Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is excited to announce Amelia Swiecki of Sarasota as the award recipient of the 2025 Virginia B. Toulmin Leadership Scholarship. Ms. Swiecki is a rising junior at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, pursing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with minors in biology, film, and Spanish. The Virginia B. Toulmin scholarship is awarded in honor and partnership with a local leader in the Sarasota community – and that distinction has been bestowed to Selby Gardens’ President and CEO Jennifer O. Rominiecki, who served as the scholarship’s inaugural mentor during the 2024 award cycle. The scholarship includes a $15,000 award provided by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Through this program, the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens seek to contribute to the development of future leaders and professionals who will make meaningful contributions to the non-profit sector and our community. The scholarship will provide a pathway for successful leadership in the business and nonprofit world by providing mentorship, opportunities to observe leadership in action, and financial support to high-achieving juniors or seniors pursuing bachelor’s degrees and holding a minimum GPA of 3.5.