Lewis Scholarship students with The Hon. Phillip Davis, Prime Minister of the Bahamas, and The Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin, Minister of Education of the Bahamas.

The Lewis Scholarship supports Bahamian students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Central Florida. Established in 2019, the scholarship helps remove financial barriers to higher education through tuition assistance, housing support, travel coverage and one-on-one mentorship.

What began with just two recipients has grown into a thriving community of more than 45 undergraduate scholars and two graduate students, whom the foundation also supported during their undergraduate studies.

The scholarship offers more than financial support. It provides a community of scholars and supporters built on respect, trust, and lasting connections that stay with students long after graduation. This foundation creates academic success, career readiness, and community impact.

Graduates are pursuing careers in STEM, business and community-focused fields, driven by both personal goals and a commitment to giving back. Their journeys reflect the scholarship’s mission to expand access to education, prepare future leaders and build lasting connections between students and the communities they serve. Rooted in a family legacy with deep ties to the Bahamas, the scholarship is a long-term investment in students, their futures and the communities they serve.

Celebrating our Spring 2025 Graduates (from the left) Jada Hanfield, Syann Brennen, Lauren King, Roganne Moncur. 


Lewis Scholarship student Jonae Edwards with UCF President and First Lady Alexander and Melinda Cartwright receiving the Order of Pegasus Award, the most prestigious and significant award a student can attain at UCF.  Note:  Info on Pegasus Award.

We offer students the resources, relationships and support they need to thrive. Scholars are part of a network built on respect, trust and lasting connection.

Highlights

  • Launched in 2019 with two students, now supports more than 45 recipients

  • More than 15 graduates to date, many working in high-impact fields across health care, science, business and public service

  • Scholars represent islands across the Bahamas, including New Providence, Grand Bahama and Exuma

How To Apply

 Lewis Scholarship Timeline

  • Awarded 2 full ride scholarships to outstanding Bahamian students

  • First scholarship students begin studies at UCF

  • Scholarship expanded to 8 full ride scholarship students per academic year

  • First Lewis Scholar graduates, earning a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, aspiring to become a pediatric speech therapist in her native Bahamas, a specialty that is urgently needed

  • First Lewis Scholar graduates, earning a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, aspiring to become a pediatric speech therapist in her native Bahamas, a specialty that is urgently needed

  • Over five years the Lewis Scholarship has awarded 45+ scholarships

    Supporting students from the Bahamas:

    • Added 2 new graduate scholarships annually

    • Expanded formal mentorship and alumni outreach programs

“Being intentional about the seeds we plant and water for our future will reap a good harvest. I am happy to be the seed that the Lewis Scholarship is watering for impact.”

— Roganne Moncur, Lewis Scholarship Recipient