11th Annual Rutgers/LEAP Gala leaves its footprints to the future December 6, 2010

Click here for photos of the Gala
Click here to watch the 2010 video

For the 11th consecutive year, the Rutgers Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership (CSUCL) hosted its annual Rutgers/LEAP fundraising Gala to raise money for the Alfredo Santiago Endowed Scholarship Fund.

On Friday, December 3rd, over 250 members of the Rutgers/LEAP community (including President Richard McCormick and Chancellor Wendell Pritchett) and regional stakeholders joined LEAP students and parents at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden City.  Between the Aquarium ballroom’s 550,000-gallon shark tank and spectacular views of the Philadelphia skyline, guests enjoyed a night of dinner, dancing, and a celebration of LEAP alumni at Rutgers. 

Several distinguished guests were in attendance to recognize this year’s Gala Honorees: Brenda Ross-Dulan (Wells Fargo), Elizabeth Christopherson (Rita Allen Foundation), and Peter Burke (Brandywine Senior Living).  All three honorees received the 2010 Rutgers/LEAP Leadership Award for their continued support of LEAP, Rutgers, and the residents of Camden City. 

With the help of 2010 Gala sponsors Wells Fargo, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rita Allen Foundation, Brandywine Senior Living, Genova, Burns & Giantomasi, PSE&G, TD Bank,
Verizon, and Congressman Robert Andrews, this year’s Gala fundraised over $100,000 for the Alfredo Santiago Scholarship, which supports the financial need of LEAP Academy graduates who go on to attend Rutgers University. 

Twenty-five LEAP alumni were among the guests at the gala, including 11 scholarship recipients and two recent graduates from Rutgers.  Two alumni who are benefitting from the scholarship had the chance to address the audience also.  Julio Atenco (Rutgers–Camden) and Julianna Perez (Brown), thanked everyone for their financial support of the scholarship and asked guests to continue their work on behalf of children in Camden City.