Scholarship Criteria

This scholarship is for students with a financial need as determined by the FAFSA; full-time or part-time enrollment; open to undergraduate students for any major enrolled in the College of Education on the Tampa campus; renewable up to eight semesters.

History

Inspired by the power of education and driven by a desire to help hard-working students, longtime USF staff member Kathleen Moore, PhD, established the Elsie A. Moore Memorial Scholarship to honor the memory of her mother, an optimistic and resilient woman who encouraged her children to aspire to excellence.

Kathleen led a successful 25-year career as a professor and senior administrator at the University of South Florida. She earned her doctorate in education from the university in 1990, played a critical role in USF’s re-accreditation efforts and became a founding member of Women in Leadership & Philanthropy. She credits her successes to the influence of her mother, Elsie Moore.

Elsie raised her children by herself after her husband walked out on the family. She wanted to make certain her daughters learned how to support themselves, and she expected them to excel in school and eventually attend college. This was especially important to Elsie, because as the youngest of three sisters, she did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education. Instead, she was expected to get a job and supplement the family income.

When Elsie passed away, Kathleen knew exactly how she wanted to honor her mother’s legacy as a bright, independent and hard-working woman. Established under the umbrella of Women in Leadership & Philanthropy, the Elsie A. Moore Memorial Scholarship provides deserving students in the College of Education with financial aid and allows them to pursue their college dreams.

Kathleen feels deeply gratified serving as a part of WLP — as well as by the students who have benefitted from her scholarship.

“It’s just wonderful for me,” she said. “It allows me to help students in a meaningful way and stay connected with a university that has been such a big part of my life.”

Today, the Elsie A. Moore Memorial Scholarship celebrates the legacy of a loving, dedicated mother, who helped pave her daughter’s path through a life of endless possibilities.

Give to this scholarship