Supporting Education and Philanthropy Through PCF-Partnered Scholarships

With partnerships between the Pinellas Community Foundation and local universities, starting a charitable scholarship is easier than ever.

One of the most impactful gifts you can give is the gift of education. At Pinellas Community Foundation, we understand the value and significance of making education accessible and available to the community. Our future rests in the hands of young people; providing access to education is investing in the foundational roots of growth and change.

PCF also believes in breaking down barriers that keep philanthropy out of reach for individuals. By working with PCF and the school of your choice, you can create a scholarship and help future students pursue their dreams. The successes of the partnership between PCF and Stetson University College of Law show just how impactful this opportunity can be.

Individuals working together with Stetson University College of Law and PCF have created scholarships and charitable programs that make university enrollment more accessible and enhance educational opportunities for Stetson Law students. Two scholarships, the Don Smith Family Scholarship and the Warren J. Bowman Memorial Scholarship, have offered over $400,000 in funding to students since their founding.

Don Smith Family Scholarship

In memory of his brother, Brian Lee Smith, Don Smith and his family started the Don Smith Family Scholarship through a partnership with Stetson University College of Law, PCF, and Boys and Girls Clubs in the Tampa Bay area. Don Smith, a graduate of Stetson, was on the Boys and Girls Clubs board of directors for many years. The scholarship awards law students who have attended or volunteered at a Boys and Girls Club. Funds benefit students in good academic standing, and priority is determined based on financial need. The first recipient, Jessica Taylor Organ, an active participant in Boys & Girls Clubs in her home state of Indiana, was awarded the scholarship in April 2022.

Warren J. Bowman Memorial Scholarship

Created by Selma Graham in 2002, the Warren J. Bowman Memorial Scholarship is the oldest scholarship offered through PCF. The fund awards scholarships to Pinellas County high school graduates pursuing degrees of law and medicine at Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg College of Nursing, or University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.

New Partnerships

Partnering with the Pinellas Community Foundation opens the door to this philanthropic opportunity in a number of ways. If desired, PCF can offer anonymity for the individuals creating the fund. The PCF staff also has the experience and ability to manage a multifaceted charitable giving plan, such as setting up a donor-advised fund and handling charitable desires outlined in an estate plan. We have worked to build strong relationships with our partner organizations, making the process of building a charitable fund smooth and simple. PCF can help individuals by handling the more complicated parts of establishing a scholarship, such as writing and managing applications, managing scholarship administration, and getting the word out to students.

When PCF works with a university to create a scholarship, the relationship doesn’t end there. Through this process, we get to know each other and develop trust. The power to make philanthropic giving a reality only grows as we continue to share ideas and strategies for charitable solutions.

In response to the focus on environmental protection in the 2022-2023 Needed Now Fund, the Stetson University College of Law staff reached out with the idea of giving stronger roots to the Dick and Joan Jacobs Public Interest Law Clinic for Democracy and the Environment. The law clinic, created in November 2021, gives Stetson Law students hands-on opportunities to learn about the inextricable connection between democracy, policy, and the environment. The clinic’s mission statement includes the understanding that the “United States cannot have a thriving, healthy, and resilient environment without a thriving, healthy, and resilient democracy. Nor can the United States have a thriving, healthy, and resilient democracy without a thriving, healthy, and resilient environment.” The clinic’s goal is to educate future generations of lawyers when representing governments, institutions, or individuals; when providing services within or for governments and government organizations as legislators, advisors, or employees; and when engaging in strategic and security efforts. You can learn more about the law clinic on the Stetson website.

The fantastic success of the scholarships and programs created at Stetson University College of Law truly shows that no charitable gift is too complicated. With a little help, you can create a fund to assist students in support of a cause that is close to you.