Gillian Keener of Aston, a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students, has been named a 2026 Guistwhite Scholar. She will receive a $5,000 scholarship to complete her baccalaureate studies.
Winners were chosen from among 3,000 applicants nationwide, and their selection was based on academic excellence, leadership accomplishments, and engagement in Phi Theta Kappa programs. It is one of the highest scholarships granted by Phi Theta Kappa.
During her time at DCCC, Keener has taken on leadership roles such as President of the Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Tau Epsilon chapter, and Assistant Editor of DCCC’s literary magazine, Pegasus.
An avid thespian, she has participated in four DCCC Theatre productions, including playing the characters of Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet and Siobhan in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Currently, Keener is Assistant Directing DCCC’s spring musical, Avenue Q. As a Liberal Arts Major and Theatre Arts minor, Keener hopes to transfer to a four-year college to complete her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Philosophy.
With a passion for advocacy, inclusivity, and equity, Keener looks forward to integrating her identity as a disabled person with her studies to pursue a career as a college professor, as well as in theatre. “I’ve had the chance to make friends and be in community with people I might never have met had I not come to DCCC — opening up pathways and helping me find my purpose,” she said.
The Guistwhite scholarship is named in honor of the late Margaret and Dr. Jack Guistwhite. Dr. Guistwhite was a founding registrar and a three-time degree recipient of Florida Atlantic University (FAU), where he established a national scholarship to help students with two-year community college degrees pursue their education.
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