Honoring a Sister’s Love of Wildlife Ecology

By Barbara Drake (MA ’04)

From left, Murray Stokely III and his sister, Monica Stokely.

Jacksonville native Monica Stokely (UF ’04-’06) loved the natural world and its wild inhabitants.

Relatives and close friends recall how, as a child, Monica enjoyed horseback riding and swimming, as well as playing in the woods and creeks near her family’s home. While studying wildlife ecology at the University of Florida, Monica volunteered at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and at the nonprofit Florida Wildlife Care, rescuing and rehabilitating all kinds of animals, from turtles to owls to opossums. In the summers, she traveled with Earth First! to protest mountaintop removal mining's impact on the environment in West Virginia, and she hiked and camped along the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Coast Trails with friends.

In 2007, Monica’s life was unexpectedly cut short at the age of 26. Among those most devastated was her older brother, Murray Stokely III. The two siblings were close growing up, and Murray watched with admiration as Monica followed a path of creativity and service into her 20s.

“Losing a sister at such a young age, with most of her life still ahead of her, was very difficult,” Murray says in a recent interview. “As a young adult, she was very passionate about wildlife and the environment. I wanted a way to support causes she believed in and to help other young students pursuing studies in this area.”

To honor his sister’s memory, he established the Monica Christina Stokely Memorial Scholarship Fund at UF’s College of Agricultural & Life Sciences (CALS). The fund supports scholarships for undergraduate students pursuing an education in wildlife ecology or related fields at CALS and for students demonstrating a passion for wildlife ecology through practical forestry and/or conservation work.

CALS students with Monica Stokely Awards.

Monica’s dedication to wildlife ecology and conservation truly lives on, thanks to the fund’s growing impact. Since 2010, scholarships in her name have been awarded to more than 45 deserving students (between 8 and 10 students per year), announced at the annual Wildlife Ecology & Conservation barbecue at Lake Wauberg. Staying in touch with these students and with CALS leadership is something Murray, his mother, Lucy Stokely, and his late father, Murray Stokely Jr, have found particularly rewarding as time goes on.

“My mom and I have received many heartfelt thank-you notes, and we enjoy reading these and learning more about the students,” says Murray. “I have also been impressed with how many of the recipients have gone on to further graduate study and to impressive careers in environmental science, academia, public service and other areas.”

Monica Stokely, left, with her mother, Lucy Stokely.

The good that Monica’s endowed fund is doing has attracted additional donations from family members, friends and coworkers, as well as generous matching grants from Google, John Wiley & Sons and Apple.

“This scholarship has been a way for me to stay connected to Monica's memory and her passions, and for her to have a continued influence on my life,” says Murray. “It makes me feel closer to my sister and feel good about her lasting impact on the world to have a scholarship funding her passion in perpetuity.”

You can help pave the way for the success of future Gators. Contact UF's Office of Estate & Gift Planning at 352-392-5512, toll free at 866-317-4143 or giftplanning@uff.ufl.edu or visit giftplanning.uff.ufl.edu to learn how you can make a difference.

To donate to the Monica Christina Stokely Memorial Scholarship Fund click here.