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MedNexus Future Healthcare Scholarship Official Rules

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE, PAYMENT, DONATION, OR ENTRY FEE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR RECEIVE AN AWARD. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE THE CHANCE OF SELECTION.

1. SPONSOR

The MedNexus Future Healthcare Scholarship Drawing (“Drawing”) is sponsored by UNF MedNexus in collaboration with the University of North Florida Foundation, Inc., referred to together in these rules as the “Sponsor.”

The Foundation is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its principal place of business is 1 UNF Drive, Building 60, Office 2204, Jacksonville, FL 32224.

Scholarship awards are funded through an account held by the University of North Florida Foundation, Inc. Awards will be administered through UNF and credited to recipients’ student accounts in accordance with these Official Rules.

Questions concerning the Drawing may be directed to: UNF MedNexus, Indira Willadsen, i.willadsen@unf.edu

2. SEPARATE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

The Drawing is a separate scholarship opportunity associated with attendance at the Duval County Public Schools Innovation Challenge. It is not part of the Innovation Challenge student competition.

An applicant is not required to participate in or submit a project to the Innovation Challenge competition. Performance in the Innovation Challenge will not affect the applicant’s eligibility or chance of selection in this Drawing.

3. DRAWING PERIOD 

Registration opens on October 5, 2026 and closes on the earlier of:

  1. November 2, 2026; or
    b. The time at which 100 complete and initially eligible registrations have been accepted.

All times stated in these rules are Eastern Time.

Once 100 registrations have been accepted, additional applicants may be placed on a waitlist. Placement on the waitlist does not guarantee admission to the event or entry into the Drawing.

4. ELIGIBILITY PERIOD

 To enter, an applicant must:

  1. Be enrolled as a senior at a Duval County Public Schools high school during the 2026–27 academic year;
  2. Be on track to graduate from a DCPS high school in 2027;
  3. Intend to apply for admission to the University of North Florida for enrollment beginning in the 2027–28 academic year;
  4. Intend to pursue one of the healthcare-connected UNF majors identified on the approved eligibility list;
  5. Submit a complete registration before the applicable deadline;
  6. Receive confirmation from the Sponsor that the registration has been accepted;
  7. Attend the event, complete onsite check-in by 5:15pm, and remain present until the Drawing is conducted; and
  8. Satisfy all other requirements stated in these Official Rules.

Employees, officers, and members of the governing boards of the Sponsor and individuals directly involved in administering the Drawing, along with their immediate family or household members, are not eligible unless the Sponsor and UNF General Counsel approve otherwise in writing.

Eligibility is subject to verification. An inaccurate, incomplete, duplicate, late, or fraudulent registration may be disqualified.

5. HOW TO REGISTER

An eligible student must submit the official online registration form by the posted registration deadline.

Only one registration is permitted per student. Submitting more than one registration will not create additional entries and may result in disqualification. 

A registration is complete only when all required fields, certifications, and consents have been submitted. Registrations will be accepted in the order in which complete submissions are received and eligibility is initially confirmed.

If an applicant is younger than 18, a parent or legal guardian must complete the required consent before the registration can be accepted.

No purchase, payment, donation, application to UNF, or Innovation Challenge project submission is required to register.

6. ATTENDANCE AND CHECK-IN REQUIREMENT

Acceptance of an online registration alone does not place a student in the final Drawing.

To be entered, a registered student must:

  1. Attend the event in person;
  2. Check in at the designated scholarship registration area;
  3. Present any reasonable identification or eligibility documentation requested by the Sponsor; and
  4. Be physically present in the designated event area when the Drawing is conducted between 5:30 and 7:30pm.

A student who does not satisfy each attendance requirement will not be included in the Drawing.

7. RANDOM SELECTION

The Sponsor will randomly select five provisional scholarship recipients from all eligible students who complete onsite check-in and remain present for the Drawing.

Each eligible student will have one entry and an equal chance of being selected. The chance of selection depends on the number of eligible students who attend and complete the onsite requirements.

The Drawing will be conducted using manual drawing process in the presence of at least two authorized witnesses. A written record of the procedure and results will be retained.

Students selected in the Drawing are provisional recipients until their eligibility and subsequent scholarship qualifications have been verified.

8. PRESENCE AND ALTERNATE SELECTION

 When a student’s name or assigned number is drawn, the student must respond and report to the designated location.

 If the student is not present, does not respond within the stated period, declines the scholarship, or is later determined to be ineligible, the Sponsor may draw an alternate provisional recipient.

 The Sponsor may select and rank additional alternates. An alternate has no right to an award unless notified by the Sponsor that an award has become available.

9. SCHOLARSHIP VALUE

The Sponsor intends to award five scholarships.

Each scholarship has a maximum potential value of $10,000, consisting of up to $2,500 per academic year for no more than four academic years, beginning with the 2027–28 academic year. 

The scholarship:

  1. Is not an immediate cash award;
  2. Will be administered through the University of North Florida and credited to the recipient’s student account in accordance with applicable policies;
  3. May be divided between the fall and spring terms;
  4. May be adjusted as required by financial-aid regulations, the student’s cost of attendance, other aid, or university policy;
  5. Cannot be transferred to another individual or educational institution;
  6. Cannot be exchanged for cash; and
  7. Will not exceed $10,000 in total value for any recipient.

Selection in the Drawing does not guarantee that the full $10,000 will ultimately be disbursed. Annual payments depend upon the recipient satisfying the initial award and annual renewal requirements. 

10. INITIAL AWARD REQUIREMENTS

Before receiving the first scholarship payment, a provisional recipient must:

  1. Graduate from a DCPS high school in 2027;
  2. Apply to and be admitted to UNF for the 2027–28 academic year by the applicable deadlines;
  3. Enroll at UNF beginning Fall 2027;
  4. Qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, as determined by UNF under applicable Florida law and university requirements;
  5. Declare or enter an approved healthcare-connected major;
  6. Maintain at least half-time enrollment, as defined by UNF, unless an exception is authorized under the final scholarship agreement;
  7. Complete the FAFSA and any other financial-aid documentation required by UNF;
  8. Provide all documentation necessary to verify eligibility;
  9. Accept and execute the scholarship agreement by the stated deadline; and
  10. Satisfy all applicable UNF admission, enrollment, financial-aid, academic-progress, student-conduct, and scholarship requirements.

If a provisional recipient does not meet these requirements by the applicable deadline, the award may be offered to an eligible alternate.

Selection does not guarantee admission to UNF or disbursement of scholarship funds. UNF admission, Florida residency, enrollment, and financial-aid determinations will be made separately under applicable laws, regulations, policies, and university procedures. 

11. ANNUAL RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS

Subject to available funding and applicable university policies, the scholarship may be renewed for as many as three additional academic years after the initial award year.

For renewal, a recipient must:

  1. Remain enrolled at UNF in an approved healthcare-connected major;
  2. Continue to qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes;
  3. Maintain at least half-time enrollment, as defined by UNF, unless an exception is authorized under the scholarship agreement;
  4. Maintain the minimum cumulative GPA, successfully completed credit hours, satisfactory academic progress, and any other academic criteria established in the scholarship agreement;
  5. Remain in good academic and disciplinary standing;
  6. Complete any required annual financial-aid documentation;
  7. Continue to satisfy the scholarship agreement and all applicable university requirements; and
  8. Have remaining eligibility within the scholarship’s four-year limit.

The award expires after the earlier of:

  1. Four academic years of eligibility;
  2. Receipt of the maximum $10,000;
  3. Completion of the recipient’s first bachelor’s degree; or
  4. Loss of eligibility under the scholarship terms.

Unused amounts do not roll forward unless specifically authorized in writing. The scholarship ordinarily will not fund summer enrollment, graduate study, study at another institution, or enrollment after the four-year eligibility period unless the final scholarship agreement expressly provides otherwise.

The Sponsor and UNF will determine whether an appeal or temporary deferment may be considered for documented extenuating circumstances.

12. HEALTHCARE-CONNECTED MAJORS

Only majors appearing below will satisfy the scholarship requirements.

BROOKS COLLEGE OF HEALTH

  • Healthcare Management
  • Healthcare Management – Aging Services
  • Healthcare Management – Lifestyle Management
  • Health Science – Interdisciplinary Health Studies
  • Health Science – Public Health
  • Kinesiology
  • Nutrition and Dietetics – Community Nutrition and Food
  • Nutrition and Dietetics – Didactic Program in Dietetics
  • Nursing – Freshman Admit Nursing
  • Nursing – Prelicensure Nursing

HEALTHCARE-RELATED SCIENCE, COMMUNICATION, AND HUMAN SERVICES MAJORS

  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Communication
  • Psychology
  • Social Work

A recipient who wishes to change majors must obtain confirmation that the new major remains eligible before making the change if the student intends to retain the scholarship.

13. VERIFICATION AND NOTIFICATION

Provisional recipients will receive written notification at the email addresses supplied during registration. The student and, if the student is a minor, the student’s parent or legal guardian must complete all requested verification and acceptance documents.

Failure to respond, provide documentation, or accept the terms by the deadline may result in forfeiture and selection of an alternate.

The Sponsor may verify information with DCPS and UNF to the extent permitted by law and supported by any required authorization.

14. FINANCIAL AID AND TAX CONSIDERATIONS

Scholarship awards may affect a recipient’s financial-aid package. Awards will be coordinated with UNF Financial Aid and Scholarships and are subject to applicable federal, state, university, and funding-source requirements.

Recipients are responsible for obtaining their own advice concerning any tax consequences. The Sponsor does not provide personal tax, legal, admissions, or financial-aid advice through these rules.

15. STUDENT INFORMATION AND PRIVACY

The Sponsor will collect information reasonably necessary to administer registration, attendance, eligibility verification, selection, notification, scholarship administration, and required reporting.

Information may be shared with authorized personnel of UNF, DCPS, the scholarship funding entity, and service providers when reasonably necessary to administer the event or award and as permitted by law.

Applicants should not submit Social Security numbers, medical records, financial-account numbers, or other sensitive information through the initial registration form.

Records created or received by a Florida public institution in connection with official business may be subject to Florida’s public-records requirements unless an exemption applies. The

Sponsor cannot promise absolute confidentiality.

Registration information will not be used to authorize photography, publicity, or unrelated promotional communications unless the student and parent or guardian provide separate consent.

16. PHOTOGRAPHY AND PUBLICITY

Consent to photography, video recording, use of a student’s likeness, or promotional communications is not required to enter the Drawing or receive an award, except to the extent a particular disclosure is required by law.

Any media authorization will be presented separately and must comply with applicable UNF and DCPS requirements.

The Sponsor may announce recipients’ names and schools only after obtaining any permission required by law or policy.

17. CONDUCT AND SAFETY

Applicants and guests must comply with event rules, safety instructions, applicable DCPS and UNF policies, and lawful directions from event personnel.

A student may be removed from the event for conduct that threatens safety, materially disrupts the event, or violates applicable rules. Any resulting disqualification must be documented and may not be arbitrary. 

18. CANCELLATION OR MODIFICATION

If circumstances beyond the Sponsor’s reasonable control prevent the event or Drawing from proceeding as announced, the Sponsor may postpone, modify, suspend, or cancel the Drawing, subject to applicable law and institutional approval.

Examples include severe weather, emergency closure, threats to safety, failure of the registration or selection system, government action, or other circumstances that materially affect the integrity or feasibility of the Drawing.

Any material change will be communicated through [website/email]. The Sponsor will not modify the rules to favor or disadvantage a particular applicant.

19. ERROR, FRAUD, AND SYSTEM FAILURES

The Sponsor is not responsible for incomplete, late, misdirected, corrupted, or inaccessible registrations resulting from circumstances outside its reasonable control.

The Sponsor may disqualify an applicant who tampers with the registration or selection process, submits false information, attempts to obtain multiple entries, impersonates another person, or otherwise compromises the integrity of the Drawing.

If an administrative or technical error affects the Drawing, the Sponsor will take reasonable corrective action consistent with fairness, applicable law, and institutional policy. 

20. RELEASE AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the extent permitted by Florida law, applicants acknowledge the ordinary risks associated with attending an in-person event.

Nothing in these rules is intended to waive any right, defense, limitation of liability, or sovereign immunity available to UNF, the Florida Board of Governors, DCPS, the School Board of Duval County, the State of Florida, or their respective trustees, officers, employees, or agents.

Any release, indemnification, or liability provision applicable to a minor must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate legal counsel before use.

21. NONDISCRIMINATION

The Drawing will be administered in accordance with applicable nondiscrimination laws and UNF and DCPS policies. Eligibility and selection will not be based on any protected characteristic.

22. GOVERNING REQUIREMENTS

The Drawing and scholarship are subject to applicable federal and Florida law and the policies, regulations, and procedures of UNF, the Florida Board of Governors, DCPS, and the applicable funding entity.

If these Official Rules conflict with a controlling law or institutional requirement, the controlling requirement will govern.

23. ACCEPTANCE OF RULES

By submitting a registration, the applicant—and the applicant’s parent or legal guardian if the applicant is younger than 18—certifies that the information supplied is accurate and acknowledges that the applicant has read and agrees to these Official Rules.