Ex-CEO hosts teen program to lift ‘disadvantaged’ into ‘mainstream’

Valley high school students learn to set and reach goals through the Fleischer Scholars summer program sponsored by one of Arizona's most successful entrepreneurs, Mort Fleischer.

Retired real estate financier Mort Fleischer says "we're onto something" when talking about the Fleischer Scholars program, the week-long residential experience he funds with wife Donna (BS Environmental Resources in Agriculture'75). The program introduces economically disadvantaged high school juniors to college and the world of business.

The Fleischers also donated the "Spirit" sculpture marking the entrance to the W. P. Carey School. Mort says the economic opportunities that abound in America allowed him to build his business, and the couple's philanthropy is helping to make those opportunities possible for future generations. "We will never achieve the American dream until we figure out how to get those people who are less privileged economically into the mainstream of this country," he says.

The Fleischers' formula is working. Just seven years in, the program already has alumni who have achieved spectacular success.

"Now we just have to figure out how to make it bigger and better," he says.

In this azcentral.com post on June 27, 2017:

"Maybe you have low self-esteem, and maybe you feel disadvantaged," said Fleischer, who serves as chairman of Store Capital Corp., one of Arizona's most profitable companies. "But you live in America and can get where you want to go."

"I became determined to go to college," said Josh Elizetxe (BS Computer Information Systems '13), who attended the program seven years ago as a student at Alhambra High School in Phoenix. "You can either make excuses or you can make a plan," the successful 24-year-old entrepreneur told the group.

Learn more about the Fleischer Scholars program.