Florida Sheriffs Association Awards Scholarships to Outstanding STEM Students
The Florida Sheriffs Association invests in the state of Florida each year by encouraging and rewarding bright, hard-working students whose parents work in a Florida sheriff’s office. Thanks to the partnership formed by the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) and the Motorola Solutions Foundation, ten high-achieving students will receive a college scholarship. Annually, the Motorola Solutions Foundation supports the efforts of the FSA by generously supporting their STEM scholarship for students pursuing a career in any STEM-related field (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math).
“This is a great way to support our law enforcement personnel,” said Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, President of the Florida Sheriffs Association. “These are fast growing fields and the need is there to support and educate our youth so they have an opportunity for a bright future.”
This program is open to any son or daughter of a full-time sheriff’s office employee, and to be considered, students must submit a five-page application and essay on why they are passionate about studying their STEM-related field. A committee of representatives from FSA reviewed these applications and essays, selecting ten of these students. The 2020 recipients of this scholarship are:
Danielle Cooner – University of Central Florida
Danielle is the daughter of Allison Bishop-Cooner, who currently works for Miami Dade Police Department as a Special Projects Administrator, and her father is retired Lieutenant Jim Cooner. Her first goal is to obtain a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Central Florida, School of Biomedical Science. The next steps will be graduate study at the Master’s and/or Doctorate level, with emphasis on biomedical research, epidemiology, and immunology.
Emily Diaz – Florida International University
Emily is the daughter of Deputy Sheriff Mike Diaz from Miami-Dade Police Department. Her goal is to attend medical school and become a pediatric cardiologist.
Maria Ellison – Florida International University
Maria is the daughter of Lieutenant Paul Ellison from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Her goal is to attend medical school and become a sports medicine doctor.
Stella Magloire – University of Central Florida
Stella is the daughter of Broward County Sheriff’s Office Deputy McMorris Magloire. Her goal is to graduate with a degree in engineering and would like to incorporate engineering to solve environmental issues.
Marissa Meyer – Davidson College
Marissa is the daughter of Miami-Dade Police Department Captain Joseph Meyer. Her goal is to earn a degree in biology and then attend medical school. Marissa would like to specialize in pediatrics.
Mackenzie Miller – University of South Florida
Mackenzie is the daughter of Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Nicole Boldin. Her goal is to study marine biology and to be a scientist for Florida Wildlife Conservation.
Daniel Padron – Florida Atlantic University
Daniel is the son of Broward County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Fernando Padron. His goal is to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and then go to medical school and become a neurosurgeon.
Nicholas Parisi – Florida State University
Nicholas is the son of Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Captain David Parisi. His goal is to study clinical psychology.
Hunter Reker – University of Central Florida
Hunter is the son of Miami-Dade Police Department Sergeant Timothy Reker. His goal is to study engineering and he has an interest in innovating and pioneering future military technologies.
Kaleb Starr – University of the Incarnate Word
Kaleb is the son of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office employee Kimberly Starr. He plans on attending medical school and focus on family medicine. Kaleb hopes to one day open up a primary care clinic in Florida.
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Florida Sheriffs Association:
The Florida Sheriffs Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation made up of the Sheriffs of Florida, approximately 3,500 business leaders and 90,000 citizens throughout the state. Founded in 1893, FSA has steadfastly served the citizens of Florida by supporting the needs of the state's law enforcement community. Through the Florida Sheriffs Association, Sheriffs are given a forum to address lawmakers to push for positive changes in Florida’s public safety arena. FSA also provides Sheriffs' Offices much-needed programs such as affordable training, special task forces and legislative and legal services. Dedicated to the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the development of lawful, productive citizens, FSA has established and funded the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches with facilities throughout the state to help restore hope, fulfill dreams, and prepare boys and girls for the future. It has grown to be one of the largest and most successful state law enforcement associations in the nation.