FIU Business Alumna’s Scholarship Endowment Will Support Diverse, Female Accounting Students

FIU College of Business alumna Jacqueline Cecile Williams ’94, a certified public accountant, recently made a planned gift to FIU that will establish a scholarship to help bolster the future pipeline of minority, female-identifying accountants in South Florida.

Inspired by the support she received as a student preparing to break into the accounting industry, Williams knew she would one day want to pay it forward. After seeing the difficulties the COVID-19 pandemic has caused for so many people, she decided to act. Designating a planned gift to the university in her will made the process simple and accessible.

“I was looking back at what’s important ... and realizing things could change at any moment. This was something I always wanted to do but hadn’t thought of doing this soon,” Williams said. She likes that she can see an immediate impact on students’ lives at FIU—her strategic planned gift establishing the scholarship endowment was coupled with a cash gift to fund the first scholarship awards, which will be granted this year. Fundraising will continue to grow the endowment further and award future scholarships.

“I’ve always wanted to inspire others; and as a minority woman striving to accomplish the highest of whatever it is that I do, I also wanted to make sure I support students fighting for that same dream.”