MEDIA CONTACT: Cara C. Perry
772-370-3489; ccarlton@fau.edu

FAU and the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce Honor First Scholarship Recipients

ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FL (September 26, 2005) - Florida Atlantic University and the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce will honor the first recipients of the partial-tuition scholarships for St. Lucie County School District teachers and professional support staff at the Chamber's Commerce Street Luncheon on Wednesday, September 28 at 12 p.m. The event will be held at the Holiday Inn, located at 10120 S. Federal Highway in Port St. Lucie.

"The Chamber is thrilled to be a part of an initiative that supports aspiring teachers and local education," said Chamber Director Linda Cox. "This new program embraces the 'growing our own workforce' philosophy."

The tuition assistance scholarships, created by the Chamber's Education and Business Partnerships Committee, support teachers and professional support staff seeking courses from FAU in preparation for initial state teacher certification. St. Lucie County School District employees Angelia Moorer, Ivette Burgos, Tywania Moorer, Virginie Milfort and Harriet J. Bell are the first recipients of this new scholarship, which is expected to be offered every semester.

"Florida Atlantic University is working to build a strong tradition of tuition assistance programs," said Annie Boehning, FAU Treasure Coast Campus development director. "This scholarship offers far-reaching impact on many educators and paraprofessionals. For many, the goal of certification is out of reach without assistance from institutional scholarships funded through the generosity of alumni, corporations and other private donors."

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