“White Coats-4-Care” and “Your Medical School” Celebration Events
Chaired By The Kayes Recognized As Significant Fundraising Successes
for Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
Bonnie Kaye, President and Chief Strategist, and Jon Kaye, Chief Operating Officer and Marketing Strategist, of Kaye Communications, Inc., a South Florida-based strategic full-service marketing and public relations firm, were presented the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Board of Trustees Service Award at the University’s 2013 Honors Convocation held in the University Theatre on the Boca Raton campus.
Nominated by Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Dean Dr. David Bjorkman, and presented by Chairman of the FAU Board of Trustees Anthony Barbar, the FAU Board of Trustees Service Award recognizes extraordinary service to the University by members of the greater community. The coveted award was established in honor of Nancy Blosser, a former Chair of the FAU Board of Trustees for her significant contributions on behalf of the university.
“The Kayes and Kaye Communications have fully embraced the medical school in the most meaningful of ways, using their influence as opinion leaders to rally support for it in the community,” said Barbar during the presentation. “We are delighted to present the Board of Trustees Service Award to them as a token of our great appreciation for all they have done and are doing for Florida Atlantic University and its community.”
Bonnie S. Kaye who serves on the FAU Foundation Board and Jon Kaye who serves on the Medicine Advisory Board of the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine founded, branded, chaired and sponsored two annual White Coats-4-Care events, and chaired the medical school’s inaugural “Your Medical School” celebration that raised vital scholarship funds to attract the best and brightest future doctors to the Boca Raton community. Their firm Kaye Communications spearheaded event messaging, community engagement, media relations, and content and graphic design strategy in collaboration with the College of Medicine’s Director of Development Kari Oeltjen, the Medicine Advisory Board, faculty and staff.
The two annual White Coats-4-Care events raised community awareness and engagement in addition to more than $80,500 to “dress and equip” FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine’s inaugural and second incoming class for healthcare career success. Admission to the reception events attended by a cross-section of business and community leaders and media was a donation for underwriting a white coat, a need-based scholarship and academic medical education to support the incoming class each year to the first and only medical school in Palm Beach County. The “Your Medical School” celebration, in honor of Barbara and Dick Schmidt, raised more than $260,000 and set the stage for the announcement of a $3 million endowment gift by Dr. and Mrs. Mort Levitt that evening. During his presentation, Barbar noted that “this first-time celebration event sold-out long before save-the-date notices could be sent and the designed invitations could be printed.”
“It is such an honor to be recognized by the FAU Board of Trustees with this prestigious award,” said Bonnie Kaye. "The true reward is for all of us in the community as one day, one or a few of these bright and compassionate future physicians, who we have collectively supported, may find the cure for cancer or diabetes, save the life of one of one of our loved ones, and help make aging easier and more health-full for our generation of baby boomers and beyond.”
Jon Kaye added that “throughout our personal mission on behalf of FAU, we have long valued the dedicated support of civic, business and community leaders; media; family; staff; and colleagues whose impassioned engagement, friendship, partnership, guidance, volunteerism, and generosity have contributed to the success of this young program. All has been appreciated…whether it was giving a kind word of encouragement, serving on a committee, attending events, underwriting scholarships and White Coats, making financial gifts, opening doors to new supporters, or helping us ‘spread the word’ on the advantages and benefits afforded all of us by having a medical school we can call our ‘community's own’.”
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of three signature themes – marine and coastal issues, biotechnology and contemporary societal challenges – which provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.
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