John Jr., Peter, Mark, and Daniel Upperco established the scholarship in honor of their parents, John and Mary Ellen. The family emphasizes the importance of a college education and wants to help UCF Knights achieve their educational goals. Applicants may be part- or full-time UCF undergraduate students with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.5. They be graduates of Boone High School or a Central Florida high school in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, or Lake County. The number of awards and amounts varies each year.