SWFLCF awards nearly half million dollars in scholarships

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 4, 2013) – The Southwest Florida Community Foundation recently granted 73 scholarships to local high school students and undergraduate and graduate students from Lee, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry and Collier counties.

During the 2013 scholarship season, nearly 700 applications were received from high school and college students in the five-county area the foundation serves.

According to Anne Douglas, director of programs for the foundation, a total of $266,800 was awarded in competitive scholarships and another $177,000 awarded in designated and outside committee scholarships, for a grand total of $443,800.

Community Foundation scholarships were awarded to high school seniors who will continue their education at the university, community college or vocational/technical school level, as well as to undergraduate and graduate students continuing a post-secondary education.

“Thanks to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, I am able to attend one of Florida’s top universities and focus on my education without having to worry about monetary needs,” said Layne Marshall, first-time scholarship recipient and recent graduate of Fort Myers High School. “The scholarship has encouraged me to believe in my future just as the donors of the Richard and Marion Thompson Memorial Scholarship have, and I hope to return my appreciation by utilizing my anticipated degree in our local community.”

Marshall will be attending the University of Florida this summer to study environmental science.

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation is celebrating its 36^th year of supporting the communities of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties by connecting donors and their philanthropic aspirations with evolving community needs. With assets of more than $69 million, the Community Foundation has provided more than $55 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves. During its 2012 fiscal year, the SWFLCF granted more than $3 million to more than 100 different organizations supporting education, animal welfare, arts and human services.

For more information, visit the Community Foundation’s website at www.floridacommunity.com or call 239-274-5900.

The complete list of recipients includes: