Rob And Shelly Light Announce $300,000 In Scholarship Donations

– Rob Light

Rob Light, head of music at CAA, and his wife Shelly announced publicly June 27 that they will donate $300,000 to several scholarships for historically underrepresented groups at Syracuse University.

The donated funds will benefit the Light Family Newhouse Scholarship, the Light Family Bandier Scholarship and the Carolyne Barry Scholarship.

“I have always believed that my time at Syracuse University opened doors and provided amazing opportunities that were invaluable to my career. My wife Shelly and I have always felt strongly about sharing our success with others,” Light says. “We are proud and excited to endow three scholarships for diverse students in need in the Bandier Program and the Newhouse School, and through the Carolyne Barry Scholarship in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Our love for the University is enormous, which is why we are thrilled to help students join the Syracuse family and have access to the same opportunities that I did.”

The Newhouse scholarship benefits historically underrepresented students in the Newhouse School of Public Communications. The Carolyne Barry Scholarship, which was named for Shelly’s sister, will do the same for the school’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. The Bandier scholarship will go to a student enrolled in the school’s Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries.

“We are so grateful that Rob and Shelly have decided to support underrepresented students in such a significant way,” Rachel Vassel, assistant vice president of the school’s Office of Multicultural Advancement said in a statement. “Their generosity underscores the idea that promoting diversity is everyone’s responsibility.”

Light, who graduated from Syracuse in 1978, is a university trustee. He made the announcement of the donation at a celebration of Black Music Month at CAA headquarters earlier this month.