Twenty-four first-generation college students entered their first semester at Florida Atlantic University this year with the confidence of graduating debt-free thanks to the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars program.
Founded in 2017 by local philanthropists Aubrey and Sally Strul and former FAU President John Kelly and his wife, Carolyn, the Kelly/Strul program offers scholarships to first-generation, low-income college students that cover the entirety of their education, from books and housing to tuition and meal plans. The goal of the program, Kelly says, is “to use [the program] as a magnet to draw ultra-bright kids and have them be able to work together and learn from each other and then surround them with [a] support system.”
For first-generation college students like Cassandra Genz, the scholarships provided by Kelly/Strul open up a new world of possibilities for education.
“I believe this program definitely makes [college] a much better experience, because I won’t have to worry about things like getting a job to pay for books and things like that, because they’ll be covering it so I can focus on my studies,” says Genz.
Genz is the second member of her family to become a Kelly/Strul Scholar, following her sister, Gabriella, who entered the program in 2021. Genz is currently studying business management and entrepreneurship, with a desire to continue her education at FAU and earn a master’s degree in sports management.
As Genz benefited from an older sister that went through the program, all Kelly/Strul Scholars benefit from the network of mentors and program alumni to help guide them through all aspects of the college experience.
“Sometimes if you’re in a family that nobody has ever been to college, there’s really not somebody there that can help you much,” says Kelly. With the program’s mentors, Kelly says that the students “get more than a visit. They get someone who is now a colleague, a friend, a person who’s willing to tell you exactly what’s so when you need to hear it.”
These scholarships are made possible by the generosity of local donors like Cecilia Peters, an FAU alum who has been with the program since its inception. As an immigrant and first-generation college student herself, Peters understands the struggles these students face.
“When I was in college as a young person, I had a full-time job and a full-time schedule at school,” says Peters. “That was not a good thing, and [there] was nobody to help me. … And I just looked at FAU and this program and I said, ‘well, I could make it a little bit easier; I know I can, because I relate to them, and they to me.”
Of the Kelly/Strul scholars, Peters says, “They come from the school of hard knocks, but they are very bright, and they have an incredible work ethic. … These are people that want to achieve.”
In its eight years, the Kelly/Strul program has grown from four students to 80, with 48 alumni holding degrees that span the fields of engineering, business, medicine, sports management and more. As the program continues to grow, more success stories are sure to follow, like that of Shyra Johnson, a Kelly/Strul scholar that in 2022 became the youngest certified sports agent in history.
“[The scholars] are just wonderful examples of people that, given a little opportunity, and given a little bit of guidance, excel way beyond anything people might have suggested would have been possible for them,” says Kelly.
To learn more about the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars program, click here.
