Verne Semprevivo is a 2025 Selby Scholar who took on her freshman year at University of West Florida with great enthusiasm. Pursuing a B.S. in Psychology (Honors minor, Work & Organizational Psychology certificate), she is off to a dynamic start! Verne agreed to...
Preparing to embark on a new professional career after graduation, Selby Scholar Salud Villafuerte took the time to tell us about his college experience, what he found most meaningful, and what he recommends for students entering college. As a University of South...
Selby Scholars are outstanding students graduating from high school in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, or Sarasota County who exhibit academic preparedness, academic rigor, resilience, resourcefulness, and grit. In 2026, a record number of DeSoto County students submitted...
Dr. Essence Deming-Rivers, PsyD is a psychologist with a knack for working with people in an easy, approachable style that resonates with our Selby Scholars. She has provided organization tools to build their time management strategies and offered practical approaches...
Dedicated volunteers drive our Selby Scholarship selections every Spring, paving the way for a new group of 40 students to receive invaluable financial and human support through college. Every member dedicates hours of time at home and in our office with a focus on...
When out in the community, it’s always exciting to our staff and board members to be approached by someone who says, “I was a Selby Scholar!” After Tiger Bay Sarasota graciously hosted a panel of foundation leaders in February, we heard from 2007...
