Scholarships awarded to dependents of city staff
The city of Sanibel reported that following Hurricane Charley in 2004, an endowment fund was established with Collaboratory to provide scholarships for dependents of city employees.
The scholarship program was the vision of then City Manager Judie Zimomra, who brought it to life when so many citizens expressed their desire to acknowledge and thank city employees for their tireless efforts to return residents quickly and safely to their homes and businesses and restoring the community from the devastation caused by Charley.
In 2021, the Sanibel City Council renamed the city program to the Judith Ann Zimomra Scholarship in honor of her following her retirement as city manager after 20 years of faithful and dedicated service.
Including this year’s recipients, the city has awarded 103 scholarships totaling $144,250 since program’s inception. This year, two outstanding students were each awarded a $3,000 scholarship.
Recipient Mackenzie Jackson is the daughter of Eric and Melissa Jackson. He serves as the public information officer & grants manager for the city and has been employed since the fall of 2023.
It is Mackenzie’s second year in the scholarship program. She recently completed her first year at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in Spanish. Since beginning her studies, Mackenzie has become involved on campus as a UCF Rotary Interact Club member, participating in community service and leadership opportunities.
Prior to attending UCF, she graduated from Cypress Lake High School and was a member of the varsity lacrosse team, National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society. Mackenzie also volunteered at the Lee Memorial Hospital and Heights Elementary School, gaining experience serving others in healthcare and educational settings.
During the summer, she continues her academic studies through online coursework, while working part-time at Nanny’s of Sanibel. Mackenzie enjoys balancing her educational goals with opportunities to serve her community and gain professional experience.
Recipient Hunter Krawczuk is the son of Scott and Karry Krawczuk. He serves as the deputy director of the Public Works Department and has been employed by the city for nearly 26 years.
Hunter is a 2025 graduate of Ida S. Baker High School. While in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society and high school baseball team. When Hunter was not studying or playing baseball, he was volunteering at the local little league, where he mentored young ball players, or spending time with his family. In college, Hunter continues to volunteer at local little leagues and elementary schools and is involved in club sports.
Hunter will be a second year student at the University of South Florida (USF) this fall, where he continues his studies in criminology and maintains a 3.83 GPA. His goal is to attend law school in the future to become a lawyer or to pursue a law enforcement career as a detective or with the FBI.
For more information about the scholarship program, contact Human Resources Director Crystal Mansell at 239-472-3700, ext. 355, or crystal.mansell@mysanibel.com.
To support the program, contributions can be sent to The Collaboratory, Attn: Judith Ann Zimomra Scholarship (City of Sanibel Employee Dependent Scholarship Program), 2031 Jackson St., Suite 100, Fort Myers, Florida 33901.