The University of South Florida and the Florida Lottery kicked off the fall semester Wednesday by honoring Bright Futures scholarship recipients.

Students attended a social with ice cream donated by Florida Lottery corporate retailer Winn-Dixie, according to a press release. They were joined by USF President Dr. Judy Genshaft and Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell, who congratulated the students on their commitment to academic excellence. They talked with students about the relationship between Florida colleges and the Florida Lottery.

“Since the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program began in 1997, more than 166,000 Bright Futures scholarships have been awarded to students attending USF,” said O’Connell in the release. “The Florida Lottery has contributed more than $3.6 billion overall to send more than 550,000 students to a Florida college or university since the program began. We are thrilled to give bright and talented young minds in Florida the opportunity to experience life-changing educational experiences that are made possible by lottery contributions to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.”

The Florida Lottery, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, has been generating money for public education for 24 years, according to the release. It has donated more than $1 billion to the EETF for the past 10 years, and its contributions represent about 6 percent of Florida’s total education budget.

In honor of its 25th anniversary, the Florida Lottery is unveiling a new interactive website, new partnerships and promotions, and a series of community events across the state.

For more information, visit the Florida Lottery online.