FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 27, 2015) –The Southwest Florida Community Foundation recently granted 72 scholarships through a competitive process to local high-school students, and undergraduate and graduate students from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The remaining scholarships awarded were by outside committee and/or designated by school.
For the 2015 scholarship season, more than 1,200 eligible applications were received and reviewed by more than 100 volunteer reviewers. Approximately $518,375 in scholarship money was available through the Community Foundation scholarships this year.
“Thanks to the generous donors who established and continue to support scholarship funds, we are able to assist students entering college or training programs, and adults returning to school,” said Sarah Owen, president and CEO of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation.
Students were able to apply for multiple scholarships through the SWFLCF’s online portal, where the volunteer reviewers also logged on to review and score the scholarships based on the criteria set by the scholarship fund donor.
“We offer scholarships for vocational students and not just for attendance at colleges and universities,” said Owen. “As we work closer with the FutureMakers Coalition and our donors, we are able to shift the way scholarships are granted to better benefit the students’ ability to not only access schooling but to complete it.”
According to Owen, examples of some of the more unique scholarships not as highly sought after included scholarships for students with disabilities, student athletes, students pursuing a specific field of study such as teaching deaf or blind individuals, students with a specific church membership or number of community service hours in a particular facility such as a Veterans Hospital, adult students going back to school, students from particular schools or communities, and students pursuing a graduate or professional degree.
New scholarships this year included:
The Dorothy Curtis Brown Scholarship for a student interested in studying early-childhood education in an accredited college or university in Southwest Florida to obtain a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in early-childhood education.
The Norman Marcus Scholarship for a student who graduated from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry or Glades County and can demonstrate financial need. This scholarship is for four years or for such a time as will allow the student to complete a college or graduate degree.
The Former Graduate of Everglades City Scholarship provides high-school seniors who are full-time residents of Everglades City a scholarship renewable up to four years.
The Lee County Library Sciences Scholarship Fund for $1,250 will provide scholarships for Lee County residents pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in library science. Eligibility requirements call for the students to have completed at least 60 semester hours, have at least a ‘B’ average and be able to provide 120 hours of service, paid or unpaid, to Lee County Library System while pursuing the degree or immediately following degree completion.
As leaders, conveners, grant makers and concierges of philanthropy, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is a foundation built on community leadership with an inspired history of fostering regional change for the common good in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Community Foundation, founded in 1976, connects donors and their philanthropic aspirations with evolving community needs. With assets of more than $88 million, the Community Foundation has provided more than $61.2 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves. Last year, it granted more than $2.9 million to nonprofit organizations supporting education, animal welfare, arts, healthcare and human services. It granted $782,000 in nonprofit grants including more than $551,000 in regional community impact grants and additional $450,000 in scholarship grants.
For more information about the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.floridacommunity.com. To view a complete list of the scholarship recipients, visit http://floridacommunity.com/2015scholars/.
Scholarship Funds and 2015 Student Recipients:
American Association of University Women Sue Gottcent Memorial Scholarship Fund
for Lee County women who are enrolled in accredited programs of study at either two- or four-year accredited institutions. Preference to women 25 years old and older.
Recipients:
Andrea Bruno, Breckinridge School of Nursing at ITT Technical Institute
Ashley Snyder, NOVA Southeastern University
Anne M. Fassett Scholarship Fund
For post high-school educational opportunities at the college, community college or technical school level for men and women with a physical disability who use a wheelchair.
Recipient:
Ana Abarca, Florida Gulf Coast University
Anne Sturrock Nursing Scholarship Fund
For a student pursuing nursing who is a member, or a child of a member, of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Cape Coral.
Recipient:
Austin Maurer, Bishop Verot High School
Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce/Ralph A. Richardson Fund
For Estero High School graduates or high-school seniors or children of a current Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce member continuing their education at a college, university or vocational/technical school.
Recipients:
Ryan Lohan, Estero High School
Antonella Valencia, Estero High School
Carl E. Brooks Scholarship Fund
For college-bound students of one or more immigrant parents.
Recipients:
Sindee Daris, Barron Collier High School
Pangzhao Zhu, Clewiston High School
Carol Patti McLaughlin Scholarship Fund
For a student pursuing a four-year degree at an accredited college or university who has a 3.3 GPA or higher, demonstrates community service and is from Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades county.
Recipient:
Gharenn Alabre, Dunbar High School
Chet and Janett Perry Rotary Club of Fort Myers Scholarship Fund
For a student pursuing a career in accounting.
Recipient:
Gharenn Alabre, Dunbar High School
Chip Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund
For students who have completed 60 hours of college and plan to attend Barry University, Florida Gulf Coast University, NOVA Southeastern Universtiy, Florida SouthWestern State College or Hodges University.
Recipients:
Sheronia Garcia, Hodges University
Jeffrey St. Firmin, NOVA Southeastern University
Couse-Gram Scholarship Fund
For a Moore Haven Senior High School student pursuing post-secondary education.
Recipient:
Melany Williams, Moore Haven Senior High School
City of Sanibel Employee Dependent Scholarship Fund
For dependents of Sanibel City employees to attend a college or university.
Recipients:
Hayden Cummins, Florida Gulf Coast University
Allison Eicher, Florida SouthWestern State College
Connor Tomlinson, University of South Florida
James Dowling
Dakota Phillips
Alec Worth
Shane Worth
David G. Robinson Arts Scholarship Fund
For tuition for Lee County high-school seniors who plan to study the arts in an accredited school.
Recipient:
Monique Rice, Cypress Lake High School
Doc Keen Memorial Scholarship Fund
For a high-school student who was an active member of 4-H or FFA for two consecutive years and attended a Clewiston or LaBelle High School.
Recipients:
Rachel Creagh, Clewiston High School
Thomas Ryan Grant, Labelle High School
Drs. Ira and Udaya Dash Nursing Scholarship Fund
For a student studying nursing at Florida SouthWestern State College or Florida Gulf Coast University.
Recipient:
Judith Galindo, South Fort Myers High School
Doris W. Frey Memorial Scholarship Fund
For students studying Christian ministry/youth ministry, Christian counseling, nursing or medicine.
Recipients:
Dara Craig, Cypress Lake High School
Chidrine Frederic, Golden Gate High School
Jonathan Skaggs, Evangelical Christian High School
Dunbar Heritage Scholarship Fund
For a Dunbar High School graduate of African-American descent to pursue a bachelor’s degree at an accredited college.
Recipients:
Regine Cooper, Dunbar High School
Rodney Wallace, Dunbar High School
Edna & Felix Swain Scholarship Fund
For a student going to college who is a parishioner of Mount Olive Church.
Recipients:
Chayana Burnside
James C. Givens
Joshua Wilson,
Ellen Sheppard Scholarship Fund
For a Lee County high-school senior or a graduate currently enrolled in an accredited college or university pursuing a degree in art (specifically visual arts – painting, photography or sculpture) or nursing.
Recipient:
Lauren Sheppard, Florida SouthWestern State College
Faye Lynn Roberts Education Scholarship Fund
For women pursuing a career in technical studies, court reporting, computer training or nursing.
Recipient:
Lauren Sheppard, Florida SouthWestern State College
Former Everglades City High School Graduate Scholarship Fund
For a high-school graduate of Everglades City in Collier County who has at least a 3.0 GPA and plans to attend college full time.
Recipient:
Mark Houston Brown, Jr., Everglades City School
Francis Harris Gresham Scholarship Fund
For tuition for college-bound seniors from Lee County high schools.
Recipient:
Ian Sexton, Dunbar High School
Frances H. Waldron Scholarship Fund
For a high-school graduate of Immokalee High School in the current school year with a grade point average within the range of (and including) 3.2 to 3.4.
Recipient:
Junette Desrosier, Immokalee High School
G. Napier and Ellen T. Wilson Scholarship Fund
For an outstanding high-school student who has volunteered at a Veterans Administration Hospital, clinic or similar organization providing services to military veterans to attend an accredited university, college or vocational technical institution.
Recipient:
Ryan Pinosky, Barron Collier High School
George E. Judd Scholarship Fund
For tuition for graduating Lee County seniors pursuing higher education in the fine or performing arts.
Recipients:
Amy Alvarado, North Fort Myers High School
Monique Rice, Cypress Lake High School
Howard P. & Magdalen K. Breitenbach Scholarship Fund
For a needy student who was either a service member or is a child or grandchild of a service member who was in the United States Navy.
Recipients:
Eavan Donovan, Naples High School
Mia Raymond, Cape Coral High School
Andrew Salyer, North Fort Myers High School
Isabel Mayer Kirkpatrick Scholarship Fund
For tuition for Lee County high-school graduates with a ‘B’ average (3.0 to 3.7 GPA).
Recipient:
Amanda Duffy, Fort Myers High School
James Bilder Scholarship Fund
For Lee County high-school students to pursue higher education with preference given to students attending vocational/technical schools.
Recipients:
Regine Cooper, Dunbar High School
Katherine Jones, Ida S. Baker High School
Jordan Myers, Mariner High School
Jane H. Berktold Scholarship
For graduates of Lee County public high schools who are in need of financial assistance.
Recipients:
Melissa Boneta, Dunbar High School
Chelled Crespo, Dunbar High School
Yulixa Grullon, Riverdale High School
John & Ruth Childe Scholarship Fund
For a Lee County student with a physical disability to pursue higher education in a college, university or
technical school.
Recipient:
Maxwell Collier, Florida Gulf Coast University
James D. and Eleanor F. Newton Children’s Fund
For the winners of the Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair.
Recipients:
Caylee Hill, Port Charlotte Middle School
Mackenzie Robbins, Punta Gorda Middle School
John and Ellen Sheppard Humane Student Scholarship Fund
For high-school seniors with a belief in a universal creator of life and who are actively involved in school and student life with a commitment to help others through volunteer work in community, charitable or religious organizations.
Recipients:
Elizabeth Cerrina, Riverdale High School
Valerie Segebre, Port Charlotte High School
John I. & Madeleine R. Taeni Scholarship Fund
For students pursuing degrees in teaching, nursing, paramedic training or emergency medical technician training.
Recipients:
Yaimis Cruz, Florida Gulf Coast University
Kirstin Yallof, University of South Florida
John M. & Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship
For a four-year scholarship to students studying medicine, law, dentistry, teaching (math & science), ministry, engineering, accounting, agriculture, architecture or computer science.
Recipients:
Alec Bigness, Lemon Bay High School
Baurjan (Bobby) Dushanov, Fort Myers High School
Rebeca Gonzalez Jauregui, Ida S. Baker High School
Dave Siwarski, North Fort Myers High School
Jordan Abdo Memorial Scholarship Fund
For a North Fort Myers High School student athlete with a GPA of 3.0 to 3.5.
Recipient:
Ajda Muhamedagic, North Fort Myers High School
Judge Isaac Anderson, Jr. Scholarship Fund
For a Lee County high-school senior who can demonstrate financial need with a GPA of 3.0 and higher and has strong ties to the community through extracurricular activities, religious endeavors or community service.
Recipient:
Rodney Wallace, Dunbar High School
Judge William J. Nelson Scholarship Fund
For a high-school senior who will be attending the University of Florida.
Recipient:
Courtney Reed, Cape Coral High School
Julie Willard Mikell Fund
For a financially needy Lee County high-school senior to attend a two- or four-year regionally accredited college or university.
Recipient:
Analynn Stauffer, Oasis High School
Lee County Library Sciences Scholarship Fund
Beginning in the year 2015, this fund will provide scholarships for Lee County residents pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Library Science.
Recipient:
Aaron Blumberg, Florida State University
Lewis B. Barber Memorial Scholarship Fund
For students pursuing either of the following educational paths: 1) certification to teach the deaf and blind. 2) seminary or pre-seminary school to study church, Christian music or Christian education.
Recipient:
Meghan Mann, Port Charlotte High School
Love of Bonita Empowerment Scholarship Fund
For books, tuition, and/or course fees for Bonita Springs residents who have been out of school for at least two years to attend a college or technical school.
Recipient:
Daniel Tatak, FMIT
Mary Ann Elder Scholarship Fund
For a student who is entering or continuing a Master degree program in social work at an accredited university or college.
Recipient:
Carolyn Scullion, Florida State University
Matt Harmon Memorial Scholarship Fund
For books and tuition for college-bound baseball players.
Recipient:
Jesse Lighthall, Riverdale High School
Norman Marcus Scholarship Fund
For a student who is a high-school graduate from a high school in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry or Glades counties with at least a 3.0 GPA.
Recipient:
Evelyn Suarez, Oasis High School
Paul B. & Aline Flynn Scholarship Fund
For students pursuing a degree from a four-year accredited college in communications or journalism.
Recipients:
Matthew Cartland, Lemon Bay High School
Ballie Ward, Florida State University
Richard S. Thompson and Marion L. Thompson Memorial Fund
For Lee County students pursuing a post high school science education.
Recipients:
Leah Colucci, University of Miami
Spencer Ellis, Mariner High School
Shelbi Erp, University of South Florida
Alyssa Goldenhart, University of Florida
Varun Varshney, Canterbury School
Robert A. Kleckner Scholarship Fund
For a financially needy high-school, undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a career in finance or accounting.
Recipient:
Eavan Donovan, Naples High School
Robert B. and Dorothy Pence Scholarship Fund
For economically disadvantaged Lee County students to attend college or technical school.
Recipient:
Rodney Wallace, Dunbar High School
Robert C. & Margaret A. Schikora Scholarship Fund
For needy students who have previously graduated from high schools in Lee County to pursue post-secondary educational opportunities.
Recipient:
Jeffrey St. Firmin, NOVA Southeastern University
Ruth Messmer Scholarship Fund
For women pursuing a business career in college.
Recipient:
Emily Treasure, Port Charlotte High School
Sanibel Community Church Scholarship Fund: Next Generation Fund Trust
For a child or grandchild of a member of Sanibel Community Church.
Recipient:
Dara Craig, Cypress Lake High School
Southwest Florida Deputy Sheriffs Association Fund
For high-school students who are dependents of local law enforcement officers.
Recipients:
Erika Bishop, Gulf Coast High School
Brenda Qualls, Lehigh Senior High School