MEDIA CONTACT: Linda Holtz
561-297-0159, lholtz@fau.edu

Major Gift to FAU National Alumni Association
Names FAU's First-Ever Alumni Center

BOCA RATON, FL (December 7, 2005) - The Florida Atlantic University National Alumni Association (FAUNAA) has received a $1 million gift from philanthropists Marleen and Harold Forkas. A gift-signing ceremony with Marleen and Harold Forkas and FAU President Frank T. Brogan '81 was held December 7 at 5 p.m. at the Eleanor R. Baldwin House and was followed by the FAUNAA's annual Holiday Wine and Cheese Reception.

The gift names FAU's first-ever alumni center, The Marleen and Harold Forkas Alumni Center. The Center will provide a permanent venue on the Boca Raton campus for a variety of events and programs for alumni, students, faculty and staff, community and corporate partners. The gift will turn building plans into a reality. It is anticipated that the fall of 2006 will mark the official start of full-scale construction. The $3.2 million, two-floor, 9,000 square-foot-structure has been designed to complement the tropical style of the Boca Raton campus. Airy and spacious, with a two-story atrium, the alumni center will house a library, great hall, office space, seminar rooms, classrooms and a catering kitchen. A lighthouse tower will be an important part of the building's structure and a symbol of the FAUNAA's mission to guide alumni home.

"Thanks to the generosity of our good friends Marleen and Harold Forkas, FAU alumni will soon have, for the first time, a real home here at the University," said President Brogan. "This building will be emblematic of FAU's evolution as an institution of higher education. It will welcome visitors to our campus and bring alumni together for new traditions. The Marleen and Harold Forkas Alumni Center will stand as a tribute to FAU's commitment to its diverse and exceptional alumni body. FAU will now join the ranks of other great universities worldwide where alumni centers build affinity and renew school spirit."

Marleen and Harold Forkas typify the spirit behind the "American Dream." As the first woman to graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology's Management Engineering Division, Marleen was driven by a desire to succeed. Her creative touch and innovative ideas launched what would become a 40-year career as a designer and manufacturer for some of the leading fashion houses of the fifties, sixties and seventies. Harold, born in the Catskill Mountains, arrived in New York City in 1935 eager to become a part of the business world. Hard work in the office supply business was followed by a sales and management career for Coca-Cola. When an opportunity to become a Midas Muffler franchisee arose, Harold followed his instincts and took advantage of the prospect of becoming an entrepreneur. By the time he retired in 1988, he owned eight Midas Muffler dealerships.

It is not surprising, with their similar backgrounds in business, Marleen and Harold found each other. Married since 1985, the couple has much in common. They share a strong philanthropic sense and are involved in many charitable organizations such as the Boca Raton Community Hospital Foundation, the Boca Raton Museum of Art and many cultural arts organizations.

Moving to Boca Raton from Dix Hills, Long Island in 1988, Marleen and Harold quickly became familiar with the South Florida cultural scene. Their association with their "hometown" university began in 1997 when they became involved with programs at FAU's University Center. As true sports enthusiasts, the couple joined the University's Inner Circle of Football Founders. As the one-hundredth founders, they were part of the excitement as FAU fielded its inaugural team in 2001. Regularly attending FAU home and away games, Marleen and Harold discovered what they both refer to as a "whole new family of friends." Though still loyal to the success of FAU football, Marleen and Harold have turned their attention to the efforts of FAU's alumni association.

"Although family situations prohibited Harold from going to college, we both feel strongly about higher education and sincerely hope that in naming FAU's alumni center we will instill a feeling of E.S.P., namely, Enthusiasm-Sincerity-and-Pride, in all past, present and future graduates of FAU," said Marleen.

"By doing this, perhaps all alumni, faculty, students and members of the community will come forth to gather in this building and help ensure FAU's growth for the future and establish its position as a world-class institution," said Harold.
For more information about opportunities to support the Marleen and Harold Forkas Alumni Center, contact Pat Breman, assistant vice president of Alumni Relations, at 561-297-2190, 888-FAU-ALUM (328-2586) or pbreman@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the university serves 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts eight colleges - the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, and the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.