The Mid-Shore chapter of the Izaak Walton League, a national conservancy organization, has awarded five scholarships for the 2015-2016 academic year. These scholarships are specifically for students seeking undergraduate or graduate degrees in conservation or environment-related programs and, as such, are in keeping with the League’s mission and objectives.
Rebecca Jones of Centreville, Maryland, will attend Salisbury University where she will pursue a dual major in Environmental Science and Marine Biology. Her long-existing passion is to help sustain the viability of the Chesapeake Bay. Rebecca plan to study the effects of farming, fishing, oystering, crabbing and land development on the water, the flora, and the fauna of the Bay. Her activities with Future Farmers of America, National Honor Society, as wells as sports and music organizations have enriched her resume.
Photo (left to right) Laura Thomas, Warren Staver, Alexander Fisher, Rebecca Jones, Jessica Stershic
Jessica Stershic will attend the University of Alabama starting in the fall of 2015. She is enrolled in an honors program for Environmental Engineering and is focused on helping people make smarter economic choices that will ultimately lead to better habitat for both animals and plants. Jessica has been employed by a water-testing laboratory and has seen the effects of her research first-hand. Also, she has helped with beach clean-ups, planting riparian buffers, and sowing native plant species. At Kent Island High School, Jessica was active with the Student Government Association and the Field Hockey Team.
Warren Staver, valedictorian of his 2014 Queen Anne High School class, is a second year Environmental Engineering student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. His studies are focused on water quality and pollution control. He hopes to wed research and problem-solving in this discipline. His past experience as a Research Assistant at Horn Point Laboratory has increased his enthusiasm for his chosen career path. An award-winning state champion in track, Warren continues his pursuit of athletics on the WPI track team.
Horn Point Laboratory, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, has selected two of their employee-graduate students to receive scholarships.
Alexander Fisher is a PhD candidate in Coastal Physical Oceanography. He has a Bachelors Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington, and a Masters Degree in Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology from Stanford University.
His specialty is the wind-driven dynamics of the Chesapeake Bay with a specific focus on the impact of surface waves and larger-scale circulation. Alex has a passion for working to sustain the coastal waters as they support ecosystems, populations and industries.
Laura Thomas is a University of Maryland Fisheries Science Masters Degree student. Currently, she is a Graduate Assistant at Horn Point Laboratory in the field of oyster aquaculture, using a scientific approach to help improve the efficiency of the oyster industry. Her background includes graduating from Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson and obtaining an undergraduate degree in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina with concentration in Coastal Resources Management and Environmental Policy. As a life-long Maryland resident, Laura has developed a great appreciation for the waterways of the state and an intense interest in sustainable aquaculture.
These scholarship awards were presented at the Mid-Shore Chapter’s monthly dinner meeting held at Bolingbroke Park in Trappe. The chapter serves Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester and Queen Anne counties. More information is available at www.IWLA.org/Mid-Shore and on Facebook.
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