Additional Gift Made to the Jerry and Devon Love Endowed Commercial Music Scholarship

Florida Atlantic University benefactor Fara Love recently made an additional  gift FAU’s Commercial Music Program which doubles the Jerry and Devon Love Endowed Commercial Music Scholarship, an endowment she created last year. This scholarship, which supports three outstanding students annually, was created in memory of Love’s husband, Jerry, and their daughter, Devon. Jerry Love played an important role in building the Commercial Music Program, which is housed in FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters.

“Jerry Love was my business partner and good friend for many years. He introduced me to FAU,” said Michael Zager, founder and director of FAU’s commercial music program, and Dorothy F. Schmidt Eminent Scholar in the Performing Arts. “Jerry, a music industry veteran, was instrumental in the creation of Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, FAU’s record label. He worked with our students for many years and took great pride in the success of the label and the Commercial Music Program. Devon was very artistic and had a great love of music and the record business. While losing a daughter and then a husband in two years is difficult, their legacy will live forever because of Fara’s generosity.”

The scholarship recipient for fall 2017 was Dallas Rinek, chosen for his academic excellence and for his service to Hoot/Wisdom Recordings. Two more scholarship recipients will be announced in spring 2018.

“The Commercial Music Program in FAU's Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters has been a wonderful part of my family's life for many years,” said Fara Love. “I feel very proud to have established the Jerry and Devon Love Commercial Music Program Scholarship. We have witnessed many wonderful talented students graduate from Michael Zager’s program. Music was a very strong, happy bond between Jerry and Devon. Music is what joins the heart and soul together and it will happily continue through these students.”

FAU’s Commercial Music Program offers comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs to help students develop skills for a professional music career. Students are able to study the business of music as they develop their individual instrumental and/or vocal skills. In addition, the Commercial Music Program provides students with valuable practical experience through internships and working on FAU's record label, Hoot/Wisdom Recordings LLC. For more information about the commercial music program, call 561-297-0600, and to learn more about the funding needs of the program, call Laurie Carney at 561-297-3606.