The Defense Acquisition University Alumni Association Jacksonville Florida Chapter recently awarded scholarships totaling $13,000 to 12 St. Johns and Clay county high school graduates.
The scholarship winners were treated to a Saturday game at the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp where the scholarship winners plus their families enjoyed an evening of baseball. The association’s board of directors and the major business and community scholarship sponsors also attended.
This year’s winners were Lauren Kurlowitz from Ponte Vedra High School, who will attend the University of Florida; Simone Wannamaker from Stanton College Prep, who will attend Florida State University; Chloe Spencer from Fleming Island High, who will attend Ohio Valley University in West Virginia; Mason Romero from Ponte Vedra High, who will attend Santa Fe College over the summer and then the University of Florida; Brooklyn Potter from Creekside High, who will attend the University of South Florida; Madison Wong from Fleming Island, who will attend the University of Central Florida; David Gapinski from Creekside, who will attend the Georgia Institute of Technology; Madalyn Moore from St. Augustine High, who will attend Central Florida; Tyler Reimer from Fleming Island, who will attend Florida State; Alexandra Diaz from Nease High, who will attend Central Florida; Allison Korahais from St. John’s Country Day School, who will attend the University of Florida; and Brandon Kaman from Pedro Menendez High, who will attend Florida State.
The association’s Jacksonville chapter was established in 2005 and has awarded more than $78,000 in scholarships since its inception. The drive behind the scholarship program was from Elizabeth Nealin, who is on the chapter’s board of directors. The purpose is to invest in high school graduates within Northeast Florida with the goal of improving the future workforce.
There are different types of scholarships that can be applied for: STEM, Business and Leadership, Patriot (parents/guardians are active-duty military), Founders (new scholarship offered the first time this year and awarded to Madalyn Moore) and the Elizabeth Nealin STEM scholarships. Each scholarship is for $1,000 except the Founders, which is $2,000.
The Jacksonville chapter partners with the local businesses and community for the funds to award the scholarships.
Those major scholarship sponsors are Andromeda Systems, Orange Park Mall, Tillman Foundation, Thomas University, Orange Park Rotary Sunrise, NMCRS Jacksonville, USO Greater Jacksonville, First Command Financial, Tory Hamlin Allstate, Select Health and Wellness, Tony Conard, Herron Real Estate, Subaru Jax, Brooks Rehab, A10 Auto Detailing, Crunch Fitness, Signature Consultants, Anderson Trade Group, Caldwell Bankers Cares, BestBet, Quimby Law, Ron McCann State Farm, JAX Jumbo Shrimp, Fields Cadillac and Dez Combs Real Estate.
Scholarships are given out as joint scholarships between Jacksonville chapter and the major scholarship sponsor.
The scholarship awards are based on grades, school and community activities and a written essay. This year’s selection board involved application reviews from about half of the major scholarship sponsors and the majority of the Jacksonville chapter board of directors.
Scholarship applications are online at the chapter website at www.dauaajax.org or by contacting Chapter President Duane Mallicoat at duanemalli@comcast.net or via cell at (301) 769-8206.
The chapter will have the 2022 scholarship application link on the website by September, and the date for submitting is May 20. Plans are to increase the number of scholarships awarded in 2022 to 20.
