Thank You for Supporting the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program at Florida Atlantic University has received a substantial $6.4 million gift that will directly benefit high-achieving, low-income, first-generation students at FAU.

On behalf of Aubrey and Sally Strul and the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars, I would like to thank our anonymous donor for recognizing the tremendous value of the program and for providing this extraordinary gift.

Established in 2017, the primary mission of the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program aims to provide eligible high school seniors with an opportunity to attend FAU and graduate, debt-free. Philanthropic contributions such as this helps to ensure a bright and lasting future for the program, as well as our FAU scholars.

In the program, each student receives a four-year financial aid package for tuition, on-campus housing, books, a meal plan, and other supplementary resources needed to complete their college degree. Additionally, they may benefit from post-graduate support such as career planning, mentoring, and financial literacy—all part of an intentional scope of services that eliminate barriers for first-generation students entering the workforce. 

Today, the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program has successfully graduated 13 scholars and has grown to include 69 students. Our 10-year goal for the program is to admit 80 new scholars each year, continuously providing a four-year, debt-free education for 320 FAU first-generation students. Supporting this objective with an extended contribution, the anonymous donor has also committed to sponsoring 22 Kelly/Strul scholars for four years, totaling $1.4 million in additional annual funding.

With the grateful acceptance of this multi-million-dollar donation, we look forward to expanding the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program and providing even more opportunities for first-generation students at FAU.