Robert Scavone Jr. ’12 began his tenure as President of the FIU Law Alumni Association in May of 2013, and by all accounts, the Association has transformed under his leadership. It was thus no surprise when the FIU Alumni Association selected him as the 2015 Torch Award recipient. Scavone Jr. accepted the Distinguished Alumni Award last Saturday night at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. With more than 800 people in attendance, FIU also awarded eleven other alumni from each FIU college with the Distinguished Alumni Award.
“This is a tremendous honor, and I am deeply humbled to be among so many remarkably accomplished FIU alumni,” remarked Scavone Jr. “I am dedicated to supporting FIU Law, its alumni, and students. It feels great to be recognized for my commitment to the College of Law. I thank President Rosenberg, Dean Acosta, and the Torch Award Committee for selecting me.”
Since Scavone Jr. took office as President of the FIU Law Alumni Association in 2013, the Association has made tremendous strides. Among the initiatives he is most proud are: starting the Association’s CLE Series, which provides free CLE credits to alumni and recently hosted its third installment; launching the FIU Law Alumni Magazine, the second edition of which will be issued later this year; hosting a holiday toy drive/fundraiser for Kristi House for the third consecutive year; and amending the Association’s bylaws to establish a President-Elect position. “I was very pleased that we added the President-Elect position,” said Scavone Jr. “It will help bring continuity of leadership, which is something I think the Association was missing, and was the main reason I ran for a second term last year.”
Scavone Jr. has also been involved in fundraising for FIU Law. Over the past two years, the Alumni Circle (alumni who contribute $100 a year to FIU Law) has grown by more than 65% to over 130 donors (more than 10% of the alumni). Last year, Scavone Jr., along with six other alumni who attended FIU Law in the Evening Program, established the Evening Scholarship Fund, with each donor pledging $500 a year for five years. The Fund now has thirteen donors with a total amount of $32,500 pledged. “I hope we can continue to grow the Fund with additional donors,” remarked Scavone Jr. “The Evening Program is something I am particularly passionate about. Many of our most successful alumni are graduates of the Evening Program.”
As further testament to Scavone Jr.’s passion for giving back, earlier this year, the Alumni Association accomplished a remarkable achievement–raising more than $46,000 for the FIU Law Legal Clinics at its first-ever Casino Night Fundraiser. “Everyone was deeply impressed by Casino Night,” said Dean Alex Acosta. “The Casino Night fundraiser raised over $20,000 (net) to support the FIU Law Clinical Program, a truly spectacular achievement for an inaugural event .”
Scavone Jr. was equally thrilled. “The event was amazing, and the Casino Night Committee and Jeffrey Molinaro (Vice-President of the Association’s Board of Directors) in particular, worked very hard to make sure the event was a success. We spent many nights planning the event, and the folks at the College of Law, and Anthony Rionda, specifically, were instrumental in making it happen. It was a total team effort,” said Scavone Jr.
We asked Scavone Jr. why he is so passionate about FIU Law. His answer was telling: “I think you are asking the wrong question,” he said. “The question you should be asking is: Why isn’t every alumna/us as passionate about their college?” He continued: “Those of you who know me well understand why I champion FIU Law: It gave me the opportunity to pursue my dream and changed the trajectory of my life. I am very grateful to FIU Law and for what the training and education I received there has allowed me to achieve. It is out of this gratitude and appreciation that I will always support the College of Law, its alumni, and students.”
There is an adage in alumni association circles: alumni should give time, talent, or treasure to their alma mater. Scavone Jr. has given all three. And his hope is that more alumni will follow his lead. “We have very dedicated alumni, and many give back in a variety of ways,” he said. “But we can and must do better. More alumni can give to the Alumni Circle. More alumni can help students find internships and summer jobs. More alumni can be active in alumni events and programs.”
“The Torch Award means a lot to me because in some ways it validates what I have done for FIU Law,” said Scavone Jr. “But more importantly, I hope my achievement inspires other alumni to work hard for the College of Law. In the end, that would mean more to me than any award.”
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Robert Scavone Jr. graduated from FIU Law, cum laude, in 2012. He currently serves as a law clerk to the Hon. Adalberto Jordan on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and previously clerked for the Hon. Barbara Lagoa on the Florida Third District Court of Appeal. He has taught classes as an Adjunct Professor at the FIU College of Law and at FIU’s School of International and Public Affairs. While attending FIU Law, Scavone Jr. was active in student government and served as President of the Student Bar Association. He received the G. Kirk Haas Humanitarian Scholarship, which is awarded for dedication and commitment to FIU Law, as well as the ALI-ABA Scholarship & Leadership Award. In addition to his professional commitments and service to the FIU Law Alumni Association, Scavone Jr. mentors FIU Law students in the Federal Bar Association’s mentoring program.
About the Torch Award: The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to alumni who have brought honor and distinction to the university through their notable record of service and achievement in a particular discipline, organization or cause. Learn more here.