Scholarships

MARCO ISLAND SHELL CLUB
EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

The Marco Island Shell Club, a 501 ( c )(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the study, conservation, science, history, and appreciation of seashells and mollusks in all their forms, has awarded $20,000 to deserving undergrad and graduate students who are studying marine sciences as well as notable non-profits who further our mission to educate and inform our community including the Bailey National Shell Museum, Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center and Hideaway Beach’s Buddy Day.

The Marco Island Shell Club raises money for these scholarships through donations and the sale of unique shell art both at in-person events and our website www.marcoislandshellclub.com 

Click here for Scholarship Information and Application

The Marco Island Shell Club has announced its 2025 Scholarship and Grant recipients, awarding $20,000 to support students dedicated to marine sciences and conservation.

Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships: Marco Island Shell Club has two endowed scholarships at Florida Gulf Coast University.   An additional $2,000 was added this year to each of the endowment amounts. Isabel Kacprowski received the undergraduate scholarship for her studies in Marine Sciences, while Celina Ceballos was awarded the graduate scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. focused on endangered species research. 

• Isabel Kacprowski: Isabel is a senior studying red tide and organic contaminants. She also takes care of the invertebrate tanks at the Water School. She plans to continue to a master’s degree in marine sciences and intends to remain in Florida.

• Celina Ceballos: Celina has been studying Diamondback Terrapins, Gopher Tortoises, and Sea Turtles, starting in New Jersey and now in Florida. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. with the goal of advancing the preservation and understanding of endangered species and ecosystems through research, education, and science communication.

• $5,000 Scholarships: Two additional $5,000 scholarships were awarded to Zoe Szabo, who aims to use underwater photography for marine conservation, and Macy Noll, who is studying coral creatures and creating educational materials for children. 

  • Zoe Szabo: Zoe is pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Sciences. She plans to use underwater photography to help people understand the importance of protecting and conserving marine life. She is also working with Collier County on their Sea Turtle Research Project.

  • Macy Noll: Macy spent time as a child on Marco Island with her grandparents, exploring in and out of the water. She has a double major in Art and Biology and is a Research Assistant for Vester Field Station studying tiny coral creatures. She has created a color and activity book focused on coastal ecology for children.

  Grants for Research and Education: Grants were also awarded for various educational initiatives, including a $1,957 grant for seagrass resilience research and a $5,000 grant for a mollusk education program reaching kindergarten classrooms. 

  • Stephanie Sanders: Stephanie, studying at the University of South Florida, was awarded a $1,957 grant for the study of Seagrass Resilience through the Study of Whelk Predation on Clams. The grant will provide scuba training and equipment.

  • Mollusks on the Move: This program from Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum brings live mollusks directly to students. A grant of $5,000 will bring this program to two kindergarten classrooms, serving about 170 children.

  • Friends of Rookery Bay: A grant of $1,525 was awarded for educational activities.

    These exceptional students and initiatives are dedicated to protecting our coastal environment and the creatures that live within it.  We are very proud and encouraged by these exceptional students who are interested in protecting our coastal environment and the creatures that live on and in it.

    The Marco Island Shell Club, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to the study and conservation of mollusks and seashells and to encourage shell related interests such as shell collection and Shell Art.   Shell Art produced by our members and sold at two major Shell Art Sales provides the funds to support our educational endeavors.

Please contact us to make a donation toward future scholarships.

Education/Grants

The Club depends upon the proceeds from the Holiday Sale in late fall and the Spring Expo & Shell Art Sale in March to underwrite other educational programs and grants. Because of very successful sales the past few seasons, we are able to expand our philanthropic activities.

Our grants require applicants to focus on activities that promote the study, conservation, science, history, and appreciation of seashells and mollusks in all their forms.

They are available to teachers and educators working with children from PreK through high school.  A Grant Application is available here on our website.  We ask for information about your activity, who will benefit from the activity, materials needed for your activity, and a breakdown of costs for those materials. 

An example of a PreK grant is one from St. Marks Preschool program on Marco Island.  Their activity was An Introduction to Seashells. The materials requested included 4 Preschool level books about seashells and stories about who lives in a seashell, including beautiful pictures for the children to enjoy.  They also asked for a chart of local seashells with pictures and names of shells, and an assortment of shells to match to the chart, sort by color, size, shape, etc., providing for lots of math and science activities as well as literacy skills enhanced with beautiful books.  They can also do some art activities with the shells by decorating them with paint or markers and adding a magnet to hang them. 

Middle school and high school may want a fish tank for the classroom, or a field trip to the Bailey’s Shell Museum. Bailey’s Shell Museum also offers a wonderful program across all grade levels called Mollusks on the Move.  The museum will bring a van to your school with shells, activities with shells, and live shell animals in tanks.  Most children have never seen a live shell animal or had a chance to experience the beach. We have given grants to schools or classrooms for this valuable experience.  The children learn so much and love the activities.

Zoe Szabo

Macy Noll