Keiser University Vice Chancellor Belinda Keiser has been recognized by Legal Aid Services of Broward County (LAS) and the Broward County BAR as the first ever recipient of the “Tony Karrat Excellence in Community Service Award.” Keiser accepted the honor at the 20th Annual For the Public Good Gala hosed by LAS and Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA).

Keiser, who serves as the Vice Chancellor of Community Relations and Student Advancement, has devoted her career to serving others with a commitment to increasing social mobility, access to education, and talent development for individuals and communities throughout Florida. She previously served as the Coordinator of Broward Lawyers Care for the Broward County BAR and LAS from 1988-1992 where she was responsible for implementing a program for the delivery of pro bono legal services to disadvantaged residents of Broward County. As a champion of the judicial system and the rights of all, Keiser served consecutive terms as a reappointed member of the 17th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission and was appointed to Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission by former Governor Rick Scott.

A true believer in public service, Keiser is a member of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet, the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, and Enterprise Florida. the State’s primary economic development board. She chairs the Keiser University Nursing Advisory Council, a statewide taskforce committed to solving Florida’s nursing workforce shortage. As an advocate for educational access, she was entered into the Congressional Record in Recognition of Women’s History Month by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart for her work in the areas of education and philanthropy.

Through her dedicated service, Keiser University has grown to become Florida’s largest, private, not-for-profit university, serving 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and internationally. Her steadfast commitment to creating an inclusive future for all has helped Keiser University become the No. 1 university in the U.S. in providing social mobility to students (2023 U.S. News & World Report) and the No. 29 Best Hispanic-Serving Institution in the U.S. (Niche).

Keiser established the Keiser Mills Family Foundation to provide scholarship opportunities to students seeking entrepreneurial, leadership and civic engagement experiences as part of their college education. The foundation has awarded more than $72 million in scholarships to needs-based and academically deserving students. She leads by example in her professional career and through her charitable and philanthropic efforts which include the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society.

Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. Founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and the Keiser Family, Keiser University currently offers more than 100 degrees from associates to the doctoral level. Keiser University is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in Social Mobility by U.S. News And World Report in 2023.