By: Cassidy Delamarter, USF College of Education
When David Goldstein and Joanne Nelson learned they would be honored at the 2025 University of South Florida Alumni Awards for decades of dedication and support, they felt deeply honored and inspired.
They decided they wanted to pay it forward.
“USF gave my daughter the foundation for a career she’s been passionate about for more than 30 years,” Goldstein said. “We wanted to give back in a way that reflects that and help future educators follow the same path she did.”
While being recognized with the Class of ’56 Award, which recognizes non-alumni who have made a lasting impact on USF and the Tampa Bay community, Nelson and Goldstein surprised everyone — including his daughter Sherry Goldstein Scarcella — by announcing a new scholarship in her honor.
Scarcella, a 1995 graduate of the USF College of Education, has spent her career empowering exceptional student education (ESE) learners in New York classrooms. Now, a $30,000 gift from her father and Nelson will extend her legacy even further through the Sherry Goldstein Scarcella Education Scholarship, which will support future educators earning their bachelor’s degree in ESE.
Nelson, who has been the principal and director of special education schools in both New York and Florida, created one of the first three charter schools in Hillsborough County and the first charter serving the needs of ESE students. “I am especially proud of the career that Sherry has chosen,” Nelson said. “She knows that a dedicated teacher can profoundly affect and change the lives of the students that are fortunate enough to enter her classroom.”
The Goldstein and Nelson families accepting their award and celebrating their new scholarship announcement at the 2025 USF Alumni Awards.
“Now this gives my daughter two reasons to come back to Tampa every year — one to cheer on the Bulls in their new stadium that's underway, and another to meet the scholarship recipient,” Goldstein said.
The new scholarship is one of many contributions from Goldstein and Nelson, who have supported USF for decades through both service and philanthropy to elevate opportunities for students and programs across campus.
They’ve each served on numerous leadership boards, including the USF Foundation, USF Athletics’ Bulls Club and Stampede for Women, where Nelson has been a founding member since its inception in 2021.
Their names grace the Yuengling Center scoreboard as a testament to their ongoing support. But for them, it has never been about recognition.
“USF has become such an important and wonderful part of our world,” Nelson said. “The friendships we’ve made and the experiences we have shared have enriched our lives.”
USF’s application cycle for scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year will open in December.