Get your running shoes tied and CamelBak packed!
CF academic advising retiree Glen Owen is taking on his biggest challenge yet: a 300-mile run/walk from Ocala to Miami to fund scholarships students at his alma mater, Haile Sellasie High School in Jamaica, as well as his upcoming high school reunion.

Owen officially took off on Feb. 29 with the goal of getting to Miami by March 7.
Over the course of this challenging trip, Owen hopes to raise $5,000 or more to grant scholarships to Jamaican high schoolers who want to pursue a higher education. He is also using it as an announcement for alumni of Haile Sellasie, encouraging them to buy tickets to the upcoming reunion on July 20.
To prepare for his seven-day long journey, Owen has taken a few precautions to ensure his safety.
“I’ve got a backpack; it’s called a CamelBak. I’ve got supplies with me for hydration. I’ll be okay,” Owen stated. “I have a number of stops to make, obviously, and I’m getting volunteers to be on standby at those locations to either have me stay there with them over night or I may have to do a hotel … but I have folks who are on the route who are ready on standby to sort of cater to my needs as they arrive.”
He has also been training by going on walks and runs every Sunday, taking road safety precautions and packing reflective gear to ensure he is in good health for this journey.
Not only is Owen a cherished alumni at Halie Selassie High School, but he has also had a consistent presence at The College of Central Florida. Being a former student and academic advisor himself, Owen has embraced the CF and Ocala culture and has been inspired to be a catalyst for change.
Through previous acts like hosting student poetry sessions at the college, Owen has inspired the CF community in return and earned donations for his cause from current and former CF academic advisors, as well as other staff and alumni.
“When I got the venue for the press conference, that was a CF thing,” Owen added. “CF has been very supportive.”
By both embracing the Haile Selassie way and being an inspiration in his own way at CF, Owen encourages us to prioritize service beyond ourselves and will not stop until he reaches the finish line in support of his dream.
Support Owen in achieving his $5,000 goal by calling and donating via Zelle at 352-286-3371 or via Cash App at $glenvinowen.
Inspired by the great words of Bob Marley, “If my life is just fi mi, mi nuh want it.”