If there is even a question about whether scholarships change lives, we can answer that with a very loud yes! It was after receiving the Linda J. Jellison – Craig T. Wedge Scholarship for students pursuing a STEM college major, that Emily Griffiths made a firm decision to pursue an engineering degree.

Emily graduated from Sarasota Military Academy in 2017, where she chose a dual enrollment path in environmental science. Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to take college courses, earning both high school and college credit, often at a reduced cost, and potentially accelerating their path to higher education. Emily had always been interested in natural resources and sustainability and found a way to turn that interest into a career.

Emily and her twin sister were the first in their family to pursue a four-year college degree in the United States and they were on a mission to figure things out. During high school the sisters got involved in a youth outreach program available through the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. There, they were introduced to the Education Foundation and learned about the numerous resources available to help apply to and pay for college.

Emily enrolled at the University of Florida and, after realizing that environmental science didn’t challenge her enough, she found her way to environmental engineering, which proved to be a better fit. She graduated in 2021, and with scholarships through Bright Futures and the Education Foundation, Emily was able to graduate 100% debt-free.

She had an internship at Sarasota-based Kimley-Horn, one of the nation’s premier engineering, planning, and design consultants, thinking that she would eventually move away and explore bigger cities. COVID brought challenges that kept her in Florida, and today she says, “I’m happy that I stayed.”

She also stayed at Kimley-Horn, when a year after starting her internship, she accepted a position as a civil analyst. She bought her first house, saying “the scholarships took away a lot of the financial stress,” even though with her job, she didn’t have to worry so much. She loves being a part of the design process and is thrilled to be involved in resiliency projects such as restoration for the Bay Park initiative, and finds it immensely gratifying to integrate natural and sustainable practices—so important to her—into her work.

It’s inspiring to see how access to resources and scholarships can shape a student’s future. Likewise, when a community invests in its students, it often sees that investment come full circle as those students return to share their talents and expertise with their hometown. Just like Emily is doing.