Scholarship Description
The Karen Mashburn Young Scholars Program is open to undergraduate and master’s degree students in the South Florida and Treasure Coast regions. Eligibility is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled in a U.S.-based institution. Students whose intellectual pursuits include environmental studies education and/or science curriculum will be given preference. Students must have a GPA of at least 3.0 and exhibit extracurricular achievements. Must be able to participate in a part-time internship at Friends of the Everglades offices in Stuart, Florida, during the Fall 2023 semester. Must be able to pass a Level Two background check required by all school districts to go into public schools.
The purpose of the program is to support student’s studies through a $10,000 scholarship and offer an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience beyond the regular course of study. The scholarship recipient will participate in a 12-week fall internship at Friends of the Everglades in Stuart, FL, helping to support the Young Friends of the Everglades program and engage in community outreach. Provides a $10,000 scholarship to one student, who will serve as an intern with Friends of the Everglades, focused on the Young Friends of the Everglades program.
Karen Mashburn was a long-tenured member of the Friends of the Everglades Board of Directors who was instrumental in establishing and stewarding the Young Friends of the Everglades youth education program. During her lifetime, more than 100,000 students in Miami-Dade County participated in Young Friends of the Everglades and were inspired by the legendary leadership of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the importance of preserving the only Everglades in the world. In 2023, Karen’s husband, Jerry Mashburn, made a gift to Friends of the Everglades allowing for creation of the Karen Mashburn Scholars Program in her memory.
