NSU's Pathway Scholars Program will provide scholarships and internships for disadvantaged students
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN) and Marti and Wayne Huizenga recently pledged significant founding gifts to create Pathway Scholars, a new community-focused scholarship program at Nova Southeastern University's (NSU) H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship (HSBE). The Pathway Scholars program will benefit students who are financially and otherwise disadvantaged. The Huizenga Business School has developed a partnership with Take Stock in Children (TSIC) to help select students for the program.
The pledge was announced at the AutoNation Tower in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Dec. 12 at a special event. Co-hosts Mike Jackson, Chairman and CEO of AutoNation, and Founder of AutoNation H. Wayne Huizenga, announced major donations to NSU's Pathway Scholars program.
"This is the kind of educational program that AutoNation looks to support and the fact that it's going to be installed at the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University has success written all over it," said Mike Jackson. "Pathway Scholars will be given every opportunity to succeed in school, in business, and in life. That's our goal. That is our pledge to the students."
AutoNation made a $60,000 giftthat will help sponsor one student through his or her entire undergraduate experience at NSU. H. Wayne Huizenga also made a pledge of significant additional funds to be used for the Pathway Scholars program as well as one other project that is currently under development. It is anticipated that as the Pathway Scholars program grows, additional corporate sponsors will participate.
In addition to financial support, the scholarship provides internships and mentorships with business leaders, academic support, a community network of peers and other resources to ensure recipients' academic and social success while pursuing their degree at HSBE.
Pathway Scholars is being launched and will be assisted by Take Stock in Children, a non-profit organization that provides a unique opportunity for low-income and at-risk students to escape the cycle of poverty through education. Students will be selected for the program and then work closely with advisers, mentors, and business partners throughout their four-year degree program at the Huizenga Business School.
"This is a fresh way to look at supporting the educational goals of some of South Florida's most disadvantaged high school students – we are taking a more holistic approach here," said D. Michael Fields, Ph.D., dean of the Huizenga Business School.