Helios Education Foundation celebrates 20 years of impact in Florida
$500,000 in scholarships and student support awarded to community college transfer students across Florida
TAMPA, Fla. – Helios Education Foundation honored two decades of unwavering commitment to educational excellence with a scholarship presentation and community reception held in Tampa. The celebration underscored Helios’ twenty-year dedication to postsecondary attainment, especially for low-income and historically underrepresented communities, showcasing impactful student stories, and awarding $500,000 in scholarships and student support to 20 community college transfer students working to complete four-year degree programs.
The Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship supports students transferring from Florida community colleges to Florida A&M University, Florida International University, the University of Central Florida, or the University of South Florida.
“This milestone is a testament to what’s possible when communities come together with an unwavering commitment to education," said Paul J. Luna, President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. "Our scholars embody the very purpose of Helios—to create opportunities and ensure that postsecondary education is within reach for every student who aspires to it.”
The 20 scholarships support the continuing education of students transferring from community colleges to partner universities across Florida. Transfer student success is a priority for both Helios and Florida public universities, and these scholarships create powerful incentives for students to complete their studies at four-year institutions.
Scholarship recipients at the four universities include:
University of South Florida
- Ayanna Adams
- Myrielle V. Brutus
- Chrisana James
- Janya Jenkins
- Rilhandra Merant
- Raul Cisneros
- Destiny Higgs
- Rayann Olanipekun
- Leina Olazabal Rodriguez
- Yuna Yi
University of Central Florida
- Casey Cuellar
- Aaron Espinosa
- Stephanie Fuentes
- Kassandra Mccombs
- Sebastian Torres
Florida A & M University
- T'Miyahh Brooks
- Vanessa Elas
- Ian Fields
- Kaleb Gorousingh
- Ben Paul
Over the past two decades, Helios has:
- Invested more than $350 million in education initiatives across Florida and Arizona
- Impacted nearly 2.4 million students
- Supported over 520,000 education professionals through development and training
- Awarded more than 41,000 scholarships to students pursuing postsecondary education
“Our 20th anniversary is not just a reflection of where we’ve been—it’s a reaffirmation of where we are going,” added Vince Roig, Helios Founding Board Chairman. “We remain deeply committed to ensuring historically underrepresented and low-income students have equitable access to a high-quality education—from early learning to postsecondary success—because every student deserves the opportunity to experience the transformational power of education.”