Scholarships
Three student opportunities are offered by the Florida Mosquito Control Foundation for students seeking degrees in fields related to arthropod control with emphasis on Public Health. Individuals may apply for all opportunities. Previous winners are eligible to apply as long the requirements are met. Winners are expected to attend the annual FMCA meeting and attendance will be partially supported by the FMCF.
FMCA Roxanne Connelly Student Presentation Scholarship
The FMCA Roxanne Connelly Student Presentation Scholarship was established to recognize the outstanding contributions of Dr. Roxanne Connelly to the Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA), mosquito control education, and student mentorship throughout her distinguished career.
Dr. Connelly served the mosquito control profession through decades of leadership, extension support, workforce development, and service to FMCA, including her work with the FMCA Foundation Scholarship Committee and Dodd Short Courses. Through her role at the University of Florida’s Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, she helped mentor and train generations of mosquito control professionals while strengthening the connection between research and operational mosquito control programs across Florida and beyond.
The FMCA Roxanne Connelly Student Presentation Scholarship is managed and awarded by the Florida Mosquito Control Foundation. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage and support student participation, professional development, and scientific communication within the mosquito control profession through outstanding oral presentations presented at the FMCA Annual Meeting. Eligibility is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates within two years of graduation pursuing studies relevant to mosquito control, public health entomology, vector-borne disease research, and related biological, ecological, and entomological sciences.
Scholarship recipients are selected based on scientific merit, contribution to operational mosquito control in Florida, presentation quality, innovation, and ability to respond to questions. First place recipients will receive a one-time scholarship award of $2,000.00 and formal recognition at the FMCA Annual Meeting.
In addition, five abstracts submitted for the student paper competition will be selected by a committee to receive travel funds of $500 to attend the meeting. The following criteria have been established to choose the five abstracts for the travel award:
- The applicant must submit an abstract (200 words maximum) to [email protected] when the call for speakers for the meeting is announced and identify that they are planning on participating in the Roxanne Connelly Student Presentation Scholarship.
- On the application below for the travel assistance, the applicant must provide their current GPA, including their major and minor if applicable.
- The travel award will be based upon course of study and dedication to the profession.
- The travel award is open to any graduate or undergraduate student pursuing studies in the field of mosquito control, mosquito biology and/or vector management.
Cyrus R. Lesser Scholarship
The Cyrus R. Lesser Memorial Scholarship is offered by the Florida Mosquito Control Foundation for students pursuing degrees in fields related to mosquito control, vector biology, public health entomology, and operational vector management. Previous recipients are eligible to reapply provided all scholarship requirements are met.
The Cyrus R. Lesser Memorial Scholarship is managed and awarded by the Florida Mosquito Control Foundation. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage and assist undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies relevant to mosquito control and vector-borne disease management, with particular emphasis on operational mosquito control programs and applied public health research. The recipient will receive a one-time scholarship award of $2,000.
Cyrus R. Lesser dedicated 38 years of service to the mosquito control profession before his unexpected passing in 2007. He began his career with the Maryland Department of Agriculture Mosquito Control Section as a Biologist, later serving as Program Manager and ultimately as Chief of Operations. Throughout his distinguished career, Cy was recognized as a forward-thinking leader, mentor, and invaluable resource to the mosquito control industry.
Cy served as President of the American Mosquito Control Association and as a member of the AMCA Board of Directors for six years. He received numerous professional awards and recognitions and was widely respected for his commitment to advancing mosquito control through innovation, collaboration, and service. In recognition of his lasting contributions to the profession, members of the mosquito control community, industry partners, colleagues, and family established this scholarship to support the next generation of mosquito control professionals.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited college or university within the United States. Students within one year of graduation remain eligible to apply.
- Be pursuing a course of study related to mosquito control, vector biology, entomology, public health, ecology, biology, environmental sciences, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrate an interest in operational mosquito control, vector management, or vector-borne disease prevention.
- Be a resident of the United States.
- Submit a completed scholarship application by the established deadline.
- Submit a statement describing their academic interests, career goals, and how their studies support the field of mosquito control and vector management.
- Provide current academic information, including degree program, institution, and cumulative GPA.
Application Information and Application Form
Online applications and college or university transcripts must be received no later than October 1st, 2026 to be considered. Transcripts are to be mailed to Dr. Whitney Qualls, 120 EOC Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32092. Make sure to plan extra time for the transcripts to be received by the deadline since they must be mailed from the University.
You must complete this application, IN ITS ENTIRETY, once you begin the process. YOU CANNOT save your entered data and return later to complete the submission.
You will need the following information to complete this submission; please have this information readily available:
- Overall Grade Point Average
- Major Grade Point Average
- Credit Hours Completed
You will have the opportunity to upload the following supporting documentation; please have these items ready to upload.
- Proof of current enrollment at a Florida College or University.
- One color headshot photograph of the applicant.
- Statement from the student describing their interest in public health entomology, career goals, and other factors pertinent to scholastic ability which illustrate qualifications for the scholarship (limited to 1,000 words).
IMPORTANT! You will also need reference letters from three (3) persons (two of which are from professors from your academic institution) who are knowledgeable individuals attesting to your entomological interests, character, and aptitude. Upon completion of this application, you will need to have your three reference statements emailed to: Whitney Qualls Email: [email protected].
Appropriate file formats for document uploads include: DOC, DOCX, PDF, and for pictures: JPG, JPEG, BMP, GIF, or PNG, File sizes are restricted to 10 Mb each. Please have these documents available BEFORE beginning the submission process.
You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application and that supporting documents have been successfully submitted to the FMCA.
For more information please contact:
Whitney Qualls
Anastasia Mosquito Control District
120 EOC Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32092
Phone: 904-484-7337
Email: [email protected]
Previous Winners of the Cy Lesser FMCA Scholarship
T. Wainwright Miller, Jr. Scholarship
The T. Wainwright Miller, Jr. Scholarship is offered by the Florida Mosquito Control Foundation for students seeking degrees in fields related to arthropod control with emphasis on Public Health. Previous winners are eligible to apply if the scholarship requirements are met. The winner is expected to attend the annual FMCA meeting and attendance will be partially supported by the FMCF.
The T. Wainwright Miller, Jr. Florida Mosquito Control Association Scholarship is managed and awarded by the Foundation. The purpose of the Scholarship is to encourage and assist students having a major in Biological, Ecological and/or Entomological studies who are seeking degrees relevant to arthropod control, with particular emphasis on Public Health fields. First place recipients will receive a one-time scholarship award of $2,000.00.
- Wainwright Miller, a fourth generation Floridian, began his public service career at the age of 14, spending two years in Washington D.C. in the House of Representatives under the wing of Congressman Joe Hendricks. Born in Clearwater and raised in Kissimmee, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II before earning a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech in Atlanta. In 1988, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of Business Administration by Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Florida, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. Mr. Miller moved to Ft. Myers in 1956, where he helped establish the Lee County Mosquito Control District and administered programs in Lee County for mosquito and aquatic weed control until his retirement in 1994. He served as President of the Florida Anti-Mosquito Association and the Aquatic Plant Management Society and served as Secretary for both organizations for ten years. He also served as Secretary of the American Mosquito Control Association for seven years. He was named Engineer of the Year by the Calusa Chapter of the American Society of Civil engineers in 1989, and again by the Southwest Florida Chapter in 1993. Also, in 1993 he was named to the Hall of Success at Georgia Tech and in 1997 was inducted into the Engineering Hall of Fame. Mr. Miller has served as Trustee, President and CEO of the John E. and Aliese Price Foundation since 1983.
Application Information and Application Form
Online applications and college or university transcripts must be received no later than October 1st, 2026 to be considered. Transcripts are to be mailed to Dr. Whitney Qualls, 120 EOC Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32092. Make sure to plan extra time for the transcripts to be received by the deadline since they have to be mailed from the University.
You must complete this application, IN ITS ENTIRETY, once you begin the process. YOU CANNOT save your entered data and return at a later time to complete the submission.
You will need the following information to complete this submission; please have this information readily available:
- Overall Grade Point Average
- Major Grade Point Average
- Credit Hours Completed
You will have the opportunity to upload the following supporting documentation; please have these items ready to upload.
- Proof of current enrollment at a Florida College or University.
- One color headshot photograph of the applicant.
- Statement from the student describing their interest in public health entomology, career goals, and other factors pertinent to scholastic ability which illustrate qualifications for the scholarship (limited to 1,000 words).
IMPORTANT! You will also need reference letters from three (3) persons (two of which are from professors from your academic institution) who are knowledgeable individuals attesting to your entomological interests, character, and aptitude. Upon completion of this application, you will need to have your three reference statements emailed to: Whitney Qualls Email: [email protected].
Appropriate file formats for document uploads include: DOC, DOCX, PDF, and for pictures: JPG, JPEG, BMP, GIF, or PNG, File sizes are restricted to 10 Mb each. Please have these documents available BEFORE beginning the submission process.
You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application and that supporting documents have been successfully submitted to the FMCA.
For more information please contact:
Whitney Qualls
Anastasia Mosquito Control District
120 EOC Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32092
Phone: 904-484-7337
Email: [email protected]