Jupiter, FL (January 9, 2011) – The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust has made a gift of $295,000 to fund a three-year pilot of a new program at Florida Atlantic University’s Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter, Florida.  Called the Kenan Social Engagement Program, the new initiative will bring together best practices in community service learning, public-private partnerships, social entrepreneurship, and the use of sound business techniques to address pressing social problems.  The goal is to create a series of sustainable projects to improve the quality of life in southeastern Florida.

Jeffrey L. Buller, dean of the Wilkes Honors College, described the innovative nature of the new program.  “Each year five students, all with a strong commitment to solving social problems, will take a course in social entrepreneurship and work with an existing non-profit agency to learn the most effective ways of making social projects sustainable for the long term.  Over the summer, each student will receive a seed grant to initiate a project, and then a faculty panel will select the most promising project to receive more extensive funding to launch it.”

Richard M. Krasno, the executive director of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust, says that he hopes this initiative will serve as a model for other colleges and universities to develop their own social entrepreneurship programs.  “It’s such a creative idea,” Krasno said, “that we’d love for this to be known as the Wilkes Honors College Model.” 

Timothy Steigenga, professor of political science and chair of the humanities and social sciences at FAU’s Honors College noted that “this will be an outstanding opportunity to build upon the college’s existing commitment to community service; bringing student expertise and enthusiasm together with experienced practitioners to address pressing community issues.”

Dr. Steigenga along with Dr. Christopher Strain will serve as co-directors of the new program.  In Dr. Strain’s view, the Kenan Social Engagement Program will not only fit the Honors College’s mission of service but also the University’s focus on “contemporary societal challenges,” which President Mary Jane Saunders identified as one of three university-wide areas of focus in her 2011 State of the University Address.  “We at the Honors College are interested in creating scholar-citizens: socially engaged students who energetically and imaginatively apply what they learn in class to make the world a better place,” said Strain.

The Kenan Social Engagement Program will be the Honors College’s third Kenan-funded initiative, alongside the Flagler Scholarship Program and the Kenan Science Scholars Program.  Dean Buller said, “We cherish our ongoing relationship with the Kenan Trust and are honored by their confidence in funding three major programs for us.  With service to the region being a central focus of FAU, we believe that the public-private partnership of the Wilkes Honors College and the Kenan Trust will continue to play a significant role in the University’s evolving mission.”  In addition, the College hopes that the new program will not only provide a unique form of educational enrichment for its students but will also address pressing social needs of the surrounding community.