“Everyone in this room believes in the power of education,” student speaker Dalvin Perez Casilla, Kogod/BSBA '25, told the audience at the 2025 Celebration of Scholarships.  

“You are not simply funding an education,” he continued. “You are investing in each of us. And we will make you proud as AU graduates who drive progress through leadership, purpose, and service in our communities and beyond.” 

Perez Casilla was one of 59 scholarship recipients present at the April 9 event. They were joined by over 73 donors representing 34 scholarship funds, as well as members of university leadership. 

The Celebration of Scholarships luncheon is an annual highlight for the AU philanthropic community. It represents a unique coming-together of students and donors, providing chances to meet in person, take photos, and swap stories. This year marked the 27th year of the long-running gathering and the first for AU’s 16th president Jonathan R. Alger, who was formally inaugurated on March 28. 

In his remarks, President Alger shared how his own college education was made possible through a scholarship program at his father’s company. As a university president who has witnessed scholarships change countless lives at his previous institutions and now at AU, he underscored the urgency of ensuring all students can see themselves—and their aspirations—supported at AU. 

“AU is truly in the big dream business, and looking around the room today, I see dreams of all shapes, sizes, and iterations on their way to being realized,” said President Alger. 

Scholarships play an essential function in making a holistic AU education possible. More than 600 Eagles benefit from donor-funded scholarships each year. 

Amidst today’s financial landscape for students and their families, a scholarship can be the difference between a student pursuing or passing on higher education altogether. Scholarship funds similarly enable Eagles to take advantage of the full scope of experiential learning at AU, mitigating financial barriers to opportunities such as study abroad or unpaid internships. 

“That’s why scholarships are and will continue to be a strategic focus,” said President Alger, referencing the stakes of financial access for AU’s institutional survival and relevancy in a changing higher education climate. 

Through dedicated scholarship efforts, AU has partnered with donors to grow scholarship support to historic levels. At the close of the Change Can't Wait campaign in September 2024, the university had raised $140 million dollars to advance the student experience and had created or expanded more than 180 donor-funded scholarships—a number of which were represented at the April 9 luncheon.  

“Supporting AU students on their journey is what unites us today,” reflected Interim Vice President of University Advancement Dan Luperchio before debuting a new video featuring Perez Casilla alongside eight other Eagles. “What I love about this event is that I always hear stories of purpose—stories that start with a scholarship.” 

With AU resolute in its prioritization of access and affordability, scholarships will continue to allow more students and donors to dream big together.