Give to the Jennifer L. Schott Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Jennifer Lynn “Jenny” Schott was diagnosed at age 2 with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Despite the severe pain and experimental medications, Jenny strived to maintain a normal childhood. Jenny spent her life achieving incredible success while gracefully handling pain and the educational, emotional and social burdens of arthritis.

Jenny became an accomplished and articulate public speaker, winning speech competitions as well as reading from the Bible at church. Electric scooters and wheelchairs became part of Jenny's high school identity and she continued to excel, graduating first in her high school class with the highest grade point average, a huge accomplishment!

As Jenny was working hard to live her dream of becoming a teacher, the arthritis was destroying her body.  Over the course of her life, Jenny had operations on virtually every joint in her body, with joints replaced or fused through the insertion of steel rods in places such as her wrists and ankles.  But she refused to let arthritis take control of her life.  Jenny overcame the obstacles and was able to achieve her dream by becoming a mathematics and English teacher, teaching students with learning and physical disabilities. Jenny taught many lessons to everyone she met whether student or observer. Jenny passed away  peacefully  at the age of 26.

While at Seminole Community College (SCC), now Seminole State College, Jenny was the founder and president of a support group called “Inside the Outsiders,” where students dealing with disabilities and handicaps could come together and share their experiences and provide support to each other. She was an officer of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and graduated from SCC with high honors and distinction with a 4.0 GPA and an Associate in Arts in Mathematics degree.

Benches on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus were donated in Jenny’s memory and feature a plaque in her honor.  They are located in the breezeway between buildings L, S, E and F. One is sitting against building F and the other against building E. 

Established by George and Lisa Schott in honor of their daughter, the Jennifer L. Schott Memorial Endowed Scholarship provides assistance to a degree or certificate seeking student facing disabilities who maintains a 2.0 GPA.

Success Stories

Darylyn Warner

I got severely ill a few years ago due to two autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Unfortunately, I can no longer work directly with patients as a registered medical assistant, but I have decided to pursue a career in medical billing and coding. Receiving this scholarship has boosted my self-confidence as it showed that you believe in me and allows me to show my children that I am a fighter and to never give up no matter what life throws at you. Thank you for allowing me to continue Jennifer's legacy.

Shohna Shaver

A single mother, an aeronautical flight training operations manager/CEO assistant, a disabled person, and a goal driven student on Seminole State College’s Presidents List, are just a few of the ways to describe Shohna Shaver.  Pursuing a degree to become a mechanical engineer, Shaver's goal is to create the first aeronautical/aerospace FAA flight training footprint to allow pilots to ease from aviation to aerospace training more efficiently. From there, she plans to create flight training sim prototypes to be approved by oversees civil authorities for pilot license conversions. Permanently paralyzed during the birth of her child, she challenged the diagnosis, and after three surgeries and significant physical therapy, Shaver hopes to walk with a cane. Her previous industry experience has guided her path forward, allowing her to maintain a GPA of 3.85 and remain focused, so when she returns the aeronautical /aerospace field, she will return with confidence and additional skillsets, instead of less. Proud of her journey in education, she hope it inspires students like her to find the strength to push back on what others deemed were “impossible”.

"With much enthusiasm, I offer my gratitude in receiving this scholarship in Jennifer L. Schott’s memory. I am deeply appreciative for those who support physically disabled students; providing them with the determination to grow within our communities, academically. This award has provided such a valuable acknowledgement in my efforts and will be cherished as symbol of determination and strength as I make my way to obtaining my mechanical engineering degree, not only as a person with physical disabilities, but as a student, as a mother, and as motivated person who focuses on the future with excitement." - Shohna Shavers