Elena Key & Emiliana Fawley-Puello / Staff Writers
The McKibbon Family Foundation, a Christian non-profit, donated $5 million to FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
The gift was presented during an event celebrating professor Rocco Angelo’s 90th birthday, according to Catalyst, a news website. Angelo has served as the Associate Dean of the Chaplin School for almost 40 years, since 1982.
“The donation will be used to establish an alumni center, new technology-focused programming, and scholarships for hospitality students,” according to Catalyst.
Led by John and Letitia McKibbon, The McKibbon Family Foundation is an organization aimed to serve others through non-profit work and donations. Their areas of focus include disaster relief, medical aid and research, education, homelessness and family service, animal welfare and the arts, according to their website.
But, this is not the first time the organization donated to the university.
FIU Alum John McKibbon, one of the founders of the Charlotte based non-profit, has previously dedicated resources to FIU since graduating from the Chaplin School in 1975.
In 2016, McKibbon donated $25,000 to help launch Rocco Angelo’s endowment fund at FIU. These funds help provide scholarships, recruitment initiatives, mentoring programs, career services and student enrichment opportunities, According to Hospitality Net.
About Post Author
