Caring Awards
The Albert D. Ernest Jr. Caring Award
The Caring Award committee seeks to recognize a UNF student who embodies the spirit of caring, volunteerism, and humanitarianism. The award is an opportunity to recognize and honor the bright, dedicated, and selfless individuals who take the time and strive to make the world a better place to live. Students are supported in the application process by a nomination from a professor, supervisor, and/or mentor.
Applicants must be:
- Enrolled at UNF either full or part time
- A junior, senior or graduate student in good academic standing at UNF
- Involved in university activities providing direct services to others and/or similar direct service involvement
Applicants must demonstrate:
- A commitment to volunteer service
- Initiative and innovation in problem solving
- Persistence in overcoming obstacles
- Advocacy for change that alleviates, or considerably improves, the status quo
- Continual caring exhibited in duration and impact of student's active contribution
Application
Students should apply by submitting the application, a 500 word essay and a letter of recommendation from a professor, supervisor, or mentor via AcademicWorks.
Submit a general application via AcademicWorks if not already done so. Once the general application is submitted, search for “Albert D. Ernest, Jr. Caring Award” under Other Recommended Opportunities to apply.
The Selection Committee will include representatives from UNF and the Jacksonville community. Finalists will be interviewed in-person and invited to attend an awards celebration in winter.
For questions, contact Lea Fernandes, Director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship, at (904) 620-5384 or l.fernandes@unf.edu.
2024 Winners
Isaiah Dorado, graduate student, and Assistant Resident Life Coordinator for UNF Housing and Residence Life, is a proud Osprey graduating with a Master's of Science in Criminal Justice. He arrived on campus as a first-generation student in 2018 and graduated in the Spring of 2022 with a BA in Criminal Justice with a dual minor in business management and leadership. Since he arrived at UNF he has been an active member of several clubs and organizations including the Criminology and Criminal Justice Club, the Alpha Phi Sigma Pi Omega Chapter at UNF and he's a founding member of The Brotherhood at UNF, an organization that promotes the success of minority men professionally, personally and academically. The Mulberry, Florida native plans to enter the Criminal Justice field and later teach at his former high school to trailblaze a criminal justice academy. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, reading, and exercising.
Teleauba Revels, a Bachelor of Social Work graduate, serves as a beacon of hope, and embodies the values of empathy, resilience, and integrity. Born out of personal challenges and triumphs, her journey epitomizes the transformative power of courage, perseverance, and dedication to making a difference in the lives of others. Teleauba's professional career further exemplifies her unwavering dedication to serving vulnerable families within the community. Since 2018, she has been a member of the Family Preservation team at Family Support Services, the lead child welfare agency in Jacksonville. As a Family Advocate, she assesses families' strengths and needs, provides parenting education, and offers essential peer recovery services, contributing significantly to the well-being and stability of families in crisis. Her dedication and impact were recognized in 2022 when she was awarded the Exchange Club Family Center's Award of Excellence for outstanding work in child abuse prevention and advocacy in Duval County. Beyond accolades and recognition, she is committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of children and families which highlights her spirit of caring, volunteerism, and humanitarianism.
The Halamandaris Caring Internship / Washington, D.C.
Located in Washington D.C., Heart of America (HOA) transforms learning spaces, bridges the resource gap, and strengthens communities to give all students room to dream, discover, and thrive. For 25 years, HOA (www.heartofamerica.org) has designed and renovated 800+ community spaces including public libraries, athletic facilities, technology labs, workforce development centers, and schools across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada; distributed over 4.3 million books to more than 2 million children, and infused $7.5 million in learning technologies into under-resourced communities. In addition, HOA has engaged over 500,000 volunteers in turnkey, community service.
This scholarship awards a UNF student an opportunity to intern at Heart of America for eight weeks. The intern will also receive a housing allowance and travel expenses to/from Washington, D.C. and will be involved in a variety of projects designed to support Heart of America’s mission. Students are supported in the application process by a nomination from a professor, supervisor, and/or mentor. Please note: This internship is located in Washington, DC. (remote opportunities may be available.)
Applicants must be:
- Be enrolled as a junior or senior in good academic standing at UNF
- Complete a FAFSA and demonstrate some degree of financial need
- Recommended to enroll in and complete at least one Business Ethics course
- PHI 2630; PHI 3641; MAN 4064 or HSA 4553
Applicants must demonstrate:
- A commitment to volunteer service
- Initiative and innovation in problem solving
- Persistence in overcoming obstacles
- Advocacy for change that alleviates, or considerably improves, the status quo
Application
Students should apply by submitting the application, a 500 word essay and a letter of recommendation from a professor, supervisor, or mentor via AcademicWorks.
Submit a general application via AcademicWorks if not already done so. Once the general application is submitted, search for “Halamandaris Caring Internship” under Other Recommended Opportunities to apply.
The Selection Committee will include representatives from UNF and the Jacksonville community. Finalists will be interviewed in-person and invited to attend an awards celebration in the winter.
For questions, contact Lea Fernandes, Director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship, at (904) 620-5384 or l.fernandes@unf.edu.