Evin B. Hartsell Foundation gift establishes endowed memorial scholarship

The University of South Florida College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) announced today a $25,000 gift from the Evin B. Hartsell Foundation to establish the Evin B. Hartsell Endowed Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will support students participating in the Interdisciplinary Training Program of the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities, which provides instruction and mentorship to students by faculty and staff who are nationally recognized in the field of developmental disabilities.

The scholarship was created in memory of Evin B. Hartsell, who was born with congenital merosin-deficient muscular dystrophy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Evin was an avid power-soccer player and singer, attended college and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and posthumously became a published author. Proceeds from his book, “Abled in a Disabled World,” will continue to fund the Evin B. Hartsell scholarship and is available for purchase through the Evin B. Hartsell Foundation website.

“Evin will, no doubt, inspire us for a very long time to come,” said CBCS Dean Julie Serovich, PhD. “Not only will he reach people through the candid insights in his book, but also through this generous gift. We are so thankful to the Evin B. Hartsell Foundation for supporting students with disabilities who are pursuing careers that will help others with disabilities live well.”

The Evin B. Hartsell Endowed Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a degree in social work, psychology, or counseling and also participating in the Interdisciplinary Training Program of the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities. Preference will be given to students with a disability, US military veterans, and those with a GPA of 3.0 and higher. If there are no applicants who meet those criteria, the scholarship may be awarded to any Florida Center for Inclusive Communities trainee dedicated to the study of disabilities and inclusion.