City of Miami Expands Venture Miami Scholarship Fund to Include St. Thomas University
MIAMI, FL – April 15, 2025 – The City of Miami’s Department of Economic Innovation and Development, in partnership with The Miami Foundation, is proud to announce the expansion of the Venture Miami Scholarship Fund to include St. Thomas University (STU). This marks a significant milestone in the City’s mission to create more equitable access to higher education and fuel local talent in high-demand industries.
The Venture Miami Scholarship Fund provides gap funding for City of Miami residents pursuing degrees in STEM or other in-demand fields at select local institutions. With the addition of St. Thomas University, students now have more pathways to earn degrees that will position them to thrive in Miami’s growing innovation economy.
Mayor Francis Suarez emphasized the broader vision for the scholarship and its role in shaping a more inclusive Miami. “Our city thrives when our residents have the tools they need to succeed,” said Mayor Suarez. “Expanding the Venture Miami Scholarship Fund reinforces our commitment to inclusive growth and innovation. We’re proud to partner with St. Thomas University to unlock more opportunities for our residents to build meaningful careers in Miami.”
Keith Carswell, Director of the City of Miami’s Department of Economic Innovation and Development, highlighted how this partnership reflects the City’s long-term strategy for inclusive economic growth. “This is more than just a scholarship,” said Carswell. “It’s an investment in Miami’s future—a future built by and for the people who call this city home. Expanding the fund to include St. Thomas University strengthens our mission to make innovation and opportunity accessible to all.”
Welcoming the newest university partner, STU President David A. Armstrong, J.D., shared his enthusiasm for the opportunity to support more students in the local community.
“We are excited to open doors for our students to benefit from the Venture Miami Scholarship Fund,” announced President Armstrong. “Partnering with the City of Miami and The Miami Foundation means we can help more STUdents afford the education they deserve. This collaboration reinforces our mission of developing ethical leaders for our global community and allows us to empower the next generation of change-makers in Miami.”
The Miami Foundation, which manages the scholarship fund, celebrated this expansion as a testament to what’s possible through local collaboration and shared purpose. “At The Miami Foundation, we believe that investing in education is one of the most powerful ways to uplift communities,” said Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, President and CEO of The Miami Foundation.
“This expansion reflects our shared vision with the City of Miami to build a more inclusive and resilient future for all. Together, we’re creating a foundation for local talent to thrive.”
This expansion ensures even more students can pursue careers in fast-growing sectors like technology, healthcare, engineering, and the sciences—strengthening Miami’s workforce and supporting its continued rise as a hub for innovation and economic opportunity. A full list of STU’s majors that are eligible for this scholarship can be found on our website.
STU joins existing local institutions University of Miami, Florida International University, Miami Dade College, and Florida Memorial University in utilizing the Venture Miami Scholarship Fund.
To learn more and apply for the Venture Miami Scholarship Fund, please visit:
https://miamifoundation.org/venturemiamifund/
About St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (STU) is one of the South’s premier Catholic universities. It is a private, nonprofit institution committed to fostering students’ academic and professional success and helping them become ethical leaders in the global community. Rich with cultural and international diversity, STU is a Miami Archdiocesan university, the only archdiocesan university in Florida, and one of just 11 nationwide. STU offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degree programs online and on the university’s beautiful Miami Gardens via its College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences & Technology, Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, Gus Machado College of Business, and Biscayne College for Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. STU serves 7,660 undergraduate, graduate, and dual enrollment students, a 78% increase since President David A. Armstrong, J.D., took office in the fall of 2018. STU is completing $123 million in improvements, its biggest expansion since its 1961 founding, including adding 400,000 square feet of new facilities. Among other objectives, President Armstrong’s new “Pursue Excellence” strategic vision seeks to build a new 99,000-square-foot STEM and nursing building, expand the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, and construct new athletic facilities.