DAYTONA BEACH – Dr. Larry Petker, a chiropractor in Ormond Beach, has made a $25,000 scholarship with the Daytona State College Foundation in memory of his late wife, Sandi. An announcement from DSC describes the newly created Sandi Petker RN Endowed Scholarship, a program which will provide financial support for students looking to enter their careers as registered nurses.
Sandi Petker was born in Princeton, West Virginia before attending Daytona State College with the class of 1966. She would go on to have a career in nursing that lasted 32 years, the bulk of it at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona. She was Halifax’s Employee of the Year in 1995. Petker passed away in December 2021.
Larry has decided to make the kind of career Sandi had more attainable to future DSC students. Over $6,500 has been raised in additional funds thanks to family members, friends, and former colleagues who support the cause.
“Though I never had the privilege to meet Sandi myself, according to everything I’ve come to know, she was universally loved by everyone she worked with and cared for,” said DSC President Dr. Tom LoBasso. “Larry’s generous gift will keep Sandi’s memory alive by helping the next generation of nursing students begin their medical careers.”
Students who wish to apply for the Petker Scholarship can apply at the DaytonaState.edu/Scholarships. Those who wish to donate to the fund can do so by visiting PetkerScholarship.
“It’s people like the Petkers who, through their generosity, create opportunities for students to give back to the communities that support them,” said the DSC Foundation’s director, Tim Norton. “It’s gratifying to engage with so many people who understand and appreciate the value of investing in education.”
