A Bonita Springs, Florida-based web design company Atilus has announced the creation of an endowed scholarship fund with the first donation of bitcoin made to the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU).
Company Preisdent and CEO Zachary Katkin along with Operations Director Harry Casimir (both alumni at FGCU) have called it the Atilus Bitcoin Scholarship Fund, and have pledged to donate $25,000 — $12,500 of the gift established the endowment.
The company paid the initial deposit using the bitcoin digital currency in a move considered the first of its kind at the institution.
The scholarship will be awarded to juniors/seniors at the school who maintain a grade point average of at minimum 2.75. These students must show leadership in student organizations and clubs, have enrolled in an approved internship by first day of classes, and show they legitimately need the money.
“Harry and I started our company at FGCU and we both received an education centered on technology,” said Katkin. “Atilus owes a lot to the university and we thought the idea of giving back using the future of money – bitcoin – would be the perfect union of philanthropy, technology and our alma mater. Giving back is one thing, but giving back in a meaningful way that furthers the discipline in which one was educated – and helps advance the institution of which many of us at Atilus are the products – is even better!”
“We have found there are many ways to give back and stay connected to the university,” said Casimir. “One way is to make a multi-year gift, which is what we did, and which quickly adds up.”
Members of the bitcoin community can view the deposit made by Atilus here [link to blockchain.info], and are free to make donations to contribute to the fund.
“We are proud to accept this generous and innovative donation that will enable future generations of students to gain educations,” said Christopher Simoneau, executive director of the FGCU Foundation. “It is especially rewarding that the gift comes from successful alumni who launched their business while they were still students at FGCU.”
This isn’t the first donation of its kind, though.
Earlier this year, Blockchain.info CEO Nicolas Cary donated $10,000 in bitcoin to the university he attended (University of Puget Sound).