Released on November 7, 2024

At UCF’s College of Nursing annual scholarship event, 140 nursing students received much-needed financial support thanks to the generosity of many donors and the philanthropy of Pegasus Partners AdventHealth and Orlando Health.

Two UCF College of Nursing students hold a sign that says Knight Nurses Thank You in front a UCF banner

“These scholarships have given me the freedom to excel in my studies and also participate in student organizations,” says Joshua Haren, a traditional BSN student at UCF.

Joshua is one of 140 outstanding UCF College of Nursing students who are reaching for the stars and were recognized at last night’s annual scholarship event which brings together students and their donors.

L to R: DNP student and scholarship recipient Monique Kelsey-Prince with Veronica Sampayo ’13BSN

“I love that UCF’s College of Nursing hosts these events where scholarship donors get to meet and create a relationship with their scholarship recipient,” says Veronica Sampayo ’13BSN who established the Clinician Life Scholarship in Support of Hispanic Nurse Practitioners in 2022.

Thanks to the generosity of donors and the power of philanthropy from community partners, this past year UCF’s College of Nursing awarded more than $350,000 in scholarships to nursing students across three Central Florida campuses and across undergraduate and graduate programs.

Among the scholarships awarded are 40 from two new programs created by Pegasus Partners AdventHealth and Orlando Health, including matching funds from the State of Florida LINE Fund. Each partner’s scholars program supports 20 senior undergraduate nursing students annually. In addition, those students have the opportunity to conduct clinicals at the partner organization.

Haren, who began his career at AdventHealth as a dietary aid and was inspired to make a difference in the lives of patients as a nurse, is a 2024 recipient of the AdventHealth Scholars Program and the Gabriela Grace Endowed Memorial Scholarship.

“I would like to thank my friends at AdventHealth for teaching me that my work can make a difference; I would like to thank my professors at the College of Nursing for giving me the skills I need to save lives, and I am especially grateful for these scholarships,” says Haren.

Stephanie Defreitas, an accelerated second degree BSN student, is a 2024 recipient of the Orlando Health Scholars Program and Helene Fuld Health Trust Scholarship. “I am so grateful to be a part of the accelerated UCF BSN program and even more so, I am happy to have been a recipient of these scholarships,” says Defreitas. “I am very grateful for Orlando Health’s promotion of the next generation of nurses.”

In addition, seven new scholarships were established during the 2023-2024 academic year to support nursing students:

  • Gabriela Grace Endowed Memorial Scholarship established by Michael Pazmino ’09 and Tabitha V. Pazmino ’11 who lost their daughter, Gabriela Grace, at one week old and wanted to support nursing students with a passion for neonatal intensive care unit nursing.
  • Chrioni E. Lenertz Memorial Endowed Scholarship established by Colleen McLarnon in memory of her daughter, Chrioni, a UCF graduate student who passed away from breast cancer in July 2021.
  • Ashleigh Victoria Munro Memorial Endowed Scholarship established by parents Cynthia J. Munro and John B. Munro III in memory of their daughter, Ashleigh Victoria Munro ’16BSN, who was tragically killed in a car accident one year after graduation.
  • Jerry and Susan Roth Endowed Scholarship established by Jerry Roth ’09 and Susan Roth to support nursing students with tuition and educational expenses.
  • Ernest and Virginia Sage Endowed Scholarship established by Dr. Alexander and Mrs. Melinda Cartwright in honor of Mrs. Cartwright’s parents.
  • Casey Smith Endowed Nursing Scholarship established by proud Knight Nurse parents Carla J. Smith and Kevin K. Smith in honor of their daughter, Casey Smith ’23BSN.
  • Jayne Willis Nursing Leadership Endowed Scholarship established by faculty member and nurse leader Jayne Willis ’20DNP to support students who are committed to contributing to the profession of nursing as future nursing leaders.

Scholarships are a funding priority at UCF’s College of Nursing and critical to student success as many nursing students are not able to work during the program due to the rigorous curriculum.

“I am so thankful for the opportunity to receive this scholarship,” says Nia Newland, a traditional BSN student and 2024 recipient of the Light the Way Endowed Scholarship. “It’s not going to be wasted and it’s not something that I would ever take for granted because I know that somebody saw what I had to say about my life and they said she’s worth it.”

Even with the new scholarships, there is still more than $7.6M in unmet scholarship need. Learn how you can help.

Large group of UCF nursing students inside a ballroom for the 2024 UCF College of Nursing Scholarship Dinner
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