One can’t help but notice the impressive ring of flags that greets visitors, students and staff as they enter Lynn’s beautiful campus every day.
This powerful symbol of the university’s international character, originally conceived by Yvonne S. Boice, is now named in her honor.
Boice, a renowned philanthropist and world traveler, suggested the idea of displaying the flags—representing Lynn’s global student body and its more than 100 home nations—during a planning meeting for Lynn’s 40th anniversary in 2002.
She has now created an endowment to provide for the ongoing maintenance of the Yvonne S. Boice Circle of Flags, a campus icon that was broadcast internationally during the final presidential debate held on campus in 2012.
“The flags are a glorious emblem of the university’s global diversity while also being a unifying symbol for the sharing of cultural experiences,” Boice said. “Having traveled to 150 countries and visited all seven continents, I understand the importance of fostering cultural awareness in our youth, and I am honored that the Yvonne S. Boice Circle of Flags will continue to represent that mission for years to come.”
“Yvonne is a person of big ideas, and she delivers on them,” said President Kevin M. Ross. “This is an especially fitting gift because this representation of our diversity was her concept. Lynn continues to be recognized as one of the most international schools by U.S. News & World Report, and we are so grateful to have Yvonne honor our global spirit in such a meaningful way.”
As the former owner of Fugazy International Travel in Boca Raton, Boice appreciates the personal and intellectual enrichment that comes with international travel. In 2004 she created the Lynn University Boice Scholarship to enable deserving students in the College of Business and Management to participate in life-changing study abroad experiences.
As a philanthropist, Boice is a champion of arts, culture, education and women’s rights initiatives. She is currently the chair for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the National Endowment of the Humanities, the chair of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) at Palm Beach State College and chair emeritus for the Palm Beach International Film Festival.
As a businesswoman, she ran two very successful enterprises in Boca Raton: The Shoppes at Village Pointe and Fugazy International Travel. During her many years at the helm of these companies, she made it her vocation to mentor women in business, both here and abroad.
In recent years, Boice was selected to represent the U.S. at four high-profile women’s international business conferences. She was chosen as one of six delegates to the Middle East and North African Women’s Conference held in Abu Dhabi, and was appointed to attend the Global Summit of Women in Berlin and Hanoi. She also was appointed a delegate to educate women to become entrepreneurs in Bolivia.
She has been honored with many prestigious awards for her tireless devotion to numerous important causes, and currently serves as a board member on the Trust of the National Endowment of the Humanities.
She is married to attorney Al Zucaro, founder of World Trade Center Palm Beach. Her daughter, Lauren, is a practicing attorney living in the Boston area with husband Randall Knowles Smith, world-renowned astrophysicist.
Over the years, Boice has given her expertise and financial support to causes across campus:
- As the Excalibur Society’s Scholarship Committee chair, she devised a highly effective evaluation system for awarding the fundraising group’s scholarships.
- She chaired the Lynn University gala, “TravelLYNN to Tasmania: A Journey Down Under,” in 2003; and as a member of the university’s board of overseers, she provided expert leadership and counsel.
- Her leadership gift named the Yvonne S. Boice Box Office in the campus’ state-of-the-art Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center.
