The Stetson Business School Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce its continuing support of Stetson University School of Business students by way of a recent $13,000 donation to Stetson’s COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund.

Combined with previous donations totaling $13,000 last Spring, the Foundation has contributed a total of $26,000 for business students with needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it one of the largest donors to the fund.

George Shierling, president of the Board, said the foundation provides $13,000 per academic year to assist business students with foreign travel. With the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign travel was eliminated, which freed up the funding.

“I kept reading about the students needing help from the COVID virus, so we decided that we would put $13,000 in last school year and this school year we amended our budget and put $13,000 to assist those students who had a need,” said Shierling, who graduated from Stetson in 1970 with an Accounting degree.

“We wanted to help them out where we could,” he said.

In addition, the Foundation provides annual financial support for School of Business students, faculty and programs. In its 2019-2020 fiscal year, the Foundation provided more than $73,000 in merit and need-based scholarships to business students as well as more than $8,000 to students assisting business faculty with research projects. The Foundation also provides $15,000 for the JJ Master Center for Professionalism, which is focused on the professional and career development of business students.

Established in 1969, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization and is governed by a board consisting of Stetson alumni and community leaders.

Currently, it is fundraising to create an endowment which will permanently fund the Paul Dascher Scholarship, named for Paul E. Dascher, former dean and professor emeritus of the School of Business Administration and a visionary leader in business education. Under Dascher’s leadership, the School obtained the prestigious AACSB business and accounting accreditation, hired several faculty members who have been key to the advancement of the School, and transformed a former savings and loan building into the modern Lynn Business Center.  He is a member of the Foundation’s Board and continues to serve as a mentor and role model for many.