FAU’s Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program Receives $2M Gift
From left, Cecilia Peters with Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program graduate Tanea Wymer.
Florida Atlantic University received a $2 million gift from the Gary Peters Family Foundation Inc., establishing the Cecilia’s Heart First-Generation Enrichment Endowment Fund for the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program. The endowment will support mentorship and professional development opportunities for first-generation students.
“As an Opportunity University and an engine of economic mobility, Florida Atlantic prepares students for lasting success through experiential learning and Essential Success Skills,” said FAU President Adam Hasner. “We are thankful to Cecilia and the Gary Peters Family Foundation for their longstanding commitment to the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program and for this generous investment, which expands opportunities and opens new doors for our first-generation students.”
Founded in 2017, the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program provides first-generation, Pell-eligible students the opportunity to graduate debt-free from Florida Atlantic in four years or less. Scholars receive full financial aid packages covering tuition, housing, books and meals, along with wraparound services, such as mentorship, financial literacy training, internship opportunities and career-readiness support.
The new Cecilia’s Heart First-Generation Enrichment Endowment Fund will enhance these services for Kelly/Strul Scholars now and in the years ahead. Planned initiatives include the Cecilia's Heart Student Recognition Program, recognizing students who demonstrate outstanding effort in pursuing their academic and career goals. In addition, funding will support mentorship and professional development opportunities, such as “Dine with the Dean,” etiquette dinners, and résumé and network-building sessions.
The fund is named for Cecilia Peters, a Kelly/Strul board member and supporter of the program since its founding, who opens her home each year to welcome the incoming class and hosts a student-led book club that has become part of the program’s culture.
“Being part of the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program has been very meaningful to me and my family,” said Cecilia Peters. “It’s been about building a community and walking alongside these students. Seeing them grow, earn their degrees and thrive in their careers post-graduation has been a great source of pride and a highlight of my life.”
The gift comes as Florida Atlantic continues to support access for first-generation and Pell-eligible students. Approximately 25% of the university’s more than 32,000 undergraduate and graduate students are the first in their families to graduate from college, and 40% are Pell-eligible. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Florida Atlantic in the Top 30 nationally for social mobility and the Top 25 for Pell Grant graduation performance.
Founded by Boca Raton philanthropists Aubrey and Sally Strul, along with Florida Atlantic President Emeritus John Kelly and his wife, Carolyn, the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program has grown from four students in its first class to 83 current scholars and 96 alumni. This fall, the program welcomed its largest cohort of 30 first-generation, Pell-eligible students. Kelly/Strul graduates have gone on to build careers in higher education, engineering, business, medicine, sports management and more, with alumni securing positions at organizations such as NextEra Energy, AmeriCorps and the U.S. Marine Corps. Other graduates have entered graduate school programs pursuing advanced degrees, including medical and doctorate degrees.
“This endowment ensures our scholars will have consistent access to the mentorship and professional development that will shape their college experience and prepare them for the future,” said Blake Davis, vice president for institutional advancement and CEO of the Florida Atlantic University Foundation. “The Peters family’s generosity will help students build the confidence, connections and skills to turn their education into lasting opportunity.”
For more information, visit kellystrulscholars.fau.edu.
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Tags: community | students | foundation | philanthropy