Hickey Trust donates $100K for FSU Panama City nursing scholarships

The Edward F. Hickey Jr. Memorial Trust presented a $100,000 donation to establish a scholarship for the new FSU Panama City Nursing Program during a check presentation Thursday at the Holley Academic Center.

Dean Randy Hanna said the program will partner with local healthcare providers and will fill a critical need for nurses in the community. Plans for the program were announced in September 2025, and it is expected to launch in 2027 as part of the FSU College of Nursing.

The Edward F. Hickey Jr. Memorial Trust was established as a legacy of the late Panama City Beach businessman whose name it bears. The Trust has supported many programs in the Bay County area, including several at FSU Panama City. Those include a $260,000 gift to endow a scholarship for deserving students from the beaches area; $38,000 to fund improvements to the Early Childhood Autism Program’s Fun Room; and $100,000 to build a mock apartment, the Jackson Brush FILLS (Functional Independent Living and Learning Skills) Room for training ECAP clients in basic life skills.

“Ed was a giving person who wanted no recognition, but his life and accomplishments demand that his legacy lives on,” said Jeff DiBenedictis, executor of the Trust. “Edward was an advocate for young people in the area who needed support and was a strong believer in second chances.”

The Edward F. Hickey Jr. Memorial Nursing Scholarship will provide much-needed support to students attending Florida State University Panama City who are interested in pursuing a degree in nursing. Preference will be given to applicants from the following ZIP codes: 32407, 32408, 32411, 32413 and 32417. For more information about scholarships at FSU Panama City, visit pc.fsu.edu/finances.