A future doctor, lawyer, medical profiler, nurse, nurse practitioner, physical therapist and professional baseball player all received scholarships Monday night from the Marine Corps League to help them in their endeavors.
Colonel Fred Geier has been chairman of the Marine Corps League Leadership Scholarship committee since its inception nine years ago. The scholarship is open to Villages High School seniors and the grandsons and granddaughters of members of this post. This year of the seven scholarships awarded, one went to the granddaughter of post member Milton Frederiksen.
This is a leadership scholarship. In addition to the application and resume students turn in, they are asked to write an essay discussing how important it is for leaders to emerge from high school and to talk about their favorite leader from history. The applicants are judged by a committee of six.
Geier introduced the 2016 recipients saying “We are awarding our future local, state and national leaders.” He then asked each student to introduce themselves. A very poised group of students complied.
Julianna Goldberg, graduating with a 4.56 GPA, will be entering the Florida Institute of Technology this fall. She is captain of the softball team and co-president of student activities. She plans to major in Forensic Psychology and become a criminal profiler for the FBI.
Kimberly Spurgeon will be majoring in Neurobiology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. She is planning on medical school and then working with Doctors Without Borders.
Devin Skorupski will attend the University of Central Florida in Orlando. His plans are a political science major and then law school. High school activities included musical theatre, choir and the debate team.
Each year a top scholarship is awarded. Kathryn Fairchild was awarded the $1500 scholarship. She is going to University of Central Florida to major in Nursing. “I am planning to get my doctorate and then return to the Villages to open my own practice.” She said to much applause. She chose Eisenhower as her leader from history and went to the Eisenhower Recreation Center for inspiration when writing her essay.
Three students were unable to attend. Austin Bogart and Kole Harris play on the Villages High School baseball team. The team is in the division play-offs and they had a game. Austin is attending Stetson University with plans to become a physical therapist. Kole is going to the University of North Carolina with plans to major in criminal justice and become a professional baseball player.
Delaney Allison, granddaughter of Milton Frederiksen attends high school in Knoxville, Tenn. She will attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, with plans to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Funds for these scholarships are raised by the annual Couples Moonlight Golf Tournament. “It is a sell out every year,” said Geier. This year’s tournament is April 28 and 30 at Saddlebrook Recreation Center.
