Each year, the Sea Base Alumni and Friends Association awards the Nancy Wells Staff Scholarship to deserving staff members pursuing their passions in higher education. Recipients of the Nancy Wells Staff Scholarship are among the hardest working and kindest staff members at the Florida Sea Base. Please join us in celebrating them!
To learn more about applying for the Nancy Wells Staff Scholarship, click here. To learn more about donating to our scholarship fund, click here.
2021 Recipients
Joanie Fieser
Hometown: Columbia, Missouri
Position at Sea Base: Keys Adventure Mate (Summer 2021)
Major: Biology
“Having spent most of my time in the Midwest, I would not have become privy to the majesty of ocean life without my Sea Base staff experience. Swimming with spotted eagle rays, leading sunrise yoga sessions on Munson while the Steves (Key Deer) rustle in the mangroves, teaching young people about coral... these are just a few of the memories from this summer that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Looking ahead, I plan to deepen my understanding of marine biology and get scuba-certified. Thank you, Sea Base, for instilling in me a sense of wonder for the water and all the life it holds. I can't wait to learn and teach more!”
Sierra Jockisch
Hometown: Boca Raton, Florida
Position at Sea Base: SCUBA Adventure Mate (Spring & Summer 2021) Sea Exploring Mate (Spring 2020)
Major: Nursing
“In the two seasons I've worked at Sea Base, I have had such a variety of experiences -- I've worked sailing, maintenance, and scuba! Covid may have changed a few aspects of our programs, but the staff adapted, had a great time, and provided unforgettable (& safe) experiences for the scout crews. I'm so happy we've incorporated Dive Against Debris into our daily dives. Trash pick-up is like an egg hunt on every dive! Never know what strange thing you'll find on the next dive!”
Andrea Penrose
Hometown: Mahomet, Illinois
Position at Sea Base: Out Island Mate (Summer 2021) OAOA Mate (Summer 2020)
Major: Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience
“SeaBase has been something that’s a truly life-altering experience. SeaBase has given me such an amazing array of new friends, memories, and experiences. It’s also been a place that has completely altered my mindset on life and about how I can live life; everyday can be a new adventure and living here has taught me that the only life I want to live is one where I am enjoying myself. Living in the Keys has shown me there’s so many different ways you can be successful and there’s no one path or one scale to measure that.”
Caiden Gagner
Hometown: White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Position at Sea Base: Ship Store Clerk (Summer 2021, Fall 2020, Summer 2020, Summer 2019)
Major: Marine Affairs
“My experience at Sea Base has been life changing. It drew me into the water quite literally as I decided to transfer colleges for a Marine degree. I appreciate the flexibility Sea Base has given me to help me grow. One of my favorite things have been being able to get into the ocean on my off time using all the amazing resources Sea Base has. I love each and every friendship I have made along the way as well, and can't wait to see what my next season holds!”
2020 Recipients
Danny Devlin
Hometown: Reston, Virginia
Position at Sea Base: Program Mate / Tank Mate (Summer 2020)
Major: Astrophysics
“The stars, the unknown, to learn about the origins of the universe, to discover why we exist and to find life outside of earth is why I want to become an astrophysicist, and why I will gladly spend more time in the library than my other friends. My time working as a Sea Base staffer and having conversations with the participants has helped reignite my own curiosity about the universe, and I hope to never again lose sight of why I want to study the universe and its many mysteries.”
Sofia Evans
Hometown: Ojai, California
Position at Sea Base: Galley Mate (Summer 2020)
Major: History
“Working in the Galley has given me a sense of pride in the work that I do. It also has endowed me with the ability to think ahead and to anticipate the need for things that need to be done. This characteristic is important in all aspects of life because being able to anticipate separates you from those who can’t and gives you opportunities that maybe would not have been available to you if that was not a characteristic held by an individual. When I go back to college, the things that I learned working in the Galley will stick with me and I will be able to use these tools for the rest of my life.”
Sidney Moore
Hometown: Red Oak, Virginia
Position at Sea Base: Out Island Mate (Summer 2020 / Summer 2019)
Major: Marine Environmental Technology
“Being on staff at Sea Base has afforded me the opportunity to get to work with amazing people and become familiar with life in the Keys. Every encounter and every experience we have in life affects us in some way, so a typical day in the Keys, living on Island time, appreciating local wildlife, studying marine animals and just hanging out with friends has greatly impacted my decision on what I would like to major in at college and where I want to go to college. I plan on attending the College of the Florida Keys and getting an Associate degree in Marine Environmental Technology then working towards a bachelor’s degree in Marine Resource Management”
Jared Schild
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Position at Sea Base: Program Commissioner (Summer 2020), Fishing / Marine STEM Adventure Mate (Summer 2019), Out Island Mate (Spring 2019), Keys Adventure Mate (Summer 2018 / Summer 2017)
Major: Criminal Justice and Criminology
“These experiences [at Sea Base] and the time I have spent enjoying this beautiful place has produced within me a protective attitude towards the ocean environment. Due to this change in my last semester of school I declared a second major to pair with my psychology degree. Criminal Justice & Criminology is that degree path and I would hope to one day work for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Earning a criminal justice degree is another way that I see the ability to help other people and the environment.”
2019 Recipients
Mollie Boyd
Hometown: Elkridge, Maryland
Position at Sea Base: Sea Exploring / ECO STEM Mate (Summer 2019)
Major: Marine Biology and Environmental Science
“As a Marine Biology and Environmental Science double major, I feel that the Sea Exploring program was designed for me. The experience of living on a boat and getting the chance to teach groups of Scouts about the ocean and the inhabitants it holds and what we can do to help it is amazing. I could not ask for a better job designed just for me.”
Melena Purvis
Hometown: Perrysburg, Ohio
Position at Sea Base: Coral Reef Sailing Mate (Summer 2019)
Major: Criminal Justice
“If anything, working here at Sea Base has taught me that a job means the most when you can tell that it is making a profound difference in the lives of people around you. A job that you don’t get anything out of is not going to be enjoyable for you, or whoever is on the receiving end of it. You need to find something that you are passionate about and that you care about because that is the best way for it to be rewarding both to you and to the people you interact with.”
