Selby Foundation Board Chair Susan Hines (left) with 2025 Selby Scholar Michael Barry and Board Vice Chair Barbara Zdravecky. Michael overhauled a student clothes closet at Riverview High School to serve students with clothing, toiletries, and snacks. He will attend the Honors College at USF and major in Finance, hoping to one day start his own nonprofit supporting people who are under-resourced.
At a spirited reception on May 12, 2025, a new class of Selby Scholars was celebrated with William G. and Marie Selby Foundation staff, board members, Selection Committee members, and students’ loved ones. Senior Scholarships Manager Kiarra Womack welcomed Scholars to the Selby Foundation family. In all of their seasons in college and beyond, we will be here to cheer them on.
Each Scholar is deeply committed to academics and their positive relationship to the world, pursuing higher education to advance themselves and their community.
What an exciting way to kick off our 70th year!
Our 45 new Selby Scholars are extraordinary students, eligible for up to four years of renewable scholarships.
Students plan to pursue careers in law, nursing, business administration, architecture, marine biology, engineering, education, and computer science–among other disciplines.
Colleges of choice for 2025 Scholars include Florida State University, Florida Southern College, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of South Florida, and Stetson University, in addition to out-of-state choices including Davidson College, Elon University, and Lafayette College.
The Selby Foundation scholarship program provides last dollar college funding to students graduating from high schools in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. This model helps us support an individual student’s remaining need. Many Scholars are the first in their families to attend college.
Throughout their college experience, Selby Scholars have access to special opportunities such as student-designed activities to connect and share their experiences; mentor matching with a professional in their desired field of study; and learning sessions in requested areas such as mental health, financial literacy, and time management to help them succeed.
Congratulations to all of the 2025 Selby Scholars!
- Sofia Aguilar | Florida Gulf Coast University | Nursing
- Isabelle Bain | University of Central Florida | Biology
- Michael Barry | University of South Florida | Finance
- Alexia Batista | University of South Florida | Biomedical Sciences
- Edgar Bautista | University of Florida | Electrical Engineering
- Eva Brock | University of Central Florida | Business
- Sandy Bruce | University of Central Florida | Nursing
- Natalie Bryja | University of Florida | Biology
- Andrea Celis Cruz | University of South Florida | Chemistry
- Isabella Cicala | University of Central Florida | Forensic Science
- Kaeley Conrad | Florida State University | Biology and Statistics
- Jessica Cruz-Urbano | Stetson University | International Studies
- Ghita Di Nota | Florida International University | International Relations
- Rachel Duerto | Midland College | Business Administration
- Sofiia Egorova | University of Florida | Architecture
- Skylar Gibson | University of Florida | Biology
- Zachary Gilchrest | University of West Florida | Marine Biology
- Eva Gressley | Florida State University | Biomedical Engineering
- Vivian Heimgartner | Florida State University | Criminology
- Luz Hernandez-Casimiro | University of North Florida | Nursing
- Alan Hernandez-Valdez | Lafayette College | Mechanical Engineering
- Layla Hines | Stetson University | Biology
- Hope Hirtzel | University of Florida | English
- Gracie Jean-Charles | Florida State University| Biological Sciences
- Karina Martinez-Hernandez | University of San Diego | Undecided
- Rachel Mintz | Florida State University | Political Science
- Brandon Moore | Florida State University | Public Health; Nursing
- Ezra Moreno | Florida State University | Nursing
- Agatha Nascimento | Elon University | English
- Travis Novak | Florida State University | History; Business
- Arianna Perez | Florida State University | Biomedical Sciences
- Julio Perez | University of Florida | Computer Science
- Tamen Prada | Florida Southern College | Nursing
- Macyn Rawlinson | University of South Florida | Biology
- Joseph Rosales | Stetson University | History
- Uli Saetre | University of Florida | Material Engineering
- Juan Sanabria | University of South Florida | Environmental Engineering
- Verne Semprevivo | University of West Florida | Psychology
- Jose Serrano-Sierra | University of Florida | Computer Engineering
- John Sweeney | Florida State University | Finance
- Charlotte Taylor | Davidson College | Biology
- Isel Vela-Herrera | Florida State University | Nursing
- Taylor Velardi | Florida State University | Marketing
- Daniel Villa | University of Central Florida | Marketing; Finance
- Shandrea Williams | Florida International University | Health Sciences