Drew Wilson
The Florida Sheriffs Association announced Tuesday that it has awarded a dozen college scholarships to students pursuing careers in STEM fields.
FSA awards scholarships every year to “bright, hard-working students whose parents work in a Florida sheriff’s office.”
The FSA scholarship program is open to the children of any full-time sheriff’s office employee. to be considered, students must submit a five-page application and essay on why they are passionate about studying their STEM-related field.
“Supporting our law enforcement personnel and their families is a true passion for our sheriffs,” said Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz, who is also president of the Florida Sheriffs Association. “Investing in our future is a critical opportunity that improves the STEM talent pipeline, and we look forward to watching these students blaze their own trail.”
A committee of representatives from FSA reviewed the applications and essays, selecting 12 students. The 2021 recipients are:
— Carsyn Riley Griffis is the daughter of Terri Griffis of the Baker County Sheriff’s Office. She is attending Georgia Southern University and will graduate in May 2022 with degrees in public health and biochemistry. Her goal is to become a nurse esthetician and eventually obtain her doctorate of nursing practice.
— Cassandra Isabel Green is the daughter of Sergeant Menachem Green of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. After graduating high school with her associates degree, Cassandra will attend the University of Florida where she will major in health science. Her goal is to become a pediatric oncologist.
— Daniel Rossman is the son of Sergeant Richard Rossman of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Daniel is attending the University of Florida and is on track to graduate with honors. He is majoring in aerospace engineering with plans to attend law school to pursue patent law, specializing in aviation. Ultimately Rossman plans to join the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corp.
— Drew James Smith is the son of Sergeant Andrew Smith of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Drew has been accepted into the Nova Southeastern University 7-Year Dual Admission Program that will lead to a bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. He then hopes to begin a residency in the field of public health.
— Jonathan Lee Sarasa is the son of Lieutenant Susana Sarasa of the Miami-Dade Police Department. Jonathan will attend the University of Michigan where he plans to earn bachelor’s degrees in science of ecology, evolution and biodiversity, and statistics. He plans to further earn a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology. He would like to focus on conservation strategies for terrestrial and marine life.
— Joshua Cade Ura is the son of Colonel Robert Ura of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Joshua will attend the University of Florida where he plans to major in Aerospace Engineering. He would like to work for NASA to study the field of space travel.
— Kaleb Matthew Starr is the son of Kimberly Starr of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Kaleb is currently in his second year of medical school at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. His goal is to complete a residency in family medicine and return to Florida where he would like to practice as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in underserved regions.
— Marissa Lanae Shank is the daughter of Lieutenant Anthony Shank of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Marissa will be a senior at Florida Atlantic University. She will graduate next year with a science degree in Biology. Her plans include working in a hospital as a certified nursing assistant while studying for the MCAT. Once she has received her M.D., she would like to work in pediatric emergency medicine, as well as working with drug addicts.
— Paige Elizabeth Murrill is the daughter of Deputy Jason Murrill of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Paige will be attending the University of Florida where she plans to ultimately earn a doctorate degree in cellular and molecular biology, as well as an MBA. Her goal is to find employment in a research facility where she hopes to lead teams to study cancer research or infectious diseases.
— Raquel Beatriz Rossman is the daughter of Sergeant Richard Rossman of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Raquel is a senior at Nova Southeastern University and is on track to graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience. She has been hired as a medical scribe and will work at a local hospital while applying to medical schools.
— Tate Wyatt Williams is the son of Deputy Brian Williams of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Tate will be attending Florida Gulf Coast University with plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. His goal is to research and develop clean alternative energy sources that would be as efficient as natural gases and gasoline.
— Timothy D. Hudson II is the son of Molly Hudson of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Timothy will be a senior attending the University of North Florida. He will be pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy with a specialty in geriatric physical therapy in order to improve the quality of life for the elderly.
