" THE B OT TO M L IN E IS T H I S: W E H AV E N EV ER MAD E A
GIF T TO T H E U N IV E RS ITY, W H ET H ER T I ME O R T REASU R E ,
THAT W E D ID N ' T G E T M O RE I N RET U RN T H AN W E G AVE .”
MATT KANE
Matt and Alexis remained friends throughout
college and after, never really dating. “He
actually helped pack my car before I drove
to Chicago.” They next found one another
around age 25, when Matt traveled to
Chicago on business. Miami and now serves on the advisory board
of JU’s BRCHS.
“Eventually, we got to the point that one of
us was flying every weekend.” Soon, Alexis
accepted a position at Wolfson Children's
Hospital in the pediatric intensive care unit. “A number of our JU family members were at
the wedding.” They were guests and among
the wedding party. That night, Matt and Alexis
stood back as a couple and processed just
how much the University meant in their lives.
But that wasn’t the happily-ever-after end to
their story.
They stopped dating for a while. “About six
years,” Alexis said. “That's when I made the
decision to apply to graduate school.” That
was the moment she reconnected with her
alma mater.
In the process of applying to nurse anesthetist
programs throughout the state of Florida,
she requested a letter of recommendation
from JU. She made an appointment to speak
with someone in nursing—now the Keigwin
School of Nursing—unsure if anyone would
remember her.
That meeting happened before the opening
of JU’s Brooks Rehabilitation College of
Healthcare Sciences (BRCHS) building. “I
walked in and was remembered like it was
yesterday. Some of the faculty sat and talked
with me for three hours. And then they wrote
a glowing recommendation. It was like
coming home to family.”
One of her mentors, Dr. Cheryl Bergman, now
Dean of BRCHS, was the person who taught
Alexis how to administer an IV. It was also
under the direction of Dr. Bergman that Alexis
later taught an eight-week accelerated
pathophysiology course at JU.
She went on to complete her Master of
Science in Nursing (MSN) with a focus on
nursing anesthesia from the University of
FEATURES
A DYNAMIC DUO
In August 2011, on a balmy evening in
Colorado, Matt and Alexis married.
Matt said, “Not much of what I've done
would have been possible without JU. I truly
believe that.”
Matt has held several leadership roles
in Jacksonville—be it civic, political, or
philanthropic. He says that none of those
would have been offered if not for the
influence of the University.
“I would not be a member of the Downtown
Rotary if not for Fran Kinne. I was nominated to
Leadership Jacksonville by Dr. Quinton White.
And I wouldn't be a part of the Civic Council if
not for Tim Cost.”
WHERE PHILANTHROPY BEGINS
Matt's passion for education planted the seed
for his family’s philanthropic efforts today.
It was at his alma mater that he nurtured
a passion for championing students of all
ages. This led him to board roles for Teach
for America, the Jacksonville Children's
Commission, Northeast Florida STEM Hub, and
the Jacksonville Community Council.
The Kane footprint of giving includes a wide
variety of projects and programs, including
support of the Jacksonville University
Athletic Association (JUAA), classroom
technology enhancement, community
outreach, the basketball program, the River
House, the sailing program, and the JU Public
Policy Institute’s Master of Public Policy
Minority Fellowship, to name only a few.
The reason their donor portfolio is so
widely varied, he says, is a desire to make a
difference overall. “We’re interested in making
the biggest impact. Some of those investment
areas represent a certain affinity for me, but
others were simply great opportunities.”
Matt uses the development of the rowing
program and facilities as a prime example.
“We recognized that the program was
attracting great students, but they couldn't
take on more team members without adding
another boat.” As a former sailing team
member and longtime supporter of basketball
and the Keigwin School of Nursing, Matt said
the decision to invest in rowing was outside
his norm but was well worth the support.
The Kanes also regularly give to broad
funds at the University. “When I opt to give
unrestricted dollars, that's me believing
in President Cost and his vision for the
University,” Matt said. The vision President
Cost has for the University is part of the
reason Matt and Alexis feel confident in their
family’s ongoing support of JU.
THE RELATIONSHIP STRATEGY
Named scholarships are a key part of the
Kanes’ donor strategy.
“We dedicate a significant portion of
our giving to scholarships. That has two
functions: first, I wouldn’t have attended
Jacksonville University had they not offered
a generous academic scholarship to me.
Second, when you give to a scholarship, you
help a student directly.”
Kane scholarship recipients receive a multi-
year commitment of support for their time
at JU, as well as the opportunity to meet
and interact with the Kane family. The latest
Kane Scholars met up with their sponsors
at Topgolf for an evening of fun. “We meet
at events, and they come up to us at games.
They stay in touch, too. If one of our students