Miss Florida Scholarship Program Statement

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 23, 2022

THE OFFICIAL MISS FLORIDA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM STATEMENT

LAKELAND, Florida — In July 2018, Mary Sullivan (n/k/a Mary Wickersham) resigned her position as Executive Director of the Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant. As new leadership continued a review of the files, it appeared that there were financial irregularities. The Board contacted (and have cooperated fully with) the authorities and various investigations have occurred over the past several years. Those investigations have culminated in a criminal indictment and criminal proceedings have been initiated against Ms. Wickersham.

While we cannot comment in detail upon the current proceedings, rest assured that the legal action involves only Ms. Wickersham and in no way implicates any current member of the Board of Directors. The current Board of Directors is acting in concert with the appropriate legal authorities and with the national Miss America program with regard to this matter. We are in a strong fiscal position and are experiencing growing success in raising scholarship funds.

We are incredibly proud of all of the volunteers who have worked (and who continue to work) to make the Miss Florida Scholarship Program a strong program that fosters empowerment and scholastic excellence of countless young women. We look forward to continuing a tradition of excellence and giving more women the opportunity to earn scholarships and make a difference in their local communities, the State of Florida and beyond.

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Press Contact

Keith Williams

Executive Director & Chairman of the Board

hello@missflorida.org

missflorida.org