CF Celebrates $1 Million Health Care Scholarship Donation with Renaming Event

College of Central Florida students training in health care fields at the CF Citrus Campus now have a new source of financial aid, thanks to a $1 million donation from the Citrus County Hospital Board.

The Charles S. Dean Sr. Endowed Scholarship for Health Sciences will provide tuition assistance for Citrus County residents seeking a Health Sciences degree from CF. Dean, one of the founders of the hospital board, is a CF alumnus and received the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011. He is a lifelong resident of Citrus County who served in the Florida Senate from 2007 to 2012, the Florida House of Representatives from 2002-2007 and was Citrus County Sheriff from 1981-1996.

In recognition of this gift, the CF Citrus Campus Learning & Conference Center will be renamed the Charles S. Dean, Sr. Educational Center. A celebration and naming ceremony will be held at the Citrus Campus, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto, on Friday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m.

“Now more than ever we see a need to recruit and train qualified health care professionals to meet the growing demands of our local communities. The new Charles S. Dean Sr. Endowed Scholarship for Health Sciences is a game changer for our Health Sciences programs and the educational opportunities it opens up to countless students each year,” said Dr. Jim Henningsen, president of the College of Central Florida.

“The Citrus County Hospital Board is pleased to support the Charles S. Dean Endowment Fund at the College of Central Florida,” said Deborah L. Ressler, BSN, chair of the Citrus County Hospital Board. “This support will ensure Citrus County students can participate in health care programs offered at the Citrus Campus and will enhance the students’ opportunities to participate in the delivery of health care in our community.”

The CF Foundation, founded in 1959, is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that enhances the college’s programs and services through the development and management of private contributions and community partnerships. To learn more, visit CF.edu/foundation.