Carrying on the legacy of Harris Rosen and his commitment to education, today the Harris Rosen Foundation announced it is expanding its already-successful scholarship program and partnering with Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) to offer three full college scholarships each year to students in the Tangelo Park and Parramore communities.
Currently students in those two communities can take advantage of college or vocational school scholarships to any public school in the state of Florida through the Rosen foundation. This new partnership means this esteemed HBCU located in Daytona Beach, FL joins Rollins College in Winter Park, FL as the only two private institutions with Rosen scholarship opportunities. All students will graduate from their respective schools debt-free. The first recipients of the Bethune-Cookman scholarships will enroll in the fall of 2027.
“We are ecstatic to be able to build upon the legacy Mr. Harris Rosen set forth decades ago, in hopes of providing a quality higher education opportunity to students who may have never dreamed this to be possible,” said Frank Santos, President of the Harris Rosen Foundation. “The success of our scholarship programs is truly transformational, impacting the lives of the students, their families and creating generational change,” Santos added.
“We are grateful for partners like Rosen Hotels & Resorts who recognize the transformative power of education,” said Dr. Albert Mosley, President of Bethune-Cookman University. “This support opens doors for our students, many of whom are first-generation scholars, and reinforces the critical role partnerships play in expanding access, opportunity and long-term success.”
“This partnership honors Harris Rosen’s extraordinary legacy by expanding access, opportunity, and hope for students who deserve every chance to succeed,” said Dr. Maria Vazquez, Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools. “When our community, higher education institutions, and philanthropy come together in this way, we remove barriers, open doors, and change the trajectory not only of students’ lives, but of entire families for generations to come.”
Santos, who along with Harris Rosen established the initial scholarship program decades ago, says funding includes tuition, room, board and books and collaborates with community organizations to ensure the students receive the mentoring and support they need to help them succeed. “This only broadens the scope of opportunities available for these deserving students,” Santos said.
Under the agreement between The Harris Rosen Foundation and Bethune-Cookman University, the foundation will fund the remainder of participating students’ costs of attendance at B-CU after the University applies available federal, state, and internal financial aid dollars.
This endeavor reflects a continued relationship between Bethune-Cookman University and Harris Rosen dating back more than 20 years. In addition to supporting several alumni golf tournaments through the years, Rosen served as the honorary co-chair of the Bethune-Cookman College Statue Project, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to erect a nearly 20-foot-tall bronze statue of Mary McLeod Bethune in 2005. That statue, a wall of honor and a garden still adorn the campus plaza, greeting students, guests and dignitaries daily.
About the Harris Rosen Foundation: The Harris Rosen Foundation, established in 1987, reflects Central Florida entrepreneur and hotelier Harris Rosen’s lifelong commitment to giving back and improving lives. With a desire to share his blessings, Mr. Rosen began his philanthropic journey with the Tangelo Park Program in 1994, providing free preschool, mentoring and college scholarships to break the cycle of poverty. Since then, the foundation has expanded its reach, supporting underserved communities locally and globally through education, community development and disaster relief efforts. The foundation’s mission remains clear: to bring hope and opportunity to those in need and inspire others to adopt similar programs nationwide. Through education and empowerment, the Harris Rosen Foundation continues to create lasting change across generations. For more information, visit
www.rosengivesback.com
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, May 19th 2026 at 3:34PM
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