Meaningful Gift for Shark Family

After more than 20 years as a proud Shark, Scott Colton says the students at NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine are part of his family. As a result, he has taken steps to ensure he can help future generations of students through a meaningful legacy gift commitment.

In 1999, Colton learned about an opportunity to create a new communications position in what was then called the NSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. He applied for the job and received the call for an interview. From that very first meeting with then dean Anthony J. Silvagni, Colton knew that he had found his second home.

“The minute I started working here, I felt an instant connection,” he said. “It felt like a buzz of energy. There was just so much happening, and I wanted to portray it in the best way possible.

“I’ve always enjoyed that I get to tell stories of people who are doing incredibly exciting things,” Colton added. “The people here—the students, the administration, the faculty and staff members—are really amazing people. That’s what keeps me motivated, because I get to write about all the great things NSU does and the people who are doing the work.”

Colton said one of his favorite stories to write was about women physicians who were also mothers and the balance they had to strike between career and raising children. He interviewed four faculty members in an open and honest conversation that led to a highly successful article.

The articles Colton has written during his time at NSU have not only left an impact on him, they have made an impression on the communications field as well. His work has received numerous awards from the Public Relations Society of America Tampa Bay Chapter, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Articles and accolades aside, the main reason Colton established his legacy gift was because of the relationships he has built during his time at NSU and the support he has received since the very beginning of his career at the university.

“When I got here in 1999, my role was new. Working with the dean at the time and the leadership of the HPD (Health Professions Division) and the university, I was given the great responsibility and privilege to create the position,” Colton said. “I’d never really had that freedom before. To let my talent flow was really empowering, and it made me a better professional.”

Through these positive interactions at NSU, Colton built an extended family that includes current and former colleagues, as well as a large number of students. He stays in touch with many of them after they graduate, continuing to check in on them and share their stories as alumni. Some of them even call him their “NSU Dad,” a moniker he is proud to have.

When his parents passed away, and it was time to update his will, Colton knew he wanted to name his larger family at NSU as beneficiaries. He established a legacy gift that will fund student scholarships at NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“It’s really important, especially in today’s world, that we are able to provide scholarships and financial support to so many talented individuals.” he noted.

“For me, the students are the reason we’re all working at this great university. And we need to treat them with respect, because they’re the future,” said Colton. “They are the future of health care. They also are the future of legacy giving once they become alumni. I feel like I can leave a legacy to future generations because I’ve always considered so many of the students to be part of my family.”