First-Gen Student Anthony Vitiello Highlights the Importance of Scholarships in his Journey
Anthony Vitiello FIU Scholarship Recipient
For many, scholarships are a deciding factor for attending college. This is certainly the case for first-generation students, who often don’t have the resources to keep up with the rising cost of higher education.
Scholarships and grants have been essential for Anthony Vitiello, a College of Arts, Sciences, and Education (CASE) student currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English. Now in his final year of college, Vitiello has been named the 2024-2025 Butler Waugh Scholar, competing against numerous applicants for the spot. He is set to graduate in May with a 4.0 GPA, immediately setting his sights on a PhD.
In the long run, he aspires to dive into the world of academia and eventually become a professor himself.
In the face of all these major achievements, Vitiello takes pride in the fact that he has been able to attend college at all, something that was never a given.
The Road to FIU
Vitiello grew up in a low-income household in Davie, Florida. Not only was he the youngest of five siblings, but he was also diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy and single-sided deafness at a young age. His academic performance suffered in a public school system that could not adapt to his needs as a disabled student.
“I still have a lot of medical problems, but when I was a kid, they really interfered with my ability to be successful,” Vitiello said, “I had a very difficult time having success at the K-12 level, because accessibility for disabled students is limited.”
At 15 years old, Vitiello decided it would be best to drop out of high school and get his GED. Years later, he earned an associate’s degree in English, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. He was also a finalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship, a prestigious award for top students from community colleges around the nation.
While he was sought after by Ivy Leagues like Cornell and Princeton, Vitiello knew he’d have to stay local as he pursued a bachelor’s degree. “Ultimately, because of my financial circumstances—coming from a poor family—the financial utility doesn’t really exist for me to move,” Vitiello said, “Cost is a real roadblock for students like me, so what I sought to do was to find the best education available to me in my immediate area.”
Granting Opportunities
As he considered his options in South Florida, it became clear that FIU was his best bet. Not only does FIU provide high-quality education, but the university also granted him various scholarships. These awards gave him the financial support needed to help him complete school while also exposing him to unique experiential learning opportunities.
“What's cool about scholarships is that there are several extracurricular opportunities that are presented,” Vitiello explained, “The English department hosts the Butler Waugh Lecture in Literature every year. And so, what the Waugh Scholar does is pick an academic who specializes in their field of study, and they invite them to FIU to give a specialized lecture.”
Mentorship and Looking Forward
This experience has also helped shape Vitiello’s aspirations, especially as the time nears to apply to PhD programs. He has been able to connect with various faculty and staff at FIU’s Department of English, who have supported and encouraged him throughout his time at the university.
He credits Dr. Heather Blatt, associate professor, for campaigning for him within the English department as he applied for his Scholarship, as well as inspiring him as a future professor. He also credits Dr. Mark Kelley, assistant professor, for exposing him to disability studies, now one of Vitiello’s many scholarly interests.
“As a first-generation student who's never had any guidance whatsoever, it's really been eye-opening for me to get to collaborate with these faculty who have been in academia for decades and who know how the field works,” Vitiello said, “If I had to say one thing about FIU, it’s that the support that they have given me has opened these doors for me in a way that I would not have been able to open them myself.”
As his time as an undergrad comes to an end, Vitiello is beginning the process of completing PhD applications, with hopes he can make it into the next PhD cycle. Knowing how competitive PhD programs can be, he is also considering law school. FIU Department of English faculty and staff have continued to support him through this application process, helping him set course for the next chapter of his life.
“I want to extend my sincerest love, gratitude, and thanks to FIU, the FIU Foundation, and all the various committees that have extended to me the gracious scholarships I have received.” Vitiello shared, “I have no regrets about where I chose to do my undergraduate, and I could not be prouder to represent this institution.”
Inspired to Give Back
Amber Mannings FIU Scholarship Recipient
From the age of 11, double-alumna Amber Mannings dreamed of being an attorney. Despite facing challenge after challenge, including homelessness as a teen, she graduated from FIU Law in 2022, earning a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Now, she is starting her own law practice, realizing her childhood dream.
Mannings says this would not have been possible without the community she found at FIU’s Fostering Panther Pride program. She shares this accomplishment with the many mentors who supported her throughout her journey.
“I could never say that I had no help. It was a community effort,” Mannings said, “I’m a product of programs…of people who created opportunities for students that come from my background.”
Fostering Panther Pride
During her senior year of high school, Mannings’s life took an unexpected turn. She experienced homelessness, spending nights in her car. Despite this life-altering challenge, her determination never wavered. Unwilling to give up her dreams of practicing law, she completed high school and forged her own path to college.
“I was admitted [to FIU] through the Fostering Panther Pride (FPP) program, which was designed to facilitate educational success for students who come from challenging backgrounds.” Mannings shared, “I was lucky enough to be part of a program that covered my tuition, housing, and similar resources that I was able to take advantage of.”
FPP is designed to aid former foster youth and students experiencing homelessness. Not only do they provide emotional support for qualifying students as they transition to life at FIU but also advise them on how to find much needed scholarship opportunities throughout their college career.
Scholarships and grants catered to her life experience kept Mannings afloat as she pursued a BA in Political Science at the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). The support made it possible for her to focus solely on academics, internships, and on-campus activities rather than worrying about fulfilling her basic needs.
“[Scholarships] affected my college experience tremendously because I didn’t have to worry about some of the basic things that students should not have to worry about,” Mannings said.
Additionally, she felt more empowered to succeed after having the weight of housing and financial instability taken off her shoulders.
“I felt like I was on equal footing with my classmates.” Mannings said, “It gave me a decent shot at becoming a lawyer and finishing school.”
As an undergrad, she was able to join student organizations, like FIU’s chapter of the NAACP and political science honor society (Pi Sigma Alpha Tau Rho). Through the NAACP, she participated in community work, like helping restore the historic Hampton House in Liberty City. She also maintained a spot on the Dean’s List from the start of her time at FIU and graduated with a 3.9 GPA.
Joining FIU Law
After earning her BA in political science in the fall of 2019, she decided to go straight to law school at Howard University. However, due to a sudden family emergency, she decided it would be better to stay in South Florida.
It was during this time period that she was approached by the Associate Dean for Enrollment at FIU Law, Michelle Mason. Aware of Mannings’s story, she offered her a spot at FIU Law, including the opportunity to waive her seat deposit.
“I think she had done her homework in terms of who I was and the amazing things that I did, as well as the adversity and the challenges,” Mannings said. “That was a pivotal moment for me. My need for support or financial support didn't go away just because I was going to law school… She gave me every opportunity, every resource, to put me in that classroom.”
She also received guidance from FPP, who helped her find funding through local non-profit organizations. Thanks to this funding, she was able to take the necessary exams and apply for a spot at FIU without having to worry about paying the fees. Once she was accepted and began her time at FIU Law, grants also helped her cover the costs of books and supplies.
This enabled her to focus on her studies and pursue internship and fellowship opportunities with the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s office, the Legal Services of Greater Miami, and more. When it came time to take the Florida Bar, she passed it on her first attempt.
Mannings graduated from FIU Law in spring 2022, leaving the university with a hard-earned JD, valuable work experience, life-long mentors, and a 10-month-old daughter.
“That was my proudest moment—becoming a mom amidst all the stuff that I was dealing with.” Mannings said, “It showed resilience. It helped me become a woman, and it grew me into the person I am today.”
Inspired to Give Back
Upon finishing school, Mannings moved up in the legal world, practicing at a large law firm. Though she gained valuable experience and new mentors, she felt the strain of corporate America. Eventually, this inspired her next venture—her own law practice, AJ Law Firm, P.A.
Above all, Mannings wants to do work she’s passionate about. To her, this means being able to give back to her community and uplift the dreams of young people just like her.
She hopes that she will serve those in her community through her work and give disadvantaged students opportunities to grow at her firm. She also plans to pursue her own community outreach projects, starting with becoming a spokesperson for FPP.
“The overall goal is to continue bridging the gap between students of my background,” Mannings said. “It may not be to get them to achieve success in law, it might be in medicine or sports, but I want to use my law firm to serve as a bridge between those who have dreams, goals, and aspirations, but don’t have the right tools.”
Veteran and First-Gen FIU Law Student Zachary Danney Shares the Life-Changing Impact of Giving
Zachary Danney FIU Scholarship Recipient
In the face of the rising cost of higher education, some young people opt to enlist in the military rather than go straight to college. For current FIU Law student Zachary Danney, this path not only helped him become the first in his family to graduate high school and go to college but also the first to go to law school.
“I’m here thanks to scholarships,” Danney said, “After using the GI Bill that I earned from the Marine Corps on my undergraduate studies, it was the scholarships at FIU that provided me the opportunity to further my career and end up going on this path, where I'll be the first lawyer in my family.”
Journey to Law School
Danney enlisted in the United States Marine Corps straight out of high school. He served in the Marines for five years before deciding to step back to pursue a college education. Because of his service, he was now eligible for grants aimed at aiding veteran students, and this helped him complete his undergraduate degree in business administration in May 2022. Soon after, he set his sights on law school.
“Pursuing law actually didn't occur to me until the end of my undergraduate studies, when I got exposed to the intersection of business and law,”
Danney said, “I also developed a love for and a passion for advocating for others. I was in spaces where I was advocating for other veteran students, and in those spaces, I realized this is something I want to do.” Danney chose to transfer to FIU Law to pursue his JD, because he genuinely believes it is the best law school in South Florida. However, the scholarships he receives make it possible for him to participate in different student organizations and programs, which have helped him grow as an aspiring lawyer.
“The scholarship is what is allowing me to study and to pursue these passions and interests of mine, and I've been able to do a lot with it while I've been here,” Danney shared, “So far, I've earned a place on FIU Law’s prestigious Law Review and the Moot Court competition team. I've interned for a federal judge for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and in the summer, I will be working for a firm practicing areas of business law that are particularly interesting to me.”
Making an Impact
This semester, Danney is working at FIU Law’s Business Innovation & Technology Clinic, supporting local small businesses and non-profits with their needs. Knowing he’s helping fellow South Floridians and making an impact on his community has empowered him. He believes the hands-on, experiential learning opportunities at FIU Law have been one of the most valuable aspects of his education.
“The best way to learn, in my opinion, is by doing, and FIU law has allowed me to do just that,” Danney said, “Developing attention to detail and practicing my oral advocacy, my public speaking and writing—it's been the most beneficial portion of my legal education.”
Thanks to the financial support he’s received at FIU Law, he’s also been able to take the time to help other aspiring law students through the FIU Law Path program. Through this program, Danney has mentored several undergraduates through the lengthy law school application process.
“It really inspires me because I see how hard they're working, and it inspires me to work harder,” Danney said, “It makes me really grateful that I'm in a position to help people like them…My mentees have had things that they've had to overcome, and being in this position where I'm able to help them is a really proud moment for me.”
Looking Forward
As Danney gets closer to graduation, he’s developed a few different aspirations. Once he begins practicing, he hopes to be able to explore various sectors of law.
“What I’d really like to do immediately, once I graduate, is work for a little bit, gain some experience at a firm,” Danney shared, “Then, when I'm at a position where I've collected enough experience to be helpful to a judge, I really aspire to clerk for a judge at the federal level.”
Ideally, he’d also like to work his way up to being able to do pro-bono work and help small businesses. Additionally, he still has his heart set on using his skills for veteran advocacy sometime in the future.
“The veteran population specifically, they have unique needs, and a lot of the time, those needs can be addressed with legal solutions,” Danney explained, “Being a veteran myself, it's something that's close to my heart.”
None of this would be possible for Danney without the support of scholarships, which helped open the door to higher education for him. With the knowledge and skills he is developing at FIU Law, he hopes to make his own mark on the legal world.
“The impact that you're making through to these donations are not just allowing students to study but also allowing students to go forward and make a life for themselves,” Danney said, “Enabling someone to be in these spaces is so powerful…There's so many people, such as myself, who come from backgrounds where, otherwise these opportunities would never happen for them.”