Scholarships awarded to local students during Daytona NASCAR race

Victory Lane is usually reserved for celebrating drivers, but during the recent Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend at Daytona International Speedway, the spotlight turned to local students.

AdventHealth awarded 10 high school graduates from Volusia, Flagler, and Lake counties full scholarships to pursue nursing degrees at AdventHealth University.

The hospital system’s Racing to Excellence Nursing Scholarship — a $350,000 investment — was created to expand the pipeline of nurses in a region where the demand for caregivers continues to grow.

AdventHealth University, headquartered in Orlando with additional sites in Denver and Tampa, enrolls about 1,900 students each year and offers health care degrees ranging from associate to doctoral levels. The 10 recipients will begin their studies there, training in local hospitals alongside experienced nurses.

“This goes far beyond covering tuition,” said Michele Goeb-Burkett, chief nursing officer for AdventHealth’s East Florida Division. “It’s about opening doors for students who feel called to care for others and, in turn, ensuring our neighbors have more skilled nurses right here in our community.”

The Speedway was a natural backdrop for the announcement. Since 2015, AdventHealth has been the Official Health Care Provider of Daytona International Speedway, staffing two care centers and nine first aid stations during major events. Each year, those teams provide free medical care to about 6,000 drivers, crew members, fans, and staff.

“Our drivers and crews rely on AdventHealth clinicians every race weekend. It’s only fitting that we celebrate the next generation of caregivers here, where teamwork and trust matter most,” said Frank Kelleher, president of Daytona International Speedway.

The event also brought NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones to Victory Lane. Jones, who drives the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry, offered encouragement to the students about pursuing their dreams with determination, much like the grit it takes to compete at 200 miles per hour.

As part of the ceremony, the students received their first lab coats — a symbol of both the knowledge they will gain and the compassion they will carry forward into every patient encounter.

With the local population growing faster than the national average, the need for more nurses is pressing. By investing in students from the community, AdventHealth hopes many of them will remain in the region to care for their neighbors.

“This is just the beginning of their journey,” Goeb-Burkett said. “These students will become part of a legacy of care that touches not only patients, but families and entire communities.”