A Jacksonville business executive and car collector donated $30,000 to the University of North Florida’s Osprey Racing Team, who annually design and build a race car to compete against other colleges in the annual national Formula SAE championship.
APR Energy Chairman and CEO John Campion, whose company is also a team title sponsor, presented the donation to Dean Mark Tumeo at a Wednesday ceremony with the 5-year-old team and its latest race car at the University Center Board of Trustees Room.
The Society of Automotive Engineers competition started in 1979 to challenge student engineers to design, build and drive a race car that can withstand technical inspection, racing and a 13-mile endurance run. Racing team president Peter Bohn heads a 20-member student organization operated through the UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction. They compete each May against more than 100 other school teams at Michigan International Speedway.
“It is wonderful to see the passion within this team and the hard work each member puts into this program year in and out,” Campion said. “I thank each of you for the opportunity to let me give back to something that brings joy to myself, my wife and our community.”
