Kiwanis scholarship application deadline draws near
The Cape Coral Kiwanis Foundation will be awarding its annual scholarships to college-bound students in April.
The foundation offers 10 different scholarships, with a value of at least $10,000, funded by the sales from two Kiwanis thrift stores and privately-contributed endowments. Five of the scholarships carry the names of their contributors.
The scholarship program began some time before 1980 when Dr. Ralph Ackerman became chairman of the committee. The scholarship carrying his name was established when he retired from the committee after 15 years. It’s a four-year scholarship in the amount of $12,000.
According to Ackerman, at least 10 scholarships have been awarded every year since 1984 benefitting more than 400 students. Kiwanis Foundation is now committed to providing scholarship money to 140 current recipients totaling $1,056,000 through 2017.
All scholarships require the student maintain at least a 3.5 grade-point average except the Lubins Scholarship which requires a 3.0 to 3.5 GPA plus active membership in a high school Key Club. Money for the scholarships is deposited directly into the student’s account yearly at the college in which the student is enrolled.
The “Skip” Hawley scholarship, a four-year scholarship in the amount of $11,000, was established in memoriam in recognition of the many years of his service as a volunteer at the South Thrift store and his service on the scholarship committee.
Since 2008, the Lubins Scholarship endowment has distributed a total of $69,000 and the Holmes and Herman Scholarships together have distributed $37,500.
The David Hermann Scholarship was established in 2009. Hermann received a four-year scholarship from Kiwanis in 1986 which he used at Edison Community College, University of Florida and University of Central Florida. Hermann worked in Fort Myers for 10 years before starting his own business as a stock broker and financial advisor.
He wanted to give something back to the organization that had made is education possible, so he donated $20,000 to the Kiwanis endowment fund. The Hermann Scholarship has been awarded to three Cape Coral graduates.
“This is one of the most important programs undertaken by the Cape Coral Kiwanis Foundation because of the long term impact it has not only on the recipients but also on the community in which they live,” said Kiwanis publicity chair Lynne Kemper. “Many of the recipients who qualify would not be able to attend college at all without this financial help.”
Scholarship applications must be accompanied by the student’s unweighted GPA, a copy of a completed FASA form from the Federal Department of Education listing the family’s estimated contribution to tuition, SAT/ACT scores, residency of a least one year in Cape Coral, college acceptance letter, official copy of high school transcript, a 250-300 word essay and three letters of recommendation from non-relatives. The deadline to submit scholarship applications is Feb. 15.
Scholarship recipients will be announced in April and presented at an awards ceremony and dinner on May 21 at the Kiwanis Hall, 360 Santa Barbara Blvd. Application forms are available online at: www.mycapecoralkiwanis.org as well as at either of the two thrift stores. Forms are to be mailed to Scholarship, Cape Coral Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 100006, Cape Coral, FL 33910-0006.
For more information send email to scholarships@mycapecoralkiwanis.org.