FAU Schmidt College of Medicine’s White Coats-4-Care Advances Scholarships, Research, Innovation and Community Health

FAU Schmidt College of Medicine’s White Coats-4-Care
Advances Scholarships, Research, Innovation and Community Health

Annual fundraiser marks 15 years of supporting medical education
and welcoming future physicians

BOCA RATON, Fla. (August 22, 2025) – More than 250 civic, business, and university leaders, healthcare professionals, community advocates, and medical students gathered at The Addison for the Annual White Coats-4-Care fundraiser benefiting Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine (CoM). Now in its 15th year, the signature tradition celebrated the college’s newest class of 80 future physicians while raising funds to expand scholarships, drive innovation in medical education, support research, and strengthen community health initiatives.

 

Co-chaired by Bonnie and Jon Kaye and supported by a dedicated committee, White Coats-4-Care has generated critical resources to attract, recruit, train, and educate the next generation of humanistic clinicians and scientists. This year’s incoming class of 80 students was selected from 4,165 applicants.

“We are proud that since the inception of White Coats-4-Care, this community initiative has raised $2.6 million for scholarships, resources, and innovation that have supported more than 1,000 compassionate healers across primary care, specialty practice, and research,” said Bonnie Kaye, who co-founded and has co-chaired this fundraiser with Jon Kaye for 15 consecutive years. “Community has always been central to the College’s mission, and the students carry that forward through clinical outreach at the Caridad Clinic, Mission Medical Center, and other vital programs across the region.”

Jon Kaye added that this year’s initiative further advanced the College’s vision of establishing an academic health presence that fills a critical gap in the healthcare landscape. This ensures that Florida’s southeast region receives the high-quality care it deserves, now and in the future.

“It is through the success of this annual cornerstone fundraiser that we can continue to strengthen student education and clinical programs, expand community partnerships, and cultivate donor opportunities that drive positive change today and for generations to come,” shared Dr. Lewis Nelson, dean of the Schmidt College of Medicine at WC4C. “Each donor’s investment is paying remarkable dividends because we are not just funding medical education – we are building the future of healthcare.”

“Championing the establishment of the Schmidt College of Medicine during my time in the Florida House of Representatives remains one of the most meaningful initiatives in my public service career,” shared FAU President Adam Hasner. “Seeing so much support for the college and its students at events such as White Coats-4-Care shows the impact of the college in our community as we work to improve patient care for the region.”

 

 

This year’s event welcomed both longtime and first-time supporters. In recognition of the CoM’s impact on the Boca Raton community, The Addison of Boca Raton — the evening’s presenting sponsor — awarded the FAU Foundation and White Coats-4-Care a $10,000 Centennial Grant as part of its initiative honoring 10 nonprofits on its 100th anniversary. The Stocker Family Foundation joined the White Coats Society with its first-time $25,000 scholarship gift. Other significant donors and sponsors included Palm Beach County Medical Society; American Care Medical Centers; Bonnie and Jon Kaye/Kaye Communications PR & Marketing (KCOM-PR); Baptist Health; Cleveland Clinic; Phyllis and Dr. Michael Dennis; E. M. Lynn Foundation, Henry T. Mangurian, Jr. Foundation; Boynton Eye Institute; First Horizon Bank; and Synovus Bank.

 

The 2025 WC4C dedicated committee, included 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 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.

With recent national rankings in U.S. News & World Report (2023, 2024), the College continues to thrive as one of approximately 156 accredited allopathic (M.D.) medical schools in the United States, expanding into new disciplines and programs. 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, 1,312 affiliate faculty, 314 medical students, 180 residents and fellows, and 70 graduate students. The CoM has increased class size by 25% and can now accommodate 80 students. 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.

 

For information about the CoM, or giving opportunities, contact Sara Greene, Associate Director of Development, at 561-297-2984 or greenes@health.fau.edu. For corporate sponsorship opportunities, contact Haley Barnes at 561-297-2371 or barnesh@health.fau.edu.

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