Scholarship Committee Report to the Membership – May 2026

Joe Scheffey

We are pleased to wrap up another highly successful scholarship year. On behalf of the Committee, I want to thank our Club members and generous donors who make this program possible. Special appreciation goes to the Salute to Veterans program, which continues to provide the primary funding for our scholarships.

I also extend sincere thanks to our dedicated Committee members: Russell Tuff, Mike Nadolski, Erick Carter, Mike Lyster, Ed Thompson, Reg Buxton, and Dr. JB Holmes.

2026 Scholarship Awards This year we received 12 applications from four local high schools. After interviewing five finalists, we are awarding scholarships to four outstanding students:

• Naples High School (2 recipients)
• Barron Collier High School (1 recipient)
• Marco Island Academy (1 recipient)

The recipients will attend the University of Florida, Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon University, and Belmont University. We invite all Club members to join us at the official awards ceremony during our June 5th breakfast meeting at the Hilton. The students and their parents will be in attendance for this memorable event.

Program Growth and Funding We have increased annual funding from $2,000 to $2,250 per recipient, bringing the four-year commitment per new award to $9,000. This increase applies to both new recipients and our continuing scholars. As a result, we will support a record 12 students in our program this coming year — an all-time high in both funding and participation.

We also continue our long-standing support for one student at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) through our endowment. Committee members are currently updating our agreement with FGCU. Recent reports show a modest increase in endowment earnings, which will help offset our expanded commitments.

New Initiatives For the first time, Committee members will attend awards ceremonies at all high schools with recipients. This important public relations effort recognizes students in their school communities and strengthens relationships with faculty, parents, and guidance counselors — who remain key partners in identifying strong candidates.

We are also pleased to continue our support for iTech, the technical trade college program in Immokalee. Committee member and District 4 School Board representative Erick Carter will provide an update on iTech’s progress and needs at the June meeting.

Looking Ahead We encourage members to attend our summer meetings, where our current scholars will return to share updates on their academic progress and college experiences.

Challenges and Future Focus While we are proud of this year’s results, we received fewer applications than in recent years (12 from 4 schools compared to 15 from 8 schools last year). Expanding outreach to qualified students across all Naples-area schools will be a major priority for 2027.

We are also monitoring one scholar who is at risk of leaving the program due to academic performance.

The new funding model discussed at last month’s meeting continues to gain support, and we will keep the membership updated on its progress.

Overall, the Scholarship Program is building strong momentum. With the continued generosity of our members and donors, we are well-positioned to sustain and expand its impact in the years ahead.

Respectfully Submitted,

Joe Scheffey

Chairman, Scholarship Committee