Ramage/Spangler Fund in Civil and Coastal Engineering

Neil and Carol Schopke

This fund was established by E. Neil Schopke in 2010 to support scholarships for Civil and Coastal Engineering students enrolled in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering’s 4:1 Program. The fund is named in honor of Mr. Schopke’s high school football coach (Ramage) and his UF Engineering Advisory (Spangler). Both gentlemen, Neil will tell you, “changed the course of his life which was the foundation for his success.” Neil chose to honor them by “paying it forward” in a way that helps many of today’s students accomplish their dreams by first setting the ground work with an outstanding education.

Neil earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from UF in 1962. He is a “serial entrepreneur” with interest in over thirteen business operations, including being a managing partner of Schopke & Associates, LLC, CFO of Lifdek Corporation (a corrugated pallet company) and a majority partner of All-Brevard Storage just to name a few. In 2012, Neil was the inaugural recipient of the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure’s WW Gibbs Outstanding Alumnus Award for his contributions to UF, to the College of Engineering and to the Civil engineering profession. Neil Schopke is a shining example of what it means to be a Gator Engineer.