The Founders Fund Awards Scholarships to 34 Collier County Students
College scholarships were awarded to 34 Collier County students by The Founders Fund during an annual ice cream social held on April 26.
The Founders Fund, a local non-profit organization, awarded $340,000 in renewable scholarships to local students during their annual reception which honors scholarship recipients and their families. Each student will receive $2,500 per year for up to four years so long as they maintain a 3.0 average.
An additional one-year scholarship named the Thomas Davenport Scholarship was given to three students who distinguished themselves by extraordinary achievements in the face of challenging circumstances.
Each year, scholarships are awarded to Collier County students seeking financial assistance to pursue a higher education. The scholarships are non-restrictive and are given to help students with college and post high-school educational expenses. Students receive the renewable scholarships with the agreement they are a full-time student and maintain a B average or better in their college studies.
With the addition of this year’s 34 students, the total number of students receiving Founders Fund scholarships this coming year will be 101 This year, the scholarship award amount was increased from $2000 to $2500 per year along with the number of students awarded scholarships increasing from an average of 25 each year to 34.
“The Founders Fund is proud to award 34 students graduating from Collier County High Schools with college scholarships, which will help these young people fulfill their dreams of a college education,” says Rob McNaghten, Founders Fund board president. “Many thanks to the members of Club Pelican Bay and many local businesses providing the financial support making the scholarships a reality.”
The commitment and annual budget needed to distribute scholarships is approximately $200,000 each year. Funds needed to grant the scholarships are raised through a fundraising golf event held every other year, donations from Club members, and the generous support of local business sponsors.
The Founders Fund, founded in 1991 by Club Pelican Bay golf members, is a non-profit/tax-exempt charitable organization and since its inception, over 650 students have been awarded more than $3.6 million in scholarships.
2018 Scholarship Recipients:
Barron Collier High School: Sara Cardona, Eduardo Lube-Castillo
Golden Gate High School: Thais Martinez, Fridson Janvier, Gregorio Ruiz Perez, Alexandra Rogers, Ashley Leos
Gulf Coast High School: Miguel Alejandro Garcia-Portela, Marcos Damian-Noyola
Immokalee High School: Katelyn Scott, Jennifer Herrera, Galilea Pedraza, Mardochee Bellevue, Melissa Hernandez-Rios, Melissa Ruiz Hernandez
Lely High School: Jordan Vann, Hakeem Durity
Lorenzo Walker: Raymond Martinez, Jasmine Mejia, Daniella Castro, Rachelle Cavero, Isabel Hernandez-Marquez
Naples High School: Elizabeth Bird, Angela Cloonan, Abril Lopez Ochoa, Dimas Herrera,Gerardo Rodriguez, Ethan Shaw
Palmetto Ridge High School: Rachel Pena, Adrian Atiles, Natalie Chaviano
St. John Newman: Christopher Kimble, Ari Herrera
The Club Pelican Bay: Taylor Mangan
The scholarship fund, originally set up to help the children of the Club Pelican Bay employees, has expanded over the years to include Collier County high schools. Employees of the Club Pelican Bay and their families are also eligible for scholarships.
For more information about scholarships or sponsorships, contact Stacy Lee-Williams at 239-593-0124 or visit www.thefoundersfundinc.org.
