Farmingdale State College said it has been awarded a $25,000 gift from the Ferro Foundation, which will support its students and ncreased recruitment and retention efforts.
Funding was secured by the Ferro Foundation through the Clark Gillies Foundation, in honor and memory of the many contributions National Hockey League (NHL) legend Clark Gillies made to Long Island, both on and off the ice.
“We are enormously grateful to receive this wonderful, student-focused gift,” said John S. Nader, PhD, president of Farmingdale State College. “It is a genuine reflection of the selfless spirit shared by two exceptional Long Islanders: Sal Ferro, an exemplary alum and remarkable citizen, and Clark Gillies, a charismatic force of greatness in the NHL, in our community and among his family and friends.”
Founded by FSC Alumnus Sal Ferro ’84, former Alure Home Improvements’ president and CEO and now Town of Huntington councilman, the Ferro Foundation is a non-profit corporation to help Long Islanders in need, with a focus on students, seniors, and veterans. Set up n 2017, its mission is to make a lasting and positive difference in the lives of deserving Long Islanders in need.
Clark Gillies was a Hockey Hall of Famer and four-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders. He died in 2022 at age 67. He is remembered by many as a friend to everyone, a tower of strength on the ice, and a pillar of the Long Island community.
Gillies, a resident of Greenlawn, was committed to the region both during his playing career and after. He began The Clark Gillies Foundation, a non-profit organization developed to help children who are physically, developmentally, or financially challenged.
“Over the years, Clark has helped so many. He has been a role model and inspiration for me. He taught me so much about the giving spirit and social responsibility,” said Ferro, who is also a member of the Farmingdale College Foundation Board of Directors. “It means so much to me to set up a scholarship in Clark’s name for Farmingdale State College.”
The Ferro Foundation plans to grow the Clark Gillies Scholarship into a $50,000 endowment in the coming years. It is the second endowed scholarship and third gift funded by the Ferro Foundation with the Farmingdale College Foundation.
Photo attached, credit FSC. Left to Right: Matt Colson, VP for Development, FSC; Sal Ferro; Dr. John Nader, president of Farmingdale State College; Emily Tyree, The Ferro Foundation.