Women of Distinction

Celebrating a Legacy of Excellence

For 37 years, Santa Fe College (SF) has honored more than 190 exceptional women in Alachua and Bradford Counties through the Women of Distinction (WOD) awards. Established by the Women's History Committee in 1987, this prestigious award has brought together hundreds of community members annually to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women.

Building on this legacy, SF is proud to introduce the Pillars of Service Awards. This new initiative expands our recognition to include individuals, organizations, and students who have made significant contributions to our community through Santa Fe College. The Pillars of Service Awards reflect our commitment to inclusivity and acknowledge the diverse efforts that support Santa Fe College and its surrounding areas.

Below is the history of WOD and a list of the honorees who will always be recognized as Women of Distinction (WOD).

A Little History

In 1987, Dr. Ann Bromley, coordinator of women's programs and special projects at Santa Fe College, sought to develop a program that would provide recognition and visibility to women for their contributions of time and talent. A committee was formed and the "Women of Distinction" honor began. Since its inception, Santa Fe College has bestowed the Woman of Distinction honor to over 192 remarkable women. In 2000, the committee created a special "Millennium Woman of Distinction" award and chose two previous recipients for the honor. Rosa B. Williams (Alachua County) and Joyce D. Riherd (Bradford County) were chosen for their tireless efforts on improving life for indigent people in their communities.

In 2006, the "Woman of Promise" category was added to honor outstanding up-and-coming young women for leadership in their community and civic involvement. As of this date, 20 young ladies have received this honor.

In 2014, the Women of Distinction honorees began raising funds to establish the first Woman of Distinction Scholarship fund. The first award was given for the 2015-16 academic year. With your support, through the SF Women of Distinction Scholarship, we have raised over $220,000 to endow four scholarships designed to enable women to achieve their academic goals without the financial burden which might inhibit the pursuit of their dreams for independence.

The 2022 goal was to complete a fifth scholarship totaling an endowment of $250,000 to support and mentor women in perpetuity. At the 2023 luncheon, Dr. Broadie announced that the scholarship fund-raising goal has been exceeded. He added that over $267,000 has been raised to create scholarships for women in our communities.

A new $250,000 initiative was launched to enhance programs, provide educational equipment and scholarships to the women in our local communities. We hope to raise additional funding to name the second-floor terrace in Blount Hall at the Blount Center (Gainesville) in honor of the Santa Fe College Women of Distinction and Promise and to provide a permanent sign listing individual names of all honorees.

Past Honorees