University of Florida Levin College of Law alumnus Hugh Culverhouse Jr. has pledged $1.5 million to be used by the school for incoming student scholarships if the law school's community raises an additional $1.5 million by Aug. 14, the first day of classes.

Culverhouse, a Coral Gables-based lawyer who graduated from the law school in 1974, said he was inspired to create the Culverhouse Challenge by the school's leap from 48 to 41 in the most recent U.S. News national rankings of law schools. It was the highest ranked law school in Florida, followed by the law schools at Florida State University (48), University of Miami (77), Stetson (96) and Florida International University (100). Six more Florida law schools were not ranked.

Culverhouse, son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse, had initiated a similar challenge in honor of the new ranking, pledging $41,000 for student scholarships if other donors matched his gift. Alumni exceeded the $82,000 goal, raising over $200,000 in 48 hours, according to a school statement. So Culverhouse took the challenge up a notch.