Educators and Alumni Lynn and Tony Arico Pass on Their Love of FAU

Tony and Lynn Arico

Lynn was from upstate New York and Tony from Brooklyn, but their paths converged when they came to Florida. They met while working at the former Britts store and discovered that they were both students at Florida Atlantic University. Lynn was an undergraduate in the College of Education and Tony a graduate student in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. They married, had a son, and made South Florida their home.

Lynn always knew she wanted to be a teacher. After graduating from FAU, her path took her to the brand new Taravella High School in Coral Springs. She went on to spend 22 years there. “My students were very dear to me,” Lynn said. Undoubtedly, she was very dear to them. Lynn served as the chair of the English department, girls’ swimming coach, yearbook advisor, Key Club advisor, and more.

Tony was fascinated by science but also loved music and played the piano. He chose biology as his major and music as his minor. After graduation he pursued a master’s in biology at FAU and originally planned to work for a pharmaceutical company. But his love of education brought him back to school. He invested 32 years at Piper High School and was named Broward County’s Teacher of the Year in 1989.

Lynn and Tony recently retired after long and distinguished teaching careers in our high schools. With their son a successful physician assistant in Chicago and the freedom (and desire) to travel, they decided it was time to update their wills.

Their love for FAU motivated Lynn and Tony to include a bequest to the FAU Foundation in their wills. A portion will support the College of Education and a portion will support the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, in recognition of their two distinct majors. Tony was the beneficiary of scholarships at FAU and appreciates the difference these gifts can make. And Lynn recalls the personal interest faculty took in their work. “You have a real talent for writing,” Professor Rice once told her. That was a turning point for Lynn. It propelled her in her studies. Both Lynn and Tony agree, “We had such rich experiences here, we would like to pass something on so that others can benefit from the FAU experience.”