The Ford Apprentice Scholars Program was launched by a grant from the Ford Foundation in 1987, sustained by a second Ford grant in 1991 and is now supported by the College.
Each year up to 20 rising juniors are given the opportunity to participate in a two-year course of study designed to prepare them for graduate school and to pursue a career in college or university teaching.
Faculty select and sponsor the participants on the basis of academic achievement, intellectual promise, and a willingness to explore college teaching as a career.
The program involves special coursework, summer research in collaboration with a faculty sponsor, a major project during the senior year, and supervised teaching experience.
History of the Ford Program at Eckerd College
In 1986 the Ford Foundation launched a funding initiative to encourage the development of programs designed to encourage more academically outstanding undergraduates to consider careers as college and university professors. A second goal of the initiative was to foster a renewed sense of commitment to the academic profession by current faculty members. Based on a survey to identify college and universities that had produced a significant percentage of bachelor degree alumni who went on to graduate school and completed a Ph.D., the Foundation invited 39 institutions to apply for grants to establish programs designed to encourage more of their best and brightest undergraduates to consider the academic profession. The list included many of the nation’s leading universities, including all the members of the Ivy League, the University of Chicago, and Stanford. Among the 39 was Eckerd.
A team of faculty chaired by the Dean of Faculty designed a program and submitted a proposal which along with Princeton and Brooklyn College, was one of the first three institutions to be approved for funding: $250,000 over three years. In 1991, 16 institutions among the original 39 were invited to apply for additional funding. Eckerd was among these and received an additional $200,000.
Eckerd’s program was launched in the fall of 1986 with the selection of 20 rising Juniors as Ford Apprentice Scholars to enroll in a specially designed two semester course in the History of Ideas, the first step in a two year sequence of study culminating in a major research project under the supervision of a faculty sponsor. The first class of Ford Scholars graduated in May, 1989.
The essential elements of the program are a two semester course in the History of Ideas in the Junior year concluding with a symposium at which the Apprentice Scholars make public presentations; a summer research project in close collaboration with their faculty sponsor; a major research project as a Senior; publication of an article based on this research in the Eckerd Scholar; and a year-long weekly seminar during the Senior year in which they share progress reports on their research, hear from individual faculty members on life as a professor, and discuss major issues having to do with contemporary higher education.
The Ford Apprentice Scholar program continues to flourish. Graduates have gone on to the nation’s best graduate programs and many are now members of college and university faculties. Faculty members look forward to working as sponsors with the highly motivated and talented students who are selected for the program.
The original goals of the Ford Foundation initiative have been more than fulfilled by Eckerd Apprentice Scholar Program.
Mark Tluszcz ’89 (right), now chairman of Wix and the original investor in Skype, was a Ford Scholar at Eckerd College. View more photos of Ford Scholars through the years.
Ford scholars by class year
Class of 2026
- Akari Miura
- Tobianna Aldrich
- Jonathan Ballard
- Reilly Colbert
- Ariana Cory
- Elijah Froehlich
- Aidan Hess
- Lydia Hughes
- Heaven Juarez
- Hanna Kobs
- Ella Marx
- Melody Mayo
- Gianna McKinley
- Basil Rimes
- Ruby Schwartz
- Selby Shipley
- Ada Slepin
- Bella Studer
- Jeniana Willner
Class of 2025
- Addison Love
- Anna DeMartini
- Carolina Tellado
- Geri Poston
- Gracie Barrentine
- Hannah Keltner
- Helen Williams
- Jessica Hughes
- Jesus Ivan Valencia
- Jonathan Falbe-Hansen
- Lara Eade
- Lucas Berglund
- Madeline Sheppard
- Mariana Oliveras-Cely
- Morgan Bauer
- Nora Colussy-Estes
- Signe Renstrom
- Sonny Gray
Class of 2024
- Briana Beebe
- Vanna Blankenship
- Maice Clanton
- Annabelle Elsner
- Aarushi Gandhi
- Briana Hashim
- Arlo Kiss
- Liv Knowles
- Jenny Le
- Aidan McKinnon
- Anna Novak
- Connor O’Brien
- Ruby Pasque
- Hannah Pierce
- Isabel Redinger
- Emma Roby
- Madalyn Ryan
- Anna Wetzel
- Madyson Woodburn
Class of 2023
- Olivia G. Barkley
- Alyssa L. Bernstein
- William Brown
- Jin Y. Burgess
- Maice N. Clanton
- Lily L. Collins
- Dylan K. Davidoff
- Karsen R. Henwood
- Jayden L. Jech
- Madeline W. Ketner
- Cameron S. Larmer
- Daniella Lejarza Estrada
- Esaria L. Oliver
- Christyna P. Reagan
- Sydney L. Rebro
- Ryan A. Reed
- Catherine A. Rooney
Class of 2022
- Maiah Brush
- Jarais Fontaine
- Emerson Hamer
- Paige Hanson
- Emily Herbut
- Camille Hoover
- Mia Knapp
- Micah Lessnick
- Olivia Minney
- Caitlin Mongon
- Luca Montore
- Autumn Palma
- Madeleine Silvestri
- Olivia Spicer
- Annalise Sutter
- Anya Thomas
- Nicole Vandale
- Carole Walker
- Jenna Williams
- Jonathan Wynn
Class of 2021
- Branwen Armstrong
- Genesis Drew
- Jake Duggan
- Jessica Garcia
- Alexandra Gifford
- Isabella Giunta
- Madison Grubb
- William Hawthorne
- Annalise Kendrick
- Mlana Lore
- Sofia McNally
- Cody Miner
- Sophie Moe
- Alicen Nico
- Ronan O’Donoghue
- Shelby Scott
- Katherine Sklaver
- Hayley Smith
- Ella Vicedomine
- Kaitlyn Willgohs
Class of 2020
- Adams, Megan
- Crisostomo, Isabella
- Dashow, Ariele
- Dibner, Skye
- Dismukes, Will
- Emerick, Sarah
- Fariss, Lauren
- Fishel, Emily
- Going, Carley
- Gregory, Emma
- GurrEithun, Taylor
- Holloman, Janie
- Joseph, Isha
- Keck, Katie
- Leavitt, Herbert
- Myre, Jamie
- Ogg, Charlie
- Roach, Josh
- Wagner, Taylor
- Yanuskiewicz, Emily
Class of 2019
- Augusta, McKenzie J
- Bastian, Savannah C
- Bosteels, Amy C
- Browne, Aidan A
- Carroll, Delphine
- Dalton, Nick J
- Dichter, August
- Dukes, Dallas M
- Haas, Carlyn A
- Hein, Matt T
- Hoppe, Anna
- Kobosko, Kate E
- Koester, Jenny A
- Lang, Thomas B
- LeMaire, Murielle
- MacVittie, Sophia
- Moger, Drew B
- Rowe, Maddy N
- Smith, Kyla L
- Vachev, Mishi V
Class of 2018
- Sorella Andersen
- Lila Bellucci
- Savannah Carter
- Ciaran Fitzpatrick
- Diego Fleitas
- Amber Furnee
- Samantha Galczyk
- Roxanne Hoorn
- Ashling Jackson
- Daira Brayley
- Ali Lee
- Timothy Lee
- Sarah LeFebvre
- Olivia Merkhofer
- Grace Miller
- Madeline Streilein
- Shannon Tivona
- Kenneth Tremblay
- Joy Vincent
- Hana Zwick
Class of 2017
- Jason Baer
- Daniel Chapman
- Eva Chryscohoou
- Brittany Evans
- Tia Hildebrandt
- Tobias Krussig
- Elizabeth Quade
- Sarah Raney
- Sarah Robinson
- Claire Russell
- Clara Suarez-Nugent
- Julia Tanquary
- Vivienne Tien
- Olivia Weed
- Blaide Woodburn
Class of 2016
- Haven Allard
- Henry Ashworth
- Shannon Bownes
- Haley Burger
- Victoria Carodine
- Brooke Cerny
- Matthew Cramer
- Derek Godshall
- Shelby Hall
- Krysta LaMotte
- Megan McCoy
- Alexandra Mezentsev
- Robert Musci
- Hannah Sisk
- Dustin Smith
- Kevin Thielen
- Mackenzie Voots
- Laura Winters
Class of 2014
- Michelle Breault
- Erik Brydges
- Ashleen Brydum
- Maria Castro
- Rachel Feinberg
- Geoffrey Fella
- Olivia Kim
- Katie Lantz
- Wyatt McMurry
- Zachary Means
- Christine Michael
- Claire Miller
- Haley Musial
- Karyn Paradis
- Katherine Pemberton
- Lorel Schmitzberger
- Chantal Van Ginkel
- Miranda Watrous
Class of 2013
- Ben Belgrad
- Alexandra Fodor
- Charles(Chad) Foreman
- Christine Hammerschmidt
- Tatyanna Henderson
- Deborah Hilbert
- Ryan Jarrett
- Andrew Katzenstein
- Tony Leyh
- Robert Liggett
- Sarah Malhotra
- Blaze Marpet
- Jaclyn New
- Sarah Seniuk
- Amanda Sosnowski
- Jaqueline Steffen
- Maxine Tan
- Travis Tyler
- Roble Poe Velasco-Rosenheim
- Sierra Voss
Class of 2012
- Elizabeth Argento
- Ena Begovic
- John Celestin
- Kristine Crowe
- Kathryn Hamilton
- Emma Hartmann
- Kelly Henry
- Rebecca Hutchinson
- Lukas Kucinski
- Zoe O’Donoghue
- Sarah Partin
- Arya Poppema-Bannon
- Constancia Vilomar
- Robert Skoumal
- Lauren Van Woudenberg
- Elena Weinberg
- Mary Wilks
- Sean Lawlor
- Tara Roeder
Class of 2011
- Jean Albiges
- Evan Bollier
- Rachel Chamberlin
- Rebecca Derex
- Cal Dorough
- Kaylee Frahs
- Megan Freda
- Richard Frnka
- Rachel Harbeitner
- Jeremy Kerr
- Rebeca Lanier
- Danielle Lutfi-Proctor
- Laurel Ormiston
- Elizabeth Renihan
- Caitlin Riggs
- Michael Specht
- Sara Sternberg
- Bryan Tate
- Spencer Weiss
- Megan Wilson
Class of 2010
- Kelli Barr
- Catherine Baugh
- Erick Brucks
- Michelle Duquette
- Calvin Gilkey
- Gena Goodman
- Gabrielle Kan
- Caitlin Meehan-Draper
- Meghan Meehan-Draper
- Samuel Murphy
- Katherine Pfeiffer
- Healther Relyea
- Amy Zeifman
Class of 2009
- Caroline Antolik
- Heather Bolint
- Corinna Cicmanec
- John Ganz
- Kristen Jabanoski
- Ariel Lewis
- Chelsea Mosure
- Michelle Myers
- Whitney Neugebauer
- Suzanne Simpson
- Galway Traynor
- Stephanie Wolfe
- Gabrielle Wolk
- Kaela Wuesthoff
Class of 2008
- Kaleena Burgess
- Kayla Cartwright
- Jocelyn Cercone
- Ross Cohen
- Grace Gair
- Lance Garner
- Elizabeth J Green
- Scott Hale
- Killi Hoover
- Sarah Levithol
- Elizabeth Morra
- Drew Murray
- Courtney Nosah
- Emma REuss
- Amy Santee
- Danielle Sutter
- Ivanela Vasileva
- Jeffrey Ackley
Class of 2007
- Alexandre Karnell
- Alissa Parr
- Jacqueline McCarthy
- Zoe Friedman
- Stefan Ransom
- Colleen Booth
- Chrysostom Graves
- Caitlin O’Grady
- Yasmin Uriel
- Audrey Copeland
- Kyle Flanagan
- Samantha Symon
- Nichole Collins
- Rebecca Helm
- Amanda Holup
- Moses Michelsohn
- Leslie Wallace
- Christopher Crooks
- Jackie McClure
- Brian Zielinski
Class of 2006
- Craig Altemose
- Blaise Bess
- Ross Felsher
- Lisa Fish
- Amber McKinnon
- Randolph Browne
- Travis Clairmont
- Joseph Haley
- Melissa Berrien
- Alexis Clark
- Danielle Greenhow
- Matthew Kuzemchak
- Stephanie Sunderman
- Elizabeth Whittington
- Jeanette Diane Williams
- Lauren Yeager
Class of 2005
- Stefan Malizia
- Ronald Porter
- Brett Baumann
- Natalie Bicknell
- Mary C. Martin
- Elissa Dubinski
- Sara Mattice
- Michael Roess
- Aliye Runyan
- Benjamin Caldwell
- Jamaica Fredericks
- Nicole Allard
- Jeremy Bracone
- Aaron O’Connell
- Carey Perry
- Julie Lynn Turt
- Yuri Yamshita
Class of 2004
- Sandra Colby
- Kristin Johnson
- Douglas Borgman
- Elizabeth Nagorski
- Erin Cayce
- Sabrina Edmonston
- Eric Fernandez
- Paul Higgins
- Melissa Ratcliff
- Scott Roedersheimer
- Laura Borecki
- Cynthia Gangi
- Ivelin Georgie
- Elizabeth Grahm
- Olivera Grujic
- Terrill Hollweg
- Aimee McClean
- Sladjana Mijatovic
- SethScott
- Gina Skurka
Class of 2003
- Christine Lessard
- Karen Luchka
- Rachel Nohlgren
- Lucas Seipp
- Blanca Garcia
- Mary Brown
- Lisa Daily
- Mark Mueller
- Ashley Barabas
- Elizabeth Ann DeVries
- Nana Yaw Obene Dua-Kyei
- Adrian Homes
- Andrea Horntvedt
- Diana Huestis
- Jennifer Regis
- Elizabeth Schaefer
- Kimberly Schoenly
- Dana Schwab
- Kathleen Tripp
Class of 2002
- Katherine Court
- Andrew Deringer
- Arku, Ekow
- Shannon Ellison
- Jessica Ricciarelli
- William Seuffert
- Michael Myers
- Robyn Steinweg
- Evan Vella
- Jennifer Kingsley
- Vais Salikhov
- Janice Blumenthal
- Rebecca Goodnight
- David Hendrickson
- Thomas Lendrihas
- Kristen Lipscomb
- Kristen Phillips
- Samantha Sidlecki
- Amit Verma
Class of 2001
- Emil Iantchev
- Patricia Manteiga
- Erick Gadol
- Angela Maitner
- Alex Trouteaud
- Taryn Sabia
- Laura Johnson
- Megan Kelleher
- Allison Kramer
- Jennifer LaRocco
- Tina Maria Serbanos
- Amy Villamagna
- Tanja Hadzic
- Sabra Marie Lofgren
- Matthew Molineaux
- Jaime Thompson
Class of 2000
- Sara Lawson
- Kathleen Lyden
- Teryn Rozales
- Laura Ann Briancesco
- Jessica Ciddio
- Amanda Dickenson
- Tomas Radcliffe
- Kristine Herrington
- Angela Damery
- Laura Estep
- Aura Fajardo
- Lorna Fountain
- Ofir Garcia
- Rayetta Grasty
- Danielle Hager
- Robert Meyers
- Katie Moor
- Hunter Randleman
- Rebecca Root
Class of 1999
- Ashley Andrews
- Taryn Fielder
- Jeffrey Weihing
- Jan Brunson
- Brian Eustis
- Michelle Pratt
- Howard Tanner
- Jaime DiPietro
- Luke Gawronski
- Cynthia Mitchell
- Thea Vandervelde
- Jamie Eng
- Matthew Fagen
- Tessa Michelle Hill
- Michele Merves
Class of 1998
- Megan Watson
- Matthew Fisher
- Cara Hallmon
- Katherine Sanderlin
- Derek Anderson
- Gregory Briggs
- Maya Minkin
- Allison Payne
- Andrew Cameron
- Sara Doty
- Brian Phillip Evans
- Benn Gilbertson
- Julie Huber
- Elizabeth Grevengoed
- Heather Macrellis
- Mary Meredith
- Jaime Natoli
- Jennifer Nelson
- Aleutia Scott
- Nathan Wall
Class of 1997
- Kelly Mabin
- Emily Kukulies
- Carrie McDonald
- Marnee Myer
- Tama Soderlund
- Elizabeth Gilmour
- Heather Joseph
- Joseph Roedersheimer
- Trisha Schmirler
- Maria Bates
- Simeon Berry
- Christopher Connors
- Stuart Hyatt
- Cara Brody
- Sara Bryant
- Christy Anna Karpenski
- Ryan Thompson
- Timothy Michael Fluharty
- Paul Anderson
- Janice Hartnup
- Jennifer Jeffers
- Angela Strub
Class of 1996
- Samuel Wilkin
- Shannon Varner
- John McInnis
- Ellie Schemenauer
- Jordan Matus
- Jennifer Stevens
- Charlotte Butzin
- Christina Lamp
- Todd Nicolet
- Lisa Water
- Michael Brudzinski
- Andrew Woods
- Sara Brewer
- Christopher Goff
- Zachary Liggett
- Eric Schrimshaw
- Michael Sinisgalli
- Jaya Bohlander
- Stephanie Doughtry
- Maeve Dion
- Mark Knobelsdorf
- Virginia Beth Paulk
- Jason Tavares
- Mark Allen
- Christy Brush
- Mark Andrew Croxford
- Nora Green
- Eileen McMahon
- Theodore Pierson
Class of 1995
- Michael Bazzy
- Kimberly Hoffman
- Mark Cubberley
- Shannon Alexander
- Kristen Brauer
- Ginger Lynn
- Amelia Neat
- Karen Wiegman
- Megan Frayer
- Laura Klahre
Class of 1994
- Jason Bell
- Anne Chapin
- Mary Cashman
- Tag Engstron
- Cari Gibbs
- Melanie Green
- Mary Hord
- Aaron Hynick
- Melissa Jacques
- Jennifer Jensen
- Tiffany McCaskill
- Nicole McCutchan
- Stacey Moore
- Shera Moxley
- Julie Palomaki
- Jennifer Rudicil
- Julie Titus
- Julia Welch
Class of 1993
- Jennifer Emde
- Robert Scott Kadel
- Micheele Meer
- Merrilee Mundahl
- Eric Stewart
- Kristie Taylor
- Jessica Baker
- Laura Conklin
- Nicole Hines
- Heather Tafel
- David Bergren
- Crista Calamas
- Bonnie Levine
- Jennie O’Flanagan
- Andrew Joseph
- Martha Kuykendall
- Christina Munch
- Anne Grace Iolanthe S
- Sandra Sutherland
Class of 1992
- Matthew Gerdeman
- Glen Lukinbill
- Brita Osmundsvaag
- Jason Palmateer
- Matthew Staman
- Laura Blasi
- Annemarie Hennelly
- Susan Moss
- Laura Rogers
- Julie Stevenson
- James Corte
- Tracy Grubb
- Kelsey Jordahl
- Kara Linna
- Debra Nail
- Quinton Zondervan
- Rebecca Blitch
Class of 1991
- Andrew Jennings
- Pratichi Shah
- Laura Helmuth
- Jill Nordbrock
- Kristen Lee Salomon
- Peter Verbeek
- Richard Harden
- April Harshaw
- Dana Ann Elizabeth M
- Angela Matusik
- Charlene Tuttle
- Carole Zarella
- Katherine Piccin
- Andrea Turnbull
- Rebecca Bridges
- Kimberly Eidt
- John Kress
- Anne Varia
- Daniel Jeffre
- Roxanne Spencer
Class of 1990
- Michael Bentley
- Pamela DeSimone
- Brian Morton
- Donna Nice
- Laura Chapman
- John Harris
- Kresten Carden
- Nicholle DeMouy
- Mary Garlick
- Caroline Maun
- Nanette Nascone
- Je-Nien Marie Ernst
- Frank Miskevich
- Robert Conroy Tempe
Class of 1989
- Ian Paine Johnson
- Stephanie Kadel
- Allison Pate
- Andrew Traver
- Jeanne Wright
- Michele Anderson
- Suzanne Myer
- Anne Sumner
- Paula Houhoulis
- Reuben Pribble
- Nasir Abbasi
- Mark Tluszcz
- Angela DeRose
- Jason Hill
- Jenny Valdes
- Erin Murley
- Silvina Sosa-Manrique
The Ford Forum
The Junior Ford Scholars sponsor an annual forum for the Eckerd community. Topics focus on major issues in their disciplines and in higher education.
Thirty-seventh annual Ford Forum
- Lack of Diversity in STEM: How the Sciences Gatekeep Knowledge – Addison Love
- Knowledge, Mimicry & The Imposter: Exploring the Value of AI in Higher Education – Anna DeMartini
- The Drought Within America’s Creative Writing Major – Carolina Tellado
- Losing Our Voices: Understanding the Demise of Language Learning in American Higher Education – Geri Ann Poston
- Misinterpreting Scientific Literature and its Effects on Higher Education – Jessica Hughes
- Who Said That? An Examination of the Current State of Queer and Ethnic/Racial Minorities in Higher Education – Jesus I. Valencia
- Breaking Financial Barriers to Entry in US Higher Education – Jonathan Falbe-Hansen
- Attack on Higher Education: Exploring Recent Florida Policy and Infringement on Academic Freedom – Lara Eade
- The Fear of Speaking Up: Implications for Scientific Communication and Students’ Self-efficacy – Lucas Berglund
- Revamping Medical Education: Creating Inclusive Medical Training – Madeline Sheppard
- The Importance of Statistical Literacy in Academia – Morgan Bauer
- Opening the Door to the Glass Ceiling: How to Bridge Gaps between High School and Higher Education – Nora Colussy-Estes
- Increased Stress in first Generation College Students impacts Academic Success in Higher Education – Signe Renstrom
- Banned & Burning Queerness: The Banned Book Problem in America and How It’s Harming Children Rather Than Protecting Them – Sonny A. Gray
- How Welcome Versus Hostile Learning Environments Affect Students in Higher Education – Helen Williams
- Impacts of the Lack of Diversity in Faculty in Higher Education – Mariana Olivares-Cely
- The Financialization of Higher Education: Rising Tuition, Student Debt, and the Diminished Promise of Upward Mobility – Hannah Keltner
- Are Eckerd Psychology Students in Danger of the “Replication Crisis?” – Gracie Barrentine