Manatee Community Foundation is delighted to announce the 2024 Scholars Program scholarship awards. According to Simone Peterson, MCF’s community investment officer, 93 scholarships were granted this year, for a total of $223,063.40 awarded. Among the recipients,74 are Manatee County students, and 15 are Sarasota County students. Peterson explains that the program was launched in 1998 and provides graduating high school students from Manatee and Sarasota counties—and those already in college or an accredited trade school—with scholarships to attend accredited post-secondary education institutions. She says it’s funded by “generous donors who believe education lifts our community” and that a dedicated scholarship committee, comprised of MCF board members and community representatives, meticulously review all applications and select recipients. “This collaborative effort ensures that deserving students receive the financial support they need to pursue their academic goals,” says Peterson.

Natalia Urbanski is one of the proud recipients this year and a graduate of State College of Florida Collegiate School, SCF’s dual enrollment high school-to-college program. She is majoring in marketing at Florida Gulf Coast University and graduating this May. Urbanski says that receiving the MCF scholarship has allowed her to “avoid student debt and truly enjoy the college experience. The funds provided to me have taken the pressure off working excessive hours to cover my academic costs. Alejandro Peralta Jacome graduated from Sarasota High School and is attending Johns Hopkins University, with a major in neuroscience/pre-med. He notes that MCF’s scholarships have been instrumental in his academic journey by alleviating the financial burden of tuition and related expenses. Tremaine Rumph received his GED from the state of Florida and is attending State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota to obtain an associate in science degree. He thanks “everyone at Manatee Community Foundation who makes it possible for students like me to continue their education. The 2024 MCF Scholars Program opened on January 1, 2024, and closed on March 1, 2024. The next call for applications will be for those who are majoring in a vocational field, and will open on October 1, 2024, and close on November 1, 2024. The next call for applications for MCF’s general application cycle will open on January 1, 2025, and close on March 1, 2025. For more information about Manatee Community Foundation, visit www.ManateeCF.org.

To learn more, visit.