Annual FAU Schmidt College of Medicine White Coats-4-Care Fundraiser Presented by The Addison Set for Tuesday, August 12, at The Addison

Annual FAU Schmidt College of Medicine White Coats-4-Care Fundraiser
Presented by The Addison Set for Tuesday, August 12, at The Addison

 Reception to Welcome 15^th Incoming Class of Future Physicians,
Advance Innovation in Medical Education, Expand Community Health Initiatives

BOCA RATON, Fla. (June 23, 2025) — As Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine (CoM) graduated its class of 2025, the College announces plans for its 15^th Annual White Coats-4-Care (WC4C) fundraising reception presented by The Addison. Hosted to welcome the College’s incoming class of 80 future physicians, increase scholarship funds, advance innovation in medical education, support research, and expand community health initiatives – WC4C will be held Tuesday, August 12 at 6 p.m. at The Addison of Boca Raton.

In recognition of CoM’s meaningful work in the Boca Raton community, The Addison has generously awarded the FAU Foundation a Centennial Grant for the CoM’s WC4C initiative through its program created and funded by The Addison to support 10 vital nonprofit missions in commemoration of its 100-year anniversary milestone. Co-chaired by Bonnie and Jon Kaye of Kaye Communications PR & Marketing since WC4C’s inception and supported by a dedicated committee of civic and business leaders, healthcare professionals, and community advocates, the CoM’s signature annual fundraiser helps generate resources to attract, recruit, train, and educate the next generation of humanistic clinicians and scientists.

In addition to raising much-needed scholarship funds and other resources for the incoming class of future physicians, WC4C Co-chairs Bonnie and Jon Kaye note that this year’s event will also help further advance the College’s vision of establishing an academic health presence that fills a critical gap in the healthcare landscape. By doing so, this ensures that Florida’s southeast region receives the high-quality care it deserves now and well into the future.

According to Dr. Lewis Nelson, the new dean of the only medical school in Palm Beach County, nearly 36% of the medical school’s 2025 graduates chose to remain in Florida for their residency training, playing a vital role in bridging the healthcare workforce gap in the state. Twenty-five percent of the graduating class have chosen to pursue careers in primary care, which includes internal medicine, family medicine, Ob/Gyn, and pediatrics. CoM’s residency and fellowship programs include ACGME-accredited programs in the areas of internal medicine, emergency medicine, psychiatry, neurology, and general surgery and fellowships in cardiology, hospice and palliative care, geriatrics, vascular surgery, and pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. This year’s class of students was selected from 4,620 applicants, with a class mean MCAT score of 516 and, mean GPA of 3.81.

“As we continue to strengthen and expand our student education and clinical programs, initiate more community partnerships and cultivate donor opportunities, our ability to increase healthcare stakeholder and community advocacy, involvement, support, and philanthropy are vital,” Dean Nelson shared. “It is through the success of our annual cornerstone fundraiser — White Coats-4-Care — that together we can make a consequential impact that drives positive change today, and for generations to come.”

Continuing to evolve from a community-based school to a world-class academic health center
in Florida since its inception in 2010, the CoM has grown today to 101 employed faculty members, 1,303 affiliate faculty, 288 medical students, 177 residents and fellows, and 100 graduate students. The CoM has increased class size by 25% and can now accommodate 80 students. Supporting its mission of “Innovating Healthcare, Inspiring Minds” and further growth, CoM construction has been completed on the new Sam W. Klein Student Hub and a high-tech auditorium.  In February, Florida Atlantic achieved the esteemed designation of “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” and shares this elite status with less than 5% of the nearly 4,000 universities in the U.S.

Community continues to remain at the forefront of CoM’s mission. Students actively participate in clinical outreach efforts, including time dedicated to patient care at the Caridad Clinic and Mission Medical Center. Furthermore, the CoM’s burgeoning relationship with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County expands critical behavioral and addictions service in the region.

“There are many meaningful ways in which to support the WC4C initiative, from underwriting a student’s first white coat to several donor, corporate and legacy gift levels and sponsorship opportunities,” shared WC4C Co-Chair Bonnie Kaye. “In recognition of each supporter advancing a student’s dream of becoming a doctor, the name of each individual donor, family, company or foundation will be included in a pocket of an incoming student’s white coat. All gifts of $1,000 or more will be recognized in the lobby of the College of Medicine.”

Opportunities include:

• White Coat Sponsor: $250 to provide a medical student’s first white coat; includes one ticket.
• Compassionate Supporter: $500 provides a medical school scholarship in memory of
  Founding Dean Michael L. Friedland, M.D. or Ira J. Gelb, M.D.; includes one ticket.
• Friend of the Schmidt College of Medicine: $1,000; includes two tickets.
• Wellness Partner: $2,500; includes two tickets.
• Healthcare Hero: $5,000; includes four tickets.
• Community Champion: $10,000; includes six tickets.
• Special Donation Opportunities:

• • White Coat Society: $20,000 or more pledge to join to White Coat Society
    Supports one student through all four years of medical school. The pledge is paid in
    four installments of $5,000 per year and includes two WC4C tickets annually.
  • Dean’s Circle: a legacy gift of $25,000 or more to establish an endowment
    fund in one of the following areas: medical student scholarship, graduate student scholarship, medical school expansion, or biomedical research. The pledge is paid in
    five installments of $5,000 per year and includes four WC4C tickets annually.

“Recently achieving a national ranking in U.S. News & World Report (2023, 2024), the Schmidt College of Medicine was one of approximately 156 accredited and rated allopathic or M.D. medical schools in the U.S. and continues to expand and thrive in new disciplines and programs,” shared Co-chair Jon Kaye. “Bonnie and I are honored to once again, for the 15^th year, to chair the College’s White Coats-4-Care initiative with The Addison as presenting sponsor. Since the inception of White Coats-4-Care, this community fundraising initiative has benefited more than 1,000 successful and compassionate healers in a variety of primary care, clinical specialty and research disciplines.”

WC4C Co-chairs Bonnie and Jon Kaye are supported by a dedicated committee, including Patricia Anastasio, M.D. and Thomas Mersch, Esq.; Melissa Azrack; Florida State Senator Lori Berman and Jeffrey Ganeles, D.M.D.; Donna and Joseph Biase, M.D.; Alisa Cohen and G. Richard Cohen, M.D.; Phyllis and Michael T.B. Dennis, M.D.; Emily and Stephen A. Grabelsky, M.D.; Bonnie Halperin; Arlene Herson; Jaclyn Klimczak, M.D.; Margie and Alan Kaye; Jennifer and Gary Lesser; Elizabeth and Stuart Markowitz, M.D.; Nathan E. Nachlas, M.D.; Michael Pierce; Margie and Maurice D. Plough, Jr.; Ronald L. Rubin, D.M.D.; Constance Scott; Robin Trompeter and Janice Williams.

To learn more or to register for the event please visit https://www.fau.edu/medicine/white-coats-4-care/.  For more information about the White Coat Society, Dean’s Circle or other gift options contact Sara Greene, Assistant Director of Development at 561.297.2984 or greenes@health.fau.edu. For Corporate Sponsorships, contact Michael Turtz at 561-297-2387 or mturtz@health.fau.edu.

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