- January 28, 2025
Glenn W. Bailey Foundation Gift Extends the Marine SEA Scholars Program

Launched in 2020, Florida Atlantic University’s Glenn W. and Cornelia T. Bailey Marine SEA (Science, Education, and Arts) Scholars program continues with the support of the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation. The recent $1.6 million gift from the foundation will extend the program another five years.
The program provides students the opportunity to develop skills in scientific research and science communication by working in the lab and serving as outreach ambassadors for the Florida Atlantic Marine Science Laboratory. The Marine Lab, part of Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, is open to the public and receives more than 200,000 visitors annually and is located at the Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex in Boca Raton. The lab’s students and staff study marine animals and their environments. Each semester, there are five undergraduate and three graduate scholars and one postdoctoral fellow, representing a variety of majors in the arts and sciences.

Postdoctoral SEA Scholar and associate graduate faculty, Chelsea Bennice, Ph.D., leads the student scholars with program director, Jeanette Wyneken, Ph.D., director of the Marine Science Lab and professor of biological sciences. As a graduate student at Florida Atlantic, Chelsea built an online following by posting about her octopus research on social media. She now shares her passion for research and marine science conservation during community outreach events.
“Students have different majors, such as education, multi-media journalism, and science,” Chelsea said. “It’s great to get that collective group together to bring to life hands-on education and outreach activities.”
These activities include fun fact marine creature coloring sheets and postcards, a board game with sea turtle trading cards, and marine science quizzes. The scholars also serve as teaching staff in the lab’s visitors’ gallery, and they participate in community outreach events.
Colleen Hecker ’20, ’24 joined the program in its first year as an undergraduate biology major and helped develop and launch the website. She came back as a master’s scholar and is now starting her doctorate, also at Florida Atlantic, studying the microbiology of sea stars.
“I would love to go into teaching,” said Colleen. “I think having strong communication skills in that field is so important.”
Danielle Veasley ’24 was a communication studies major with a public affairs minor who had never taken a science class. She appreciated learning and working with a team in a fast-paced setting.
“I was like a sponge in an environment where I was able to learn so much in a short amount of time,” said Danielle.


Working with the social media team, she created content about how sea turtles’ brains work and filmed a virtual lab tour. Her experience with SEA Scholars and as a peer academic coach at Florida Atlantic has influenced her desire to work in higher education.
SEA Scholar alumni have gone on to work in journalism, art and design, and scientific research. Some alumni attend graduate and veterinary schools.
Founded in 2022, the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation promotes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and career opportunities in the United States.
To learn more about how Florida Atlantic is providing opportunities that propel student success, as well as how Transcend Tomorrow: The Campaign for Florida Atlantic University is working to create a healthier environment and support student success, visit transcendtomorrow.fau.edu.
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