom matters, and what is lost when it disappears.”
About the Donation
Donor: Dr. Jack Jawitz
Gift: The largest collection of the East German side of the Berlin Wall in the world.
Historical Significance: Rarely seen sections from behind the Iron Curtain, preserved following German reunification.
Stewardship: New College of Florida will permanently maintain and display the segments for educational and public purposes.
Commemoration: Recognition throughout 2026–27, culminating in a major public event marking the 40th anniversary of President Reagan’s 1987 Berlin Wall speech. In 2029, there will be a celebration coinciding with the 40th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall falling.
As New College prepares to receive and display this historic donation, the institution reaffirmed its mission to educate students not only in knowledge, but in responsibility.
“Freedom is not inherited automatically,” President Corcoran said. “It must be taught, defended, and renewed by each generation. This gift ensures that our students, and the nation, never forget what it took to tear down that wall, and why we must never allow another to rise.”

Berlin Wall piece unveiled at New College Segment of historic structure now on display at Sarasota campus.

New College of Florida has been nominated for Bradenton’s Best in the Education category!
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The 2026 Giving Challenge 💙

Thank you to every donor who stepped up and made a difference. Your generosity is opening doors for students through mentorship, research, and transformative learning experiences.

Because of you, possibilities are becoming reality.

We’re so grateful for your support—today and always.

Thank you to our incredible donors for showing up for the 2026 Giving Challenge 💙

Because of you, students are going further—through personalized learning, meaningful mentorship, and hands-on research that transforms ideas into real-world impact. These aren’t just classroom experiences—they’re life-changing opportunities.

💙 The Giving Challenge runs April 15–16
💛 Every gift from $25–$100 will be MATCHED
💙 That means DOUBLE the impact for scholarships, innovation, and student success

Be the one who sparks a student’s breakthrough.
Be the one who turns potential into possibility.
Be the one who makes the difference.