Postsecondary education is a transformational experience that opens a world of possibilities for students while investing in our region’s future. This year, I am pleased to announce that Gulf Coast Community Foundation awarded nearly $700,000 in scholarships from 63 scholarship funds. Providing educational opportunities for those in pursuit of greater knowledge and a brighter future is rewarding not only for students, but also for the donors and funders who have the privilege of administering scholarship funds.

With our younger son, Chase, starting his freshman year at the University of Cincinnati, and our oldest, Grant, completing his last year at the University of Virginia, Tami and I are newly minted empty nesters. This season of life brings a sense of gratitude for the opportunities provided to me as a student. I directly benefited from scholarships during my undergraduate career and understand their value. Scholarships, made through generous donors’ funds at Gulf Coast, have been a part of our history from the start. Many donors in our community have made and continue to make a profoundly positive impact on local students’ lives through diverse scholarship funds. 

If you don’t have a college-aged student in your life, you may not be aware of the changes made to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid this year. The FAFSA form is an application for federal student aid and is the largest source of financial aid for postsecondary education. The FASFA helps determine a student’s eligibility for federal grants, work-study funds and loans. Many schools and scholarship providers also use the FASFA to determine eligibility for student aid. This year, the changes made to the form were intended to streamline and simplify the process for students, but delays in opening the form and glitches in the system caused nationwide issues. 

Kristin Taylor, who manages our scholarship program, shared, “It was incredibly heartwarming to see communities rally around these current and future college students to find a way to make it all work. Much like the start of the class of 2024’s high school experience, with social distancing and cancellation of rites of passage, students’ final chapter was filled with obstacles to overcome. What many hoped would be a celebration of completion, soon became marked by concern over how to finance the next chapter of their lives due to the overhaul of the FAFSA application process. While designed to streamline the financial aid process in the future, new systems and procedures often come with a bit of a learning curve. Thankfully, colleges and universities, guidance and career counselors and scholarship providers went into overdrive to ensure these students had the support they needed to continue their path to success.” 

One of Gulf Coast’s 2024 scholarship recipients, Anastasiia Lezhanina, came to the U.S. from Ukraine in 2022 after being forced out of her family’s home due to the war. Anastasiia has a thirst for knowledge and an inherent drive to maximize the opportunities provided by an education and a fresh start in our country. She plans to find a job related to her major while studying at State College of Florida.

Anastasiia said, “Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s scholarship is more than just financial aid; it is a lifeline that brings hope to my dreams I once thought would never become a reality. This opportunity allows me now to pursue a degree that will prepare me for my future career. Ultimately, this scholarship serves as real-time proof that with support and determination, nothing is impossible in the United States."

Investing in a student’s future gives them the foundation to reach new heights. I will always be grateful to the families and institutions who provided the scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Cincinnati. I often reflect on how my experience at UC shaped the man, husband, father and professional I am today. There, I met my future wife and charted my career to focus on the greater good. Without scholarship support, none of it would have been possible.

Phillip P. Lanham is President and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation.  

Photo courtesy Gulf Coast Community Foundation: Anastasiia Lezhanina.

Combine experiential learning, a meaningful impact, peer support and performance reflection and you have improved a student’s retention of their learning material to nearly 75%. At State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, our goal is focused on learning outcomes that emphasize subject matter expertise and drive student graduation success.

Our Dental Hygiene associate in science program is one of many that demonstrates the excellence of combining student-centered learning with a community-centered approach. A dental hygiene clinic on the SCF Bradenton campus offers reduced-cost oral hygiene treatment in the region. It is an integral part of the hands-on training for our students. The clinic has 16 industry-current dental units for patient comfort and quality care. 

In addition, Dental Hygiene partners with SCF’s fellow A.S. programs, Radiology and Occupational Therapy Assistant, to host a “Healthy Smiles” event that offers free preventative dental care, including services such as dental exams, x-rays, sensory assessments, and fluoride treatments to children in grades K-12. Three recent events saw the clinic treating over 150 children, with parents and family members often returning for services at a later date. 

The public service event is coordinated by SCF’s Dental Hygiene Program Coordinator of Clinical Education, Shankisha “Kisha” Sizemore, also an alum of the program. She is dedicated to mentoring students one-to-one, working with faculty, teaching lecture courses to juniors and seniors, and expanding access to care for underserved populations in the region.

“Obtaining my degrees has opened many doors for me in my professional career,” Sizemore said. “I knew upon graduating from SCF’s dental hygiene program that I wanted to become a dental hygiene instructor and guide the next generation. Coming back and being an educator and clinical education coordinator at State College of Florida has been such a privilege.”

Kisha is not the only alum who’s returned to her alma mater to pay it forward and demonstrate its quality. Five additional hygienist program graduates, Erin Deckinga, Jill DeGuzman, Jennifer Giles, Melissa Manning and Stefany Zeunskes, volunteer for the free SCF community events. Melissa, Stefany, and Jill also serve as adjunct instructors for the program, inspiring future students and demonstrating the value of experiential learning, impact, peer support and performance reflection.

The excellence of SCF’s Dental Hygiene program and our faculty is reflected by its students who have consistently achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam each year.

To learn more about SCF or its dental hygiene program, visit SCF.edu or SCF.edu/dental-hygiene-clinic.

Tommy Gregory, J.D., is President of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. 

Photo courtesy State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.