Michael's friends and family have rallied together to create the Michael Burke Foundation, an educational organization with the goal of providing opportunity for Iowa high school students.
It was Michael's dream to give back to the state he called home. He often spoke with family and friends about his desire to open doors for young Iowa kids, to give them a chance at higher education and broader experiences. Michael was a source of inspiration and an agent of change to those around him. The Michael Burke Foundation seeks to honor that spirit.
Each year, The Michael Burke Foundation will provide one high school senior the opportunity to attend the University of Iowa, Burke's alma mater. "Michael always believed in giving back. He believed in kids from Iowa and wanted to provide them the great opportunities that he was fortunate enough to have," says Bette Burke, Michael's mother.
The first-year goal of The Michael Burke Foundation is to provide a scholarship for one Central Lee High School senior. However, much like Michael himself, the Foundation has larger aspirations. In the years to come, the Foundation hopes to provide multiple scholarships and to expand the www.formichaelburke.com web site so it can serve as a valuable source of information for young college-bound students with online mentoring capabilities.