Emely Gonzalez is a senior studying finance and marketing at the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert School of Business, and the inaugural recipient of the Charles J. Foschini Endowed Commercial Real Estate Scholarship—a distinction she wears with pride.
The scholarship was established by Charles J. Foschini, a triple Cane who earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the Miami Herbert and his law degree from the School of Law, He created it as an expression of love and gratitude—for the scholarships that enabled him to study at the University, for the city of Miami that he’s called home since, for the teachers and mentors who supported him along the way, and for the sacrifice of his parents, grandparents, and Italian immigrant great-grandparents.
Since then, Foschini has built a legacy as a leader in real estate finance responsible for more than $26 billion in complex real estate transactions in his career. In 2023, Foschini returned to his alma mater—where he has served as an adjunct professor in the School of Law, a volunteer leader on the University’s Citizens Board, and a member of the School of Architecture’s MRED+U Real Estate Advisory Board—to help the next generation launch their careers.
“As a past scholarship recipient for each of my degrees, I understand the value of an education, the success it can lead to, and I am inspired to grant that experience in perpetuity to future students at the University of Miami,” said Foschini.
Gonzalez feels a strong connection to Foschini, and vows to follow his example.
“That he was once a scholarship recipient, too, and that he worked hard to become so successful, makes me want to do the same, and I hope one day to help someone else to follow their dreams the way he has helped me,” Gonzalez said.
Her parents, who immigrated to the United States before she was born, taught her that education is a privilege and that hard work would be essential to fulfilling her potential.
Gonzalez earned stellar grades throughout elementary and high school. And after school, Gonzalez worked evenings at her father’s locksmith business in Miami, mailing out invoices, calculating estimates, and handling phone calls.
It was here that her father first recognized her aptitude for business.
“My dad said he always knew I was meant to be a businesswoman,” Gonzalez recalled. “Still, I never dreamed I would be able to have the experiences I’ve had or the opportunity to step foot in corporate America.”
This past summer, Gonzalez interned at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Miami, with an offer to return next year as a full-time analyst.
She credits the University of Miami for teaching her how to expand her network, build on her education, and pursue her dreams.
Gonzalez plans to go into wealth management, partly because she loves math, and partly to continue meeting people that inspire her to dream big.
She hopes to have her own business one day, considering a private wealth management firm or a chain of medical clinics to combine her love for medicine and finance.
“I want to create something that my family can be proud of,” she said. “I dream about seeing my family name on a building or a business—The Gonzalez Family in big letters.”
For now, Gonzalez is focused on finishing her senior year, volunteering with the University’s Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society, and working as the lead supervisor at the Zoo Miami Foundation, a nonprofit that engages the community in conservation efforts.
To the donor helping her on her path, she said:
“Thank you for investing in my potential and for helping me to be the woman I always wanted to become.”
