174 scholarships awarded through 91 scholarship funds for high school seniors, undergraduate, graduate students and adult learners.
Collaboratory recently granted $1,257,470 and 174 scholarships to local high school seniors, undergraduate, graduate students and adult learners from Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. This year, Collaboratory awarded 31 of the scholarships as multi-year awards which will continue to help the students each year towards completion.
“This scholarship season we had 1,034 applications submitted, which is a 55.9 percent increase from the previous year,” said Dr. Harrison Knight, scholarship committee chair and Collaboratory Board of Directors member. “This demonstrates the high need in our community for continued scholarships towards postsecondary education.”
“Students faced challenges with completing the 24-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this year. The uncertainty of not knowing their aid eligibility due to the delays along with the collaborative efforts through FutureMakers Coalition the networks it has in place have contributed to this increase,” said Crystal Maldonado, Collaboratory scholarship coordinator.
FutureMakers Coalition is a collective impact initiative working along the cradle-to-career pathway to create a skilled and sustainable workforce pipeline. The coalition aims to transform Southwest Florida’s workforce by increasing the proportion of working-age adults with college degrees, workforce certificates, industry certifications and other high-quality credentials to 55 percent by 2025.
Over 200 volunteers participated in the application review process.
“We have some amazing students in our local community and reviewers enjoy reading their stories and gaining insight about the big dreams they hope to accomplish,” said Dr. Knight.
Collaboratory is committed to making their scholarship application accessible to all students regardless of circumstances and abilities. Some examples of the scholarships available through Collaboratory are based on community service, academics, fields of study, athletics, or even students that are attending or attended a particular school.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect throughout the scholarship application process and was very excited when I received a scholarship to help me pay for a portion of my tuition, books, and school expenses,” said Joseph McElwee graduate of Gateway High School and recipient of the Patricia Means Scholarship and Lewis B. Barber Scholarship. McElwee plans to study Ministerial Leadership at Southeastern University.
Another scholarship recipient, Wanayja Davis, when asked what advice she would give other students about applying for scholarships said, “Don’t give up on applying for scholarships and try your hardest.”
Davis is a graduate of Dunbar High School and plans to study nursing at Bethune-Cookman University. She was awarded the Patricia Means Scholarship, which is a four-year scholarship that will help her with paying for college and improving her educational opportunities.
If you are interested in becoming a scholarship reviewer next year or contributing to or starting a scholarship fund, contact Collaboratory at scholarships@collaboratory.org or call 239-274-5900.
The complete list of scholarship winners includes:
Tomika Breese, AAUW Sue Gottcent Memorial Scholarship
Brooke Ordetx, Alli D. Brett Scholarship for Nursing
Jennifer Vidal-Reyes , Anne M. Fassett Scholarship
Cristobal Molina-Bays, Barbara’s Friends Scholarship
Shaina Petit-Homme, Barbara’s Friends Scholarship
Wilkens Sylfroid, Barbara’s Friends Scholarship
Mariangel Ramirez, Bruce T. Gora Scholarship
Gabriella Andrews, Building Futures Scholarship
Nicholas Cerabona, Building Futures Scholarship
Joseph Denoy, Building Futures Scholarship
Jensen Diggs, Building Futures Scholarship
Joshua Diggs, Building Futures Scholarship
Dalton Clemens, Building Futures Scholarship
Aliz Lopez, Building Futures Scholarship
Samantha Degen, Building Futures Scholarship
Zach Goldstein, Building Futures Scholarship
Elizabeth Keijl, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship
Alexa Ancheta , Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship
Veronica Varona, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship
Giselle Leon, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship
Gabriel Wright, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship
Alison Calle, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship and Anne Sturrock Nursing Scholarship
Eyahna Pemberton, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship and Jane Berktold Scholarship
Jaelle Rodriguez, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship and John and Ellen Sheppard Humane Scholarship
Dalianys Lachel Hernandez, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship and John M. & Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship
Riley McFarland, Cape Coral Mayor’s Scholarship and Richard S. Thompson & Marion L. Thompson Memorial Scholarship
Fatima Nucamendi-Resendiz, Carl E. Brooks Scholarship and Gail Markham Believing in Girls Scholarship
Preston Ebenger, Chet & Janett Perry Rotary Club of Fort Myers Scholarship
Maria Belen Findley, Chip Johnson Memorial Scholarship
Miguel Guerrero, Chip Johnson Memorial Scholarship
Joanna Torres, Chip Johnson Memorial Scholarship
Rhiana Morgan, Cyan’s Bright Light Scholarship
Julia Ton Nu, D & A Scholarship Fund and Ruth Messmer Scholarship
Taylor Mayberry, David C. Barton Scholarship
Jordan Walker, David G. Robinson Fund for the Arts
Luke Llossas, Doc Keen Memorial Scholarship
Tiffany Cox, Doctors Ira & Udaya Dash Nursing Scholarship
Ginelle Ulysse, Doris W. Frey Scholarship
Jalis Rodriguez, Doris W. Frey Scholarship
Talor Peart, Doris W. Frey Scholarship and Frances Harris Gresham Scholarship
Natalie Aguirre, Dorothy Curtis Brown Scholarship in memory of Ann Nutt
Tenger Ladi, Dr. Janet Marderness Scholarship
Travaja Duncan, Dunbar Heritage Scholarship
Jaylon Christmas, Dunbar Heritage Scholarship
Raven Gadson, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
Ryan Gadson, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
Nicolas Hodge, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
James C. Givens, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
Ny’Teria Grant, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
Chinara McCarter, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
Jania Sparrow, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
Shriell Warren, Edna and Felix Swain Scholarship
Brittany Jarvis, Ellen Sheppard Scholarship
Stephanie Bergeron, Faye Lynn Roberts Scholarship
Jazmin Ajtun-Martinez, Frances H. Waldron Scholarship
Trinity Hewitt, G. Napier and Ellen T. Wilson Scholarship
Marianna Young, George E. Judd Scholarship
Caroline Evans, George E. Judd Scholarship
Nicole Nelson, George E. Judd Scholarship
Taylor Copeland, George E. Judd Scholarship
Emerson Antunes Black, George E. Judd Scholarship
Lily O’Neill, George E. Judd Scholarship
Alondra Malave, George E. Judd Scholarship
Esteban Nunez, George E. Judd Scholarship
Mali Dennis, George E. Judd Scholarship
Grace Novak, George E. Judd Scholarship
Melia Brockington, George E. Judd Scholarship
Jennifer Cedeno, George E. Judd Scholarship and Gems that Dream Scholarship
Yadhira Zaragoza, Gerard C. Mehr Scholarship
Janet Barraza-Morales, Herbert E. Hussey Scholarship
Emerson Adams, Howard P. & Magdalen K. Breitenbach Scholarship
Gunter Harrison Bauer, Howard P. & Magdalen K. Breitenbach Scholarship
Kevin Augutis, Howard P. & Magdalen K. Breitenbach Scholarship
Adriana Pascual, Immokalee Achievement Award
Jayce Elcorrobarrutia, Isabel Mayer Kirkpatrick Scholarship
Alejandro Salazar, James Bilder Scholarship
Dhira Sharma, James D. & Eleanor F. Newton Children’s Scholarship
Alyssa Liu, James D. & Eleanor F. Newton Children’s Scholarship
Andrew Sareh, James D. & Eleanor F. Newton Children’s Scholarship
Solange Gonzalez, Jane Berktold Scholarship
Hailey Jacob, Jane Berktold Scholarship, Carl E. Brooks Scholarship, and John and Ellen Sheppard Humane Scholarship
Ireanna Reyes, Jerome L. King Scholarship for Careers in Healthcare
Ashley Louis, Jerome L. King Scholarship for Careers in Healthcare
Emily Cruz, Joanne Vorhees Scholarship
Morgan Boucher, John & Ruth Childe Scholarship
Megan Price, John I. and Madeleine R. Taeni Scholarship
Kylee Lange, John M. & Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship
Benjamin Hall, John M. & Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship
Zellistyne Zoie Gregorio, John M. & Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship
Alyssa Revilla- Norris, John M. & Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship and Carol Patti McLaughlin Scholarship
Lia Capote, John M. & Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship and James Bilder Scholarship
Isabella Gibson, Jordan Abdo Memorial Scholarship
Kaylee Grutchfield, Jordan Ashley Gutheim Scholarship
Deanna Wells, Judge Isaac Anderson Scholarship
Brianna Madore, Judge William J. Nelson Scholarship
Kaia Miller, Judith Ann Zimomra Scholarship
Analise Gingerich, Judith Ann Zimomra Scholarship
Caroline Dillon, Judith Ann Zimomra Scholarship
Vianka Ramirez, Julie Willard Mikell Scholarship
Matthew Ortiz, LEAD Estero Camp Scholarship
Fredly Osias, LEAD Estero Camp Scholarship
Akshar Patel, LEAD Estero Camp Scholarship
John (Trey) Ramsey, LEAD Estero Camp Scholarship
Matthew Stevens, LEAD Estero Camp Scholarship
Sophie Perkins, LEAD Estero Founders Scholarship
Rolando Escandon, LEAD Estero Nick Batos Scholarship
Emily Salas, LEAD Estero Sandra Kauanui Scholarship
Jessica Brown, LEAD Estero Topper Family Scholarship
Benjamin Manekin, Linda L. Mann Scholarship Fund for Music
Nancy Guerrero Martinez, Lloyd and Shirley Matthai Scholarship
Hellen Goecke, Love of Bonita Empowerment Scholarship
Kaci Barber, Mary Ann Elder Scholarship
Camden Lucas, Matt Harmon Memorial Scholarship
Emma Zarate, Mrs. Cathy Riedel Scholarship
Lydia Deleon-Tojin, O. Fred and Bernadine Stuefer Scholarship
WaNayja Davis, Patricia Means Scholarship
Luna Del Pino, Patricia Means Scholarship
Abigail Rivero, Patricia Means Scholarship
Irany Luis-Gomez, Patricia Means Scholarship
Joseph McElwee, Patricia Means Scholarship and Lewis B. Barber Scholarship
Ava Binkowski, Paul B. & Aline Flynn Scholarship
Corris McIntosh III, Paul B. & Aline Flynn Scholarship
Gennifer Rhodes, Quality Life Center- Emma Lee Thomas Memorial Scholarship
Heiress Watkins, Quality Life Center- Emma Lee Thomas Memorial Scholarship
Riley Alexander, Richard S. Thompson & Marion L. Thompson Memorial Scholarship
Genevieve Bailey, Richard S. Thompson & Marion L. Thompson Memorial Scholarship
Kate More, Richard S. Thompson & Marion L. Thompson Memorial Scholarship
Jordan Brown, Richard S. Thompson & Marion L. Thompson Memorial Scholarship
Annika Stafford, Richard S. Thompson & Marion L. Thompson Memorial Scholarship and SWFL Inc.- Ralph A. Richardson Chamber Scholarship
Daniel Scruggs, Robert A. Kleckner Scholarship
Brooklyn Gossett, Robert B. & Dorothy Pence Scholarship
Rae Fernandez, Robert C. & Margaret A. Schikora Scholarship
Jianna Senkelski, Sanibel Community Church Scholarship
Enrique Aparicio, Southwest Florida Inc.- Ralph A. Richardson Chamber Scholarship
Grace Harvey, SWFL Deputy Sheriffs Association Scholarship
Liam Hughes, SWFL Deputy Sheriffs Association Scholarship
Joshua Garton, The Ricky Pigott Memorial Scholarship
Alexander Dingerson, The Ricky Pigott Memorial Scholarship
Eric Avin, Tommy Bohanon Foundation Scholarship
Kayla Hopkins, Tommy Bohanon Foundation Scholarship
Kyra Ritter, Tommy Bohanon Foundation Scholarship
Anya Mencarelli, USMC Cpl. Thomas J. Jardas Memorial Scholarship
Hailey Upchurch, William L. Graddy Law School Scholarship
ABOUT COLLABORATORY
Collaboratory is committed to coordinating the solving of all of Southwest Florida’s social problems on an 18-year deadline including homelessness, poverty, mental illness, racism, illiteracy and more. We plan to do this with the entire community working together including people of all ages, colors, beliefs and imaginations across all five counties. We’re committed to coordinating all of this on a massive scale, in the way NASA coordinated the hundreds of thousands of businesses, universities, institutions and people to get us to the moon in nine years. We’re not oblivious to people saying this is ridiculous, insane and crazy but we’re driven by the inspiration of all those great figures in history who have come before us to achieve things no one ever thought remotely possible. Steve Jobs’ observation sums it up for us: “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” We’re building the largest, most democratized living laboratory for community problem-solving in history.
Collaboratory was founded in 1976 as the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. It has made over $100 million in grants since then and is home to more than 650 philanthropic funds. It is upon that legacy of a commitment to community we plan to fulfill on that mission at the level of its greatest expression. As Collaboratory, we will finish what we started.
To learn more and get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.collaboratory.org.
Contact: Melinda Isley, APR, m.creativepr, cell: 239-565-1630, melinda@mcreativepr.com
