More than you can imagine…

What does it mean to be generously supported in your academic pursuits? What does it mean to give selflessly to help others achieve their dreams? These EduGators share their insight. In short, it’s more than you can imagine.

Jennifer Coxen (B.A.E. ‘06, M.Ed. ‘07)

My husband and I both come from very humble beginnings, and we are so grateful for those who chose to invest in us… My parents instilled in me drive, determination, and an incredible work ethic, but did not have the economic means to provide financially. I am a first generation college student, and without the generosity of many, I would not be where I am today.

What inspired you to become a scholarship donor?

I was the recipient of many generous donors, including College of Education Scholarships through my undergraduate and graduate studies. My parents instilled in me drive, determination, and an incredible work ethic, but did not have the economic means to provide financially. I am a first generation college student, and without the generosity of many, I would not be where I am today.

In what ways do you believe scholarships will enhance a student’s overall college/university experience?

There is a huge financial burden on students to engage in higher education especially for those without resources to do so. The demands of college classes, learning who you are as a young adult and working to pay for college is a huge challenge. Combine that with leaving college with massive loans especially in a traditionally underpaid field, and it’s a huge deterrent for many. If we can do something to lighten the load, then we should.

What does being a scholarship donor mean to you personally?

My husband and I both come from very humble beginnings, and we are so grateful for those who chose to invest in us.

We believe we are responsible to leverage our resources and gifts for the benefit of others, and not everything we have been given is for our own consumption. We want to demonstrate to our sons how we can be generous to others and help those in need in the same way others helped us. As a woman under the age of 40, it is important for me to demonstrate giving now rather than waiting until a later age. We do not give out of an abundance, but intentionally and with responsibility, and we are so honored and humbled to be able to do so.

Jóhanna Bjartmarsdóttir

I felt so much pride and joy for being recognized for all the hard work and extra hours I put into my work… As an international student who is paying for everything myself and who worked two jobs for two years to save money so that I could attend the University of Florida, it means more than I can say to have the support of the donors and the College of Education.

What were your initial thoughts and emotions when you learned that you had been awarded the scholarship?

My initial thoughts and emotions when I learned that I had been awarded the scholarship were just overwhelming relief at first, and then I felt so much pride and joy for being recognized for all the hard work and extra hours I put into my work.

Describe how receiving this scholarship aligns with your academic and personal goals.

My academic and personal goals are to create a health literacy curriculum for K-12 education that enables students to make informed decisions, lead healthy lives, and overcome adversities, and to develop online courses at universities in Iceland to promote accessibility to higher education for all. Both of these goals aim to help others like myself have a better chance to lead good lives aligned with their values and create accessible avenues for minority groups to pursue their dreams. The scholarship is helping me help others and that aligns with all my academic and personal goals. “If I don’t stand up for others, I’m just like someone else who didn’t stand up for me” – Jóhanna Birna Bjartamrsdóttir. These are my academic and personal values, and the University of Florida and this scholarship are helping me to do exactly that.

In what ways do you believe this scholarship will enhance your overall college/university experience?

This scholarship enhances my overall college experience in that I don’t have to carry all the financial burden of paying for college in America as an international student alone, and also lets me know that others believe in and support my mission of creating a health literacy curriculum for K-12 education and accessible online education for all in Iceland.

What does being a scholarship recipient mean to you personally?

As an international student who is paying for everything myself and who worked two jobs for two years to save money so that I could attend the University of Florida, it means more than I can say to have the support of the donors and the College of Education. Moreover, as a student who was told all her life by the academic community that I could never get into a university as a student with autism, ADHD, and severe dyslexia, it means the world to me to have the support of the donors and the College of Education.

How will this recognition affect your sense of responsibility towards giving back to your community or inspiring others?

As a student with ADHD, autism, and severe dyslexia, I feel a huge responsibility to not just graduate from a university but to excel. I want to be the first person to get a doctorate while also openly having all of these disabilities because I know how hard it is to pursue your dreams when everyone around you says that you can’t because of your disabilities and when there is no one like you that you can look up to that prove otherwise.

So, regardless of the scholarship, I would have always fought for others and carried this responsibility. However, having the support and recognition of the scholarship makes me feel like my hard work is finally paying off and that I should keep up the hard work because this is just the start.

What steps do you plan to take to ensure that you make the most of this scholarship opportunity in your educational journey?

I plan to make the most out of the scholarship by paying for part of my tuition, continuing to get good grades, and inspiring others like myself to pursue their dreams.

Yasmeen Merriweather (B.A. ’22)

When I learned that I was awarded the scholarship I was shocked, excited, grateful, and I even cried. I thought about how I worked on my application diligently, how anxious I was during the wait, and how my hard work has paid off… I will embody being a scholarship recipient by continuing to exude academic success and pride in being an EduGator.

What were your initial thoughts and emotions when you learned that you had been awarded the scholarship?

When I learned that I was awarded the scholarship I was shocked, excited, grateful, and I even cried. I thought about how I worked on my application diligently, how anxious I was during the wait, and how my hard work has paid off. I immediately called my stepmom, father, and both of my mentors to share the great news and thank them for their support while I waited to hear back regarding the decision.

Describe how receiving this scholarship aligns with your academic and personal goals.

My academic goal is pursuing a doctorate degree to start a program in Summer or Fall 2024. As a professional, I will be working towards becoming an instructional designer and an adjunct professor post-graduation. In the future I aspire to be a leader in curriculum and instruction through the lens of higher education by creating pathways to expose students to educational technology in Education at the community college level.

In what ways do you believe this scholarship will enhance your overall college/university experience?

Receiving the College of Education Alumni Endowment Scholarship will allow me to finish my last two semesters of graduate school at ease. I am now able to focus on doctoral applications, my last four courses, prepare to receive my Master of Education degree and Instructional Design Graduate Certificate in Spring 2024.

What does being a scholarship recipient mean to you personally?

As a College of Education Endowment recipient, it means to me that someone sees my purpose, drive, and vision for how I want to be transformative in education. I take my education at the University of Florida seriously because of the sense of my pride being a double Gator, the opportunity to continue receiving a quality education, and the reward of seeing all my hard work pay off during such a competitive process.

How will this recognition affect your sense of responsibility towards giving back to your community or inspiring others?

As an alumna, I currently give back to my community by being the Vice President of Young Alumni for University of Florida Association of Black Alumni (UF ABA Jax). In this position, I focus on supporting recent graduates through outreach, event hosting, and collaboration for the next generation of Gators. In collaboration with Young Alumni, we inspire students in Duval County Public schools by serving as mentors, representing the different majors we pursued during our undergraduate or graduate studies, and demonstrating professional success based on our studies at the University of Florida. In addition to being a part of UF ABA Jax, I plan to spearhead my own foundation that is designed to give back to males in the East side community where I grew up to provide opportunities for them to be successful in academics, expose them to post-graduation opportunities, and support the opportunity they chose with funding.

What steps do you plan to take to ensure that you make the most of this scholarship opportunity in your educational journey?

To maximize the use of my scholarship opportunity, I plan to use it to pay for my tuition that covers my last two semesters. I will continue to take pride in my studies by receiving grades no less than what I have been receiving since I have started graduate school. Lastly, I will embody being a scholarship recipient by continuing to exude academic success and pride in being an EduGator.

Rob Moore, Ph.D.

The professorship gives me a platform – through the resources provided – that will increase the impact and reach of my work… I am very appreciative that this type of support exists for an early career faculty member. Having the opportunity to develop and expand a research agenda is one I do not take for granted, and I am so grateful for the support.

What were your initial thoughts and emotions when you learned that you had been awarded the professorship?

It was a pleasant surprise! Whenever you put yourself out there, you can never be sure of the result, so it was certainly gratifying to receive the notification that I was awarded the professorship. It was affirming that my research is valued, and it is exciting to consider how the professorship will help advance and expand the impact of my research.

Describe how receiving this professorship aligns with your professional and personal goals.

My professorship project focuses on expanding my research into microcredentials, an area I see as emergent and expanding daily. This is an exciting area of research due to the vast potential of microcredentials to broaden access to career and educational opportunities. And while there is huge potential, there is still much that is unknown about microcredentials – from navigating how they fit within the broader educational ecosystem to how learners understand and choose their pathways with these credentials. This professorship connects well with my recently funded Spencer Foundation Small Research grant examining MOOC-based learning that is translated into academic credit.

What does being a professorship recipient mean to you personally?

Personally, it is meaningful to have the opportunity to expand my impact in microcredentials. I will use the professorship to engage with the educational community by disseminating research findings and attending conferences. I hope to grow and nurture a network of stakeholders in the credential space and identify ways to make microcredentials more accessible to learners at all educational and career stages.

How will this recognition affect your sense of responsibility towards inspiring others?

The professorship gives me a platform – through the resources provided – that will increase the impact and reach of my work. I will use the professorship to attend and present at major credential innovation conferences where stakeholders across the educational landscape are having the conversations I want to explore, engage in, and ultimately lead.

What steps do you plan to take to ensure that you make the most of this professorship opportunity in your professional journey?

As mentioned above, the professorship provides the resources and platform to allow me to engage with major stakeholders in the credentialing process. As a result of this engagement, I can identify opportunities to disseminate my work, influence future implementations, and broaden participation.

Any other comments you would like to add?

I am very appreciative that this type of support exists for an early career faculty member. Having the opportunity to develop and expand a research agenda is one I do not take for granted, and I am so grateful for the support.

More than you can imagine…

Jennifer Coxen (B.A.E. ‘06, M.Ed. ‘07)

Jóhanna Bjartmarsdóttir

Yasmeen Merriweather (B.A. ’22)

Rob Moore, Ph.D.

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