Marco Island Shell Club Scholarship Recipients

The Marco Island Shell Club continues its tradition of supporting marine science and conservation through both creativity and philanthropy. As a nonprofit organization, the club brings together enthusiasts who share a passion for the study and appreciation of mollusks. Members meet weekly during the season to craft beautiful shell art, which is then sold at two major annual fundraisers: the Holiday Shell Art Sale on November 28 and the Spring Expo on March 13–14, 2026, both hosted at New Life Community Church on Marco Island. Visit the Shell Club’s website for more information on these sales as well as other activities the Club participates in each year. Proceeds from these events fund scholarships for students pursuing studies in marine science and conservation.

This November, three club members and their two Florida Gulf Coast University scholarship recipients were invited to the annual President’s Scholarship Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. The event provided a unique opportunity for scholarship recipients to connect with their sponsors and highlighted the critical role scholarships play in expanding access to higher education. Remarks from the FGCU President and Board Chair emphasized the transformative impact of these programs.

This year, the Marco Island Shell Club’s Undergraduate Endowment Scholarship was awarded to Macy Knoll, a fifth-year FGCU student double-majoring in Biology and Art. Macy is a Scientific Diver, NAUI Instructor, and research assistant at Vester Field Station, where she studies benthic settlement on Kimberly’s Reef. Her senior research project explores innovative reef-building materials, and she is passionate about blending art and science through illustration, immersive installations, and virtual reality documentary filmmaking.

The Graduate Endowment Scholarship, sponsored by the Shell Club, went to Lorayne Martinez Diaz, whose research focuses on hurricanes and creating a more complete historical record to improve prediction accuracy. Lorayne is currently in graduate school and has two possible professional paths. The first would be to become a professor at a university, and the second would be to become an environmental consultant.