Sean Kelly Memorial Scholarship

There’s a moment I remember so clearly, it might as well have happened yesterday. I was sixteen, sitting quietly beside my grandfather’s hospital bed. He was battling prostate cancer, his strong hands now frail, his voice reduced to a whisper. But even in his weakest moments, he managed to smile at me. What I remember most wasn’t the beeping machines or the sterile scent of the hospital—it was the nurse who walked in with warm eyes, who spoke to him like he was still whole, still strong, still seen. She didn’t just tend to his pain; she brought him peace. In those small, powerful moments, I realized what I wanted to do with my life: to bring comfort, dignity, and care to those who need it most. That nurse inspired the path I’m now committed to walking. My name is Katlynn Williams, and I’ve been accepted to Florida Southern College. There, I plan to pursue a degree in nursing and continue on to become a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant. I’m applying for the Sean Kelly Memorial Scholarship because I carry the heart, the work ethic, and the calling—but I need help with the cost. My family is proud, strong, and deeply loving, but we’ve always lived on the edge of “just enough.” My parents work hard, and I work part-time as well, but even with our combined efforts, college tuition, housing, and the simple cost of showing up every day is more than we can afford alone. This scholarship would not only support my education—it would help lift the weight that so many students like me quietly carry: the pressure of choosing between textbooks and groceries, between finishing a paper and picking up a shift. But I haven’t let that stop me. I’ve always believed that where you come from doesn’t limit where you can go—it just gives you a better story to tell. In high school, I was more than just a student. I was a multitasker, a volunteer, a listener, and sometimes even a stand-in tutor when a friend couldn’t understand their bio homework. I maintained a strong GPA while balancing college classes, part-time work, and roles in Key Club and robotics. One of my proudest experiences was volunteering at Parrish Medical Center, where I assisted patients and staff, learned how to communicate with empathy, and saw firsthand the power of small, everyday kindnesses. Whether it was delivering water, offering a warm blanket, or simply talking with a patient who hadn’t had a visitor in days, I realized how even the smallest gestures can leave the biggest impact. Looking ahead, I don’t just want to be a nurse—I want to be the kind of nurse who never stops asking, “How can I help?” Becoming a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant will allow me to be in a field where precision meets compassion. It’s a role that requires deep trust, skill, and sensitivity—all traits I’ve been working to build through school, service, and real-life experience. While I have big career goals, I’ve always believed that true success means giving back. In college, I plan to join health outreach programs and serve communities who need more than medicine—they need someone who cares. I want to mentor first-generation students like me. I want to sit beside a scared patient and say the words I once heard from a nurse long ago: “You’re safe. I’m here.”

My name is Michael Gale, and I’m a first-generation high school senior, a dedicated student-athlete, and someone who’s always believed in chasing excellence on and off the field. I currently hold a 3.8 GPA while playing elite-level soccer, and I’ve recently committed to playing for the men’s soccer team at Colorado Mesa University, where I will also pursue a degree in business. Soccer has been a driving force in my life. I’ve had the opportunity to play at the highest levels of youth competition, including with the LA Galaxy Academy U15 and U17 teams, and I’ve trained with professional clubs like LA Galaxy 2, San Diego Loyal, and ALBION San Diego. These experiences have taught me discipline, leadership, and perseverance. These qualities I also apply to my academics. But my journey hasn’t been without challenges. Over the past year, my parents have been going through a divorce, which has placed emotional and financial stress on our family. The cost of legal fees and maintaining separate households has made it increasingly difficult to afford college. Despite the uncertainty at home, I’ve stayed committed to my goals, finding strength through my sport and my studies. This scholarship would be a game-changer for me. It would relieve some of the financial burden on my family and allow me to focus fully on my education and athletic development. My ultimate goal is to launch a goalkeeper training business, one that combines high-level coaching with innovative gear designed specifically for goalkeepers. But more than that, I want to build a community where young athletes can grow not just in skill, but in confidence and character. Like Sean Kelly, I believe in pushing myself to be the best version of who I can be every day, in everything I do. His story reminds me that true excellence is about commitment, purpose, and the impact you leave behind. With the help of this scholarship, I hope to follow a path that honors that same spirit. As I prepare to start this next chapter at Colorado Mesa University, I know the lessons I’ve learned through adversity, athletics, and academics will stay with me. I’ve learned how to stay focused in the face of uncertainty, how to lead by example, and how to persevere through setbacks. These are not just tools I use to succeed in school or on the field, they're qualities that will carry me through life and into my future as an entrepreneur and mentor. Being a student-athlete has taught me that success doesn’t come from talent alone, it comes from showing up every day with the mindset to grow, even when it’s hard. I plan to bring that same mindset into my business, using what I learn in college to create opportunities for others. My goal is to give back to the game that’s given me so much, by supporting the next generation of goalkeepers through training, mentorship, and purpose-built gear. I want to create a space where young athletes feel seen, supported, and inspired to pursue their goals no matter what obstacles they’re facing. Receiving the Sean Kelly Memorial Scholarship would mean more than just financial help, it would be a reminder that people believe in my journey and in the future I’m trying to build. I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to apply and to be considered for a scholarship that honors someone who lived with the same values I strive to live by. Thank you for considering my application. I’m ready to carry this opportunity forward and use it to reach my goals and help others reach theirs too.

My name is Michael Hummel and I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I currently attend Father Judge High School, and I will be attending West Virginia University this Fall to study Finance. Growing up, it has always been my little brother, my mother, and myself in our apartment. We struggle for some, however my mother always makes ends meet, and while I was lucky enough to attend a great high school, it was thanks to a scholarship that covered the entire cost. So in order to be able to attend college this Fall, I am putting myself out there for scholarships that can help alleviate the cost of an R1 level institution like West Virginia University. I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college, therefore it is my first step to making a change in my community, Northeast Philadelphia. Once I have a steady income, I want to help renovate the basketball gym inside Torresdale Boys Club. Currently, it is falling apart. I also want to be able to provide luxuries for my little cousins and brothers that I myself was not able to enjoy. These luxuries will include spending money and nice new clothes, not hand-me-downs. I believe I should be selected for this scholarship and would appreciate it so greatly because of my high academic standard throughout high school, the community service completed consistently all four years, and the youth sports I coached while also being employed at Joe Santucci's Square Pizza. Starting with academics, I have received honors in all four quarters, every year, since freshman year and I've taken honors classes in every subject at least once including Spanish. Moving on to community service, I completed my minimum 10 hours every year with Wells Fargo, they host canned food drives around Philadelphia and they are good events bringing the homeless together. I enjoyed serving there and will most likely be back when I am home from college on breaks. The community service really opens your eyes when It's hosted at places like homeless shelters, because it is very scary to know how we're always one bad decision from ending up in some of these unlucky individual's shoes. Finishing up my essay, I know there may be hundreds of candidates applying for this very scholarship, however all I can ask is for whoever may read this, to please consider me to their best ability.

"Stay true to yourself and listen to your inner voice. It will lead you to your dream." Every day either on the golf course or having a busy normal day I always strive to get better with my academics, community service, and sports. I want to become a role model for others when showing sportsmanship after a golf match or being respectful to my classmates. Winning the Sean Kelly Memorial Scholarship would help me achieve my dreams of having a career in sports management and enjoying all aspects of a college experience. Since I was twelve years old, I always imagined myself working for one of the big sports teams organizations like the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Flyers, or the Philadelphia Phillies. Feeling a part of the behind-the-scenes of a professional sports team and enjoying the working environment is a part of my dream career path that I want to achieve. Also, I want to help inspire other people who want to achieve the same path. Becoming a golfer helped me build in more areas like discipline, hard work, and cooperation. Throughout my life, I have done community service and two years ago I volunteered for an organization called Ron Jaworski Golf Foundation. Ron Jaworski Celebrity Golf Challenge is an event where professional sports players play golf and help support a fundraiser for at-risk youth in the community so that ball fields and playgrounds can be built. Also, the fundraiser helps donate sports equipment, distribute hundreds of bikes over the holidays, support summer meals for kids and more! Volunteering for Ron Jaworski Golf is a great experience for me because I'm helping make a positive change for the community, I get to connect with all of the past and current sports players, and I get to have a fun volunteering experience which is awesome to have in life. Having volunteer experience helps me prepare for my future dream career. Every step that I take whether that's doing well with my academics, volunteering for a variety of organizations to help positively help the community, or playing in a golf match with my teammates all help me become a great role model for others. I believe that all of the experiences that I have with doing community service, playing golf matches during high school, and succeeding in my education are all great reasons that I'm a great candidate for the Sean Kelly Memorial Scholarship.

My name is Christina Grow. I'm a sixteen-year-old high school girl senior with a minimum-wage job. The job that I'm currently working at has inspired my career dream which is to be a master accountant and become a CFO. How has it inspired me? My current job is going through a career training school where you help prepare business statements and so on. As I got more trained and higher in position, I began connecting concepts, strategies, and ideas between my job and my recent Accounting classes. I became fond of and even started to enjoy preparing Bank and Financial statements. It amazed me to see what is all a part of the business world on the inside. Along with being the eldest of my family, I am a first-generation college student and have been mostly independent on my college journey so far, except with the help of my school advisor, which I am really lucky to have. I had no prior knowledge from my parents on college schooling so everything I came across, I learned on my own. This has developed my character to where I have that desire to learn and discover new things. Referring to education, I'm very excited to explore new pathways and take amazing opportunities. More about me, I have a passion for music and art, and I believe that art is where true emotion disperses from. I love to sing because it helps release my anxiety and allows me to feel free. It helps drive me to go forth and pursue my career goals and dreams. I also have a specialty in running. I have been a part of my school's Cross Country team for two years and I will say that this being my last year, it has been an honor. My team, along with my parents, are my biggest support in enduring to the end. From being a part of this team, traits of Strength, Determination, and Honor have been instilled in me. I am willing to use these values to pursue my career goals and make anything possible to achieve in my life. This upcoming year 2024, I will graduate high school with my associate in Business. It has taken years of my savings to afford to get this degree and it will be a blessing if I can move forward onto my bachelor's and master's degrees with the help of this scholarship. At this point, I have been slowed to an almost stop on my education because of the high prices of college classes and my low-paid job. This scholarship will help me pursue my career goals by boosting me for my beginning freshmen year at the University of Utah or Western Governor's University in Fall 2024 so that I may proceed to gain my bachelor's and master's degrees. By doing this, I can fulfill my ambition to become a Master Accountant and a Chief Financial Officer. By being a CFO, I can input benefits into the Accounting and Business world and make this exterior world outcome a better place.