Kenny and Sandy Tate and Family to be Inducted into Nova Southeastern University's Shark Circle Giving Society

Latest Pledge will Fund Scholarships for Undergraduate Students in Need

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Dec 14, 2015, 11:41 ET

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla., Dec. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Entrepreneur and NSU Board of Trustees member J. Kenneth "Kenny" Tate, his wife Sandy and their three daughters have been announced as one the newest members of Nova Southeastern University's Shark Circle giving society for their cumulative contributions of more than $1 million to the university. The Tates join several other members of NSU's Board of Trustees as members of NSU's most prestigious philanthropic group.

As part of their induction into the Shark Circle, the Tates will receive a limited edition maquette replica of the Kent Ullberg specially commissioned mako shark statue located in front of the Don Taft University center on NSU'S Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus. They will be honored for reaching this milestone at NSU's Celebration of Excellence gala on January 30, 2016, when the university expects to announce the public phase of its major philanthropic campaign.

The latest gift of $500,000 from the Tates will help grow NSU's endowed Tate Family Scholarship Fund and Tate Family Renewal Scholarship Fund. Both of these funds provide scholarships for undergraduate students with financial need.

"Sandy and I believe education is the key to success," said Mr. Tate. "And we believe Nova Southeastern University is an excellent academic institution that enables and encourages students to learn, to grow and to succeed after they graduate."

Mr. Tate has served on NSU's Board of Trustees since 1999 and is currently chair of its Advancement Committee and Campaign Leadership Committee, which are charged with guiding the philanthropic goals of the university. He also serves on NSU's Ambassadors Board, a group of community leaders who support NSU in a variety of ways. Mrs. Tate is a member and has served on the board of NSU's Circle of Friends, the fundraising arm of NSU's Alvin Sherman Library, Research & Information Technology Center. Both Sandy and Kenny have been active at NSU's University School, a premier JK-12 college preparatory school, from which all three of their daughters graduated. The Tates are also members of the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, serving as Director's Circle members.

"We are honored to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Tate and their family into NSU's Shark Circle, as dedicated philanthropists and leaders who are passionate about the future of our community," said NSU President Dr. George Hanbury. "The scholarships they are funding will help many undergraduate students realize their potential through their academic and extracurricular pursuits."

Mr. Tate is co-founder of Tate Capital, a major real estate investment company. In addition, he owns a clothing manufacturing company and is involved in numerous other business endeavors.

The Tates are involved with many not-for-profit organizations in the community, including Broward Workshop, Community Foundation of Broward, the Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Hispanic Unity, Kids In Distress and Women In Distress. Their philanthropic contributions are related to their interests in children, literacy and quality education.

About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree levels. A private, not-for-profit institution with more than 24,000 students, NSU has campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, while maintaining a presence online globally. For more than 50 years, NSU has been awarding degrees in a wide range of fields, while fostering groundbreaking research and an impactful commitment to community. Classified as a research university with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is 1 of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private, not-for-profit institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education's criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information.