Joseph Brace, a senior, received a scholarship to continue his studies in marine science through the University’s Water School program. Upon graduation, he hopes to join the Peace Corps or receive a Fulbright or other Scholarship. He is grateful for Naples Garden Club’s scholarship this year, which in addition to working 50-60 hours throughout the summer, eases the financial burden of completing his education.
Grace Hardmeyer is also a senior and pursuing a concentration in Ecology. She is currently working on multiple research experiments, including data collection on salinity and beach dune restoration, as a research assistant in the FGCU Water School’s Ecology Lab. She plans to continue her studies in Ecology at FGCU’s graduate school, researching Southwest Florida’s beach restoration and endangered ecosystems and species. “Your scholarship will provide me with more time this year for research and work on the publication of the Ecology lab’s salinity experiment on beach dune plants and less time to work and support myself this year.”
Naples Garden Club™ has awarded scholarships since its founding in 1953 to Collier County students pursuing studies that relate to the Club’s mission in horticulture and the environment. In 2010 the Harvey Kapnick Education and Research Center opened adjacent to the Naples Botanical Garden as a shared facility and campus operated by Florida Gulf Coast University. In support of the Kapnick Center, which is also adjacent to the Club’s office, the Club established an endowment through a contract (May 2010) with Florida Gulf Coast University’s Foundation which acts as stewards for our endowment. This contract established a formalized annual scholarship program to FGCU undergraduate and graduate students in Environmental Science starting in the 2010-11 academic year. As of 2025-26 twenty-five FGCU students have received scholarships through this program totaling over $72,000. As the FGCU’s Kapnick Research Center’s program expanded it now includes FCCU’s Water School’s Everglades Wetland Research Park. Many of our FGCU scholarship recipients have participated in the Water School’s research. We are honored to partner with the FGCU foundation to provide these scholarships in Environmental Science to FGCU students over the past fifteen years and for years to come.
