February 7, 2003

Contact:
Jennifer Meriam, Director (954) 262-5355
Mike Laderman, Associate Director, (954) 262-5354
Mara Kiffin, Coordinator, (954) 262-5350

NSU to Honor Jim and Jan Moran With President's Community Award at Celebration of Excellence

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— Nova Southeastern University (NSU) will honor community leaders Jim and Jan Moran with the President's Community Award at the fifth annual Celebration of Excellence, on Thursday, January 30, at Davie's Signature Grand (6:00 p.m. reception, 7:00 p.m. main program).

The Morans will receive the university's highest honor from NSU President Ray Ferrero, Jr., highlighting an evening themed, "Imagine, Believe, Achieve," that will also recognize the fifth anniversary of the Celebration of Excellence, as well as 12 distinguished alumni from NSU's various schools, centers, and colleges.

In March 2001, Jim and Jan Moran, along with JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (JMFE), announced a $6 million challenge for NSU's Family Center, renamed the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies. Through the challenge, Jim and Jan Moran and JM Family Enterprises, Inc., pledged to match up to $3 million in new or increased gifts to the Mailman Segal Institute's capital campaign. The gift, one of the largest ever to NSU, is helping the Mailman Segal Institute reach its $12.5 million Capital Campaign goal, significantly expand its child care/early child care development community outreach programs, and develop an endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Broward to provide ongoing support for the center.

Groundbreaking for the Jim & Jan Moran Family Center Village, which will house the Mailman Segal Institute, was held in May 2001. The village will be located on five acres of property located adjacent to the main campus, accessible from University Drive. The new site will enable all Family Center programs, including the Baudhuin Preschool, the parent/child programs, the Child Care Training programs, and the Autism Consortium-among others on the Davie campus-to be housed in one location.

NSU's President's Community Award and the Celebration of Excellence began in 1997, with then NSU President Ovid Lewis presenting Abraham Mailman with the inaugural award, recognizing individuals' charitable contributions to the university. The 1998 award was presented posthumously to Leo Goodwin, Sr., and was accepted by Goodwin trustees Helen Furia and daughter-in-law Fran Goodwin. David Horvitz accepted 1999's award on behalf of his parents, William and Norma Horvitz. The most recent recipients of the President's Community Award were Bob and Millicent Steele, two of South Florida's most distinguished citizens and fervent advocates of NSU for 30 years.

This year's event will be the largest Celebration of Excellence yet, with more than 1,200 guests expected to attend. For more information or for reservations, call NSU's Peggy Burrows at (954) 262-2125.