Published May 21, 2024
Melissa Cole, Pensacola State College Foundation
To children, parents are often sources of inspiration and the foundation of their character. From learning to walk, to choosing their educational institution, many children aspire to follow in their parents’ footsteps. This influence shapes values, career choices, and even commitment to giving back to the community.
Joseph R. John III, son of the late Dr. Joseph R. John Jr., and Dawn D. John, comes from a family with a rich history of support for education. Growing up, Joseph witnessed firsthand what love for others and one’s community looked like from his parents.
Dr. John Jr. served his community for roughly twenty-four years as a physician and on numerous medical boards and committees. During his career, he also played a pivotal role in founding the Feet First First Time Program, later dubbed the Think First National Injury Prevention Foundation, for the prevention of spinal cord injuries from shallow-water diving. Dr. John Jr. was an involved member of his church and a former president of the Pensacola Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dawn was a graduate of the Thomas Jefferson School of Nursing in Philadelphia and a regular volunteer at several organizations including Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and Trinity Presbyterian Church. She earned the nickname “the Titanium Hummingbird” from friends and family because she refused to sit by when others were in need.
In addition to their work in the Pensacola community, Joseph’s parents helped provide access to educational opportunities through the establishment of the Dr. John R. Brayton Memorial Endowed Scholarship, paying tribute to their dearly departed friend, neighbor, and colleague, Dr. Brayton Jr.
Drs. John Jr. and Brayton Jr. lived and worked alongside each other in Cordova Park and at the Medical Center Clinic in West Florida Hospital for years, becoming fast, lifelong friends. Later, Joseph even became friends with Dr. Brayton Jr.’s son, Joseph R. Brayton III.
In 2001, the same year that the John family established Dr. Brayton Jr.’s memorial scholarship, they also established the Dr. Joseph R. John and Dawn D. John Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Pensacola State College.
After more than twenty years of supporting his family’s endowed scholarships, Joseph committed to following his parents’ example and establishing a scholarship of his own.
The Joseph R. John III Endowed Scholarship was created with a simple but impactful goal in mind, to help the students who need it most. To honor his family’s historic generosity and participation in the medical field, Joseph’s endowment supports allied health sciences students and those pursuing certificate programs that are often ineligible for federal financial aid.
As an alumnus of Pensacola State College, Joseph carries on his family’s legacy and investment in education at the institution he attended in the late 1970s through scholarship support and affinity group membership.
For more information and to support scholarships at Pensacola State College, visit http://foundation.pensacolastate.edu/opportunities-to-support-psc/scholarships/ or contact Director of Foundation Scholarships, Mikenzie Francis-Opperman, at (850) 484 – 1788 or mfrancis-opperman@pensacolastate.edu
For more information about applying for scholarships and other forms of financial support at Pensacola State College, visit https://www.pensacolastate.edu/financial-aid/ or contact the Financial Aid Department at (850) 484-1680 or fava@pensacolastate.edu