Mark your calendar! The 23rd Annual Alfredo Santiago and Gloria Bonilla Santiago Endowed Scholarship Gala will be held on December 8, 2023, at the Crystal Tea room in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, celebrating LEAPing to New Heights: The Campaign for the Alfredo Santiago and Gloria Bonilla Santiago Endowed Scholarship Fund this year and our nearly three decades of excellence in transforming education.

The evening will honor people who have fought to break barriers and help the next generation leap into the future. We are delighted to host Dr. Stephen K. Klasko as our Distinguished Leadership Award Honoree. While president and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, Dr. Klasko transformed that historic institution. What we find most inspiring is his passion to make creativity and innovation the core of both healthcare and education. Dr. Klasko gives us a vision of an optimistic world where people come first and technology serves to allow people to thrive and be happy.

In addition, we celebrate Tony Gay for his remarkable contributions to promoting diversity, inclusion, and educational opportunities. As co-lead of Exelon's Legal Diversity and Inclusion Committee, he fosters an inclusive environment and breaks down barriers. Tony's dedication to education is evident as a board member of Steppingstone Scholars, an organization assisting underserved students. Tony exemplifies the values we celebrate and his contributions transform lives, shaping a brighter future for the next generation.

As the President of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Dr. Jonathan Holloway, vision for Rutgers’ future is defined by the three hallmarks — achieving the ideal of beloved community, relentlessly pursuing academic excellence, and developing strategic institutional clarity. Rutgers’s consistent support for over 30 years of the Alfredo Santiago Scholarship for the LEAP Students has been invaluable.  We are honored to recognize him with the Rutgers Distinguished Leader Award Honoree.

When Dr. Gloria Bonilla Santiago first created LEAP Academy in the heart of Camden, her only thought was every city needs a LEAP. As the school’s founder, Dr. Santiago never imagined her vision would change so many lives over 25 years. As a community, we have created an oasis of classroom buildings, serving over 2,000 students. Our philosophy is to nurture students from cradle to college to careers, and we are proud of our 100% college-bound graduation rate. Learning and respect are the watchwords at LEAP.

Through organizations like LEAP and leaders such as Dr. Stephen Klasko, Dr. Jonathan Holloway, and Tony Gay our community is blessed.

We invite you to help by choosing from the Sponsorship Opportunities outlined in the enclosed form. For questions or further information, contact Christopher McCrum at cmccrum@leap.rutgers.edu to let us know we can count on you.