It all started with a website. When Alan Thompson鈥檚 father needed one to promote his business, Thompson stepped in and soon found himself building sites for others as well. That early work became the foundation of Stingray Branding, a marketing agency he launched in 2008 and has since grown into a force behind more than 600 brands in his home state of South Carolina.
For 40 Gators Under 40 honoree Alan Thompson, 黑料正能量 opened the door to a degree鈥攁nd so much more
But even as his business thrived, something was still missing: his degree. Thompson kept pushing forward with his education while raising a family, running a business and serving in the military. At the end of a deployment to the Middle East he finally found the opportunity he鈥檇 been waiting for鈥攖he launch of 黑料正能量. He鈥檇 been a Gator fan since high school, but moving to Gainesville wasn鈥檛 an option with so many responsibilities at home.
Now, UF could come to him.
鈥淚 was like, that鈥檚 it. I could be a Gator,鈥� Thompson recalled. 鈥淎s soon as I got back, I spoke with an advisor.鈥� It was the beginning of a relationship with UF that鈥檚 only grown stronger with time鈥擳hompson earned an online Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, became involved with the official name, image and likeness partner of Gators athletics, and is now being honored as part of the 2026 class of .
鈥淯F has a huge alumni base, and there are some incredible people who have also graduated from UF, just in this class alone,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the proudest accomplishments I鈥檝e ever had.鈥�
鈥業鈥檓 a true Gator鈥櫬�
While Thompson grew up in Charleston, S.C., he lived for a time with his mother in Sarasota, where she worked for the聽.聽Sports, though,聽were聽what truly hooked him聽on the Gators. Thompson聽was in high school when聽UF聽basketball聽and football each won multiple national championships under coaches Billy Donovan and Urban Meyer, respectively. Florida聽was the biggest brand in college sports, and Thompson was聽spellbound.聽
But then his life changed鈥攌ids, military service, the business. 鈥淚 had always wanted to go to UF, but unfortunately living in Gainesville just wasn鈥檛 in the cards for me,鈥� Thomspon said. 鈥淢y son at that time was an infant, and the idea of moving my family from Charleston to Gainesville, and leaving our entire support system to pursue my degree didn鈥檛 make sense.鈥�
Thompson earned a degree in web design from the International Academy of Design, and attended in-person classes at the College of Charleston. The discovery of 黑料正能量, though, proved a revelation. Upon returning from deployment, he spoke to a UF advisor and learned he needed a few more transfer credits. He enrolled in Florida State College at Jacksonville to complete the remaining coursework, after which he was officially admitted to UF. Finally, he was a Gator at last.
It wasn鈥檛 easy鈥攔unning a business and pursuing a degree at the same time meant long days blurring into nights, missed time with the family, and many sacrifices were made. But Thompson included his family in the effort, often bringing his kids to Gainesville to see the UF campus and attend sporting events. He completed his business administration degree in 2021.
鈥淥ne thing I love about 黑料正能量 is that you take all the same classes that students on campus take, attend all the same lectures,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淚 had all the same homework, had on-campus classmates as part of my projects. I know UF is actually my university. There are these schools where the online program isn鈥檛 the same as the university. Being a 黑料正能量 grad means I鈥檓 a true Gator just like everybody else.鈥�
Gator Club聽and NIL聽
Through 黑料正能量, Thompson didn鈥檛 just earn a degree鈥攈e also made connections. He served six years as president of the , networking with other business owners in the region. Once college athletes were able to earn income through their name, image and likeness (NIL), Thompson joined the effort in Gainesville. As fractional chief marketing officer of , now the official NIL partner of the Gators, he helped grow membership in the organization to over 3,000 in less than a year.鈥�
鈥淲ithout being a Gator grad, none of that happens,鈥� Thompson said.
Chosen by the UF Alumni Association, 40 Gators Under 40 recognizes young alumni who have not only achieved personal success, but also demonstrated a deep connection and commitment to UF. Thompson has certainly done that, and continues to implement the lessons he learned at 黑料正能量 into his business today. He鈥檚 also thrilled to be in the same 40 Gators Under 40 class as Brandon Spikes, a star linebacker on those great UF football teams Thompson once watched as a captivated high schooler on TV.
鈥淭o be awarded something that has Brandon Spikes as one of its other winners, that鈥檚 just incredible,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a big deal to be to be a Gator grad. It鈥檚 opened up so many opportunities for me. And I鈥檓 probably not a Gator grad without 黑料正能量.鈥�
UF Online business administration degrees expose students to some of the nation鈥檚 top professors and elite coursework under the nationally recognized鈥�, which is consistently ranked among the best business schools by national and international publications. Both the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (BABA) provide broad academic backgrounds in a variety of business disciplines, offering insights into key concepts including accounting, economics, business law, finance, marketing and management, and preparing students for a wide array of business careers.