FIU, President’s Council raise more than $120,000 for First Gen at DreamMakers Breakfast

To date, FIU has raised more than $3 million for its First Generation Scholarship Fund.

First Gen students gather around FIU President's Council Chairman Victor Balestra and FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg at the DreamMakers Breakfast. Photo: Ivan Santiago '00.

More than 150 movers and shakers gathered in the beautiful Granada Ballroom of the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables Sept. 23 to share a lovely breakfast. The occasion, as FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg said, was no ordinary get-together.

Highlighting FIU’s commitment to the First Generation Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to eligible students who are among the first generation in their family to attend college, the event raised $122,000 for the fund, resulting in a total impact of almost $250,000 including state match.

Among the community leaders stepping up to present donations for First Gen was Wells Fargo’s Jorge Villacampa. A senior vice president at the bank, Villacampa spoke about the company’s commitment and vision. The bank has been one of the fund’s leading corporate sponsors for the past three years and contributed an additional $50,000 at the DreamMakers Breakfast.

“As a bank,” Villacampa said, “we are only as good as our community. We believe education makes us stronger and better. First Gen is very important to us, and we are proud to support the scholarship.”

‘Extra support’ for students

The crowd heard accounts from students who have benefited from the scholarship fund firsthand, such as Neida Ortiz ’10. The Brooklyn native, 22, graduated with a degree in marketing and management.

“At FIU, I was able to grow, and First Gen gave me that extra support I needed,” she said. “The scholarship allowed me to focus on my studies and not on how I was going to make it through the day.”

The crowd included FIU administrators and supporters, alumni and students. Attendees such as Millie Fornell ’78, associate superintendent for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, agreed with Rosenberg when he encouraged guests to show their leadership and make a commitment to the fund.

“It is imperative that we, as a community, put in place a system of support for our students,” Fornell said. “With everyone’s support we will be able to realize our students’ dreams.”

‘Help us get this done’

Created by the Florida Legislature in 2006, the program is the only one of its kind in the state to match private donations 100 percent. FIU’s President’s Council has made raising money for the scholarships a priority, pledging $100,000 to the fund. The university’s matching challenge from the State of Florida is $511,000, of which more than $375,000 has been raised. If FIU cannot raise the balance, the state will reallocate those dollars to other universities.

“We need to commit not to leave any dollars on the table,” Rosenberg said. “FIU stands as a beacon of hope in our community. Please, help us get this done.”

Since the scholarship’s inception in 2006, the university has raised more than $3 million for first-generation students.

How you can donate

University leaders want to get the word out that there is still time to make a difference in FIU students’ lives by making a donation to this program. To donate to FIU’s First Generation Scholarship Fund, click here.