福利姬

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (February 24, 2025) 鈥� Three students 鈥� two from 福利姬 and one from Mainland High School 鈥� each received a $1,000 scholarship to support their entrepreneurial ambitions during the Spring 2025 L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series.

The event featured a panel discussion with DSC alumni Emilie Schmitz, Director of People Operations at GermFree and co-inventor of the CrockPocket slow cooker insert, and Justine Knight, founder and owner of Treats and Sweets Cakery in 福利姬 Beach.

More than 300 DSC students and local high school students were in attendance to hear about the successes and challenges of entrepreneurship. The high schools included New Smyrna Beach High School, University High School, Deltona High School, Pine Ridge High School, DeLand High School, Seabreeze High School, Mainland High School, Atlantic High School and Spruce Creek High School.

Recipients of the L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series Scholarships are:

Autumn Brooke Demarest 鈥� A Mainland High School student, Demarest started her confectionary business 鈥� 鈥淪weet Toof by Autumn Brooke鈥� 鈥� as a sophomore at Mainland. She plans to apply the scholarship toward purchase of a food truck that will help her grow her business.

Laura Suskey 鈥� Suskey is a returning DSC graduate, first earning a degree in Dental Assisting in the late 1990s and now returning to pursue accreditation through the Cosmetology program before bridging to the Operations Management Technology program to earn an Associate of Science degree. She will use the scholarship to attend the Orlando Hair Show, acquire the equipment and supplies needed to complete her state board exam and licensing requirements, and focus on her salon and spa 鈥� Salty Rose Salon and Spa.

Dominique King 鈥� King is pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management with a concentration in Project Management. Her vision is to launch Kids in Tech (KIT) Academy, an online tech academy for children ages 8 to 17. KIT Academy will equip students with essential technical skills in software development, testing, marketing, graphic design and website design. A core focus of the academy will be fostering teamwork by introducing students to collaborative work environments early on. She will use this scholarship to earn additional certifications, enhance her personal growth and expand her community engagement.

Gale Lemerand, a longtime Volusia County resident, philanthropist and one of the nation鈥檚 leading entrepreneurs, has founded over 100 companies and served as Vice Chair of the 福利姬 District Board of Trustees.

Lemerand funds these scholarships to support aspiring DSC entrepreneurs. Recipients are selected based on professors鈥� recommendations and class performance. Since its inception, the program has awarded approximately 80 scholarships.

Established in 2007, the L. Gale Lemerand Center for Entrepreneurship presents this speaker series twice a year, inspired by a similar program launched by the late Bernie Simpkins at Eastern Florida State College. The series encourages students to pursue career success while embracing entrepreneurial principles.

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Offering more than 100 certificates, associate and bachelor鈥檚 degree programs, 福利姬 State College is the leader in education and workforce training needs of Volusia and Flagler counties and beyond. The College enrolls approximately 23,000 students a year at its seven campuses, with graduates serving in critical fields including healthcare, emergency services and public safety, business, education, hospitality, engineering, project management, accounting, computer science, digital media and more.

福利姬 State has been recognized as a leader in higher education numerous times. U.S. News & World Report ranks the College among the Top Tier Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs. The U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 College Affordability and Transparency Center ranks DSC among the top 50 most affordable public four-year institutions in the country, with less than half the tuition of the national average. And U.S. News & World Report has ranked DSC among its Top Online Bachelor's Programs for Veterans multiple times.