Jeff and Mimi Kinkead gift $1 million to ’Canes student-athletes

For University of Miami alumni Jeff Kinkead and his wife, Mimi Ragolta Kinkead, Hurricane athletics are a source of pride that have inspired them to maintain close ties with their alma mater through the decades. 

Now, the Kinkeads have planned a bequest of $1 million in support of scholarships and career development for student-athletes. 

Dan Radakovich, vice president and director of athletics, said that the Kinkeads’ commitment will add an important dimension to the support the University provides to student-athletes. 

“We are always striving to give our student-athletes the tools and resources to reach their full potential. This generous gift from Jeff and Mimi will not only provide vital scholarship assistance, but it will also help instill valuable life skills and create strong foundations for brighter futures,” Radakovich said. 

The Kinkeads’ gift is part of the University of Miami’s Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century. The most ambitious in the University’s history, the $2.5 billion campaign is set to conclude in 2025, when the University will celebrate its centennial. 

Jeff Kinkead, who received an MBA degree in 1985 and his wife an MBA in 1992, is the president and CEO of Advanced Systems Resources, a company specializing in mobile technology solutions. He is a passionate Hurricanes fan who has attended games with his wife for nearly 40 years, and now he and his wife are making this commitment to support the financial literacy of ’Canes student-athletes. 

As Kinkead recalled, “I ended up choosing [to apply to] Miami [after] watching the football team play at the Orange Bowl [in 1984]. It was hot, sunny, and I thought to myself, ‘that’s not a bad place to go to school.’ That’s pretty much how I made my decision to go to Miami.” 

Although the athletics drew him in, Kinkead credits the University with shaping him into the man he is today. “I feel like the University gave me something so much greater than what I’m giving back. It helped me to mature, to become a man, to get educated, and to get started in the business world,” he said. “I think I got much more from the University of Miami than I could have imagined.” 

Kinkead views his time at the University as a springboard for his business success. “I’ve had a lot of success in my career, but whenever we sell one of our companies, I always think back to my training at the U. I think back to where I developed as a person and [learned] to be able to do these deals,” he shared.  

As the Kinkeads contemplated their gift, Jeff Kinkead thought about the financial futures of all the student-athletes whom he had seen at games over the years. 

“I just hate hearing stories about people [who] are finishing their athletic careers, having made tens of millions of dollars, and then ending up with nothing,” he said. “I thought it’d be a good idea to set some money aside to educate athletes on how to invest their money.” 

To those considering making their own gifts to the University of Miami, Kinkead advised: “Giving to the University is certainly a worthy cause. I think that most people probably feel as I do, that the education they received at the University was foundational in different components of their life.” 

And as he noted, alumni contributions to the University of Miami elevates the University’s reputation in the real world, which in turn benefits alumni by association. 

“The better the University looks going forward, the better the University of Miami is going to look on a resume,” Kinkead said. “If we win another championship, people are more likely to notice that University of Miami diploma hanging on your wall.” 

“Jeff and Mimi understand the importance of alumni giving and have demonstrated it with this generous gift,” said Josh Friedman, senior vice president for development and alumni relations. “It is these kinds of gifts that are truly transformative for aspiring Hurricanes and will help ensure brighter outcomes for student-athletes and their families.”