Eleanor Roberts Public Television Excellence Fund

This fund was established by the estate of Eleanor F. Roberts in 2002 for the purpose of supporting the teaching, research and programs of WUFT-TV in the College of Journalism and Communications.

Eleanor Roberts was born June 12, 1914 in Bend, OR. She earned degrees from Stanford University and Yale University.

Roberts served in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II and achieved the rank of major. After the war, she worked in public relations with Eaton Paper Company. She also served as a public information officer for General Electric.

Eleanor also helped her husband, William, manage the Barnum and Bailey North Circus.

For 17 years, Roberts was the Public Functions Manager at UF. She retired in 1978 and in 2003 made the largest private donation to date to the public television station affiliated with UF, WUFT-TV. She was also a longtime member of a local public television support group called Friends of Five.

Eleanor passed away November 24, 1999 in Gainesville, FL. She was preceded in death by her husband.