West Palm Beach, FL – The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is pleased to announce the results of its 2023 college scholarship program. The Community Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that leads partnerships with donors, nonprofits and community members to solve the region’s chronic and emerging civic and social issues. This year, the organization awarded 116 scholarships, totaling more than $1.2 million, to recent high school graduates enrolling in college in 2023. The average award for each scholarship was $10,000.
“This year’s Scholarship Committee had the great opportunity to review a plethora of scholarship applications from many deserving, and impressive students in our community,” said Lisa Morgan, outgoing chair of the Community Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. “We are pleased to report that one-third of the scholarship recipients will be the first generation in their families to attend college, and 88% graduated with a Grade Point Average of 3.5 or higher.”
Since 1985, the Community Foundation has offered both need- and merit-based scholarships with an aim to increase access to higher education and decrease the burden of debt for our area’s aspiring college students. More than $16.8 million in scholarships have been bestowed to date, for a total of nearly 2,700 awards. The Community Foundation currently hosts 128 scholarship funds set up by donors, each of whom details the criteria for the recipients. All students residing in Palm Beach and Martin Counties are eligible.
“Scholarships and community impact grantmaking are at the core of what the Community Foundation does,” said Joanne Julien, MD, incoming chair of the Scholarship Committee. “With nearly 700 students applying for scholarships this year alone, we can see that the need for financial support continues to grow in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. We are proud to award 116 scholarships this year, but we know our work is not done.”
“We endeavor to make a real difference in our community by offering financial support to deserving young people who have demonstrated their dedication to education and will benefit most from the funding we offer,” said Danita R. DeHaney, president & CEO. “These deserving students have proven that, with a little extra support, they can absolutely reach their true potential in college and beyond.”
To learn more about the scholarship program and process, please visit https://yourcommunityfoundation.org/about-scholarships/.
