Community
Scholarships & Internships
In order to prepare the next generation for the environmentally and economically sound practice of solid waste, SWANA has developed several scholarship and internship programs for students studying in fields related to solid waste management.
Grant H. Flint International Scholarship Program
Participation in the Grant H. Flint International Scholarship Program begins at the Chapter level. Contact the chapter in which your state or province is located for their specific application requirement, as they may have an additional award and funding round that follows a different schedule than the SWANA International Program. Scroll down for the new SWANA Grant H. Flint International Scholarship application forms required for the 2024 funding round.
Completed applications must be received by respective chapters no later than May 1st of the current calendar year. The Chapter Scholarship Committees are responsible for reviewing and selecting local winners, and forwarding one representative for each scholarship category to the International Scholarship Committee for review.
The names and completed applications of chapter winners must be received by the SWANA Staff Scholarship Administrator no later than June 3rd of the current year in order to be considered for an international award.
At-large applicants should forward their applications directly to the SWANA Staff Scholarship Administrator by May 1; no more than two At-Large scholarship applications will be accepted for each category.
Schedule for Selection
May 1 — Deadline for submission of application materials to Chapter Scholarship Committee
June 2 — Deadline for submission of chapter candidates for review by International Scholarship Committee
July — International Scholarship Committee meets to select winners
August 1–15 — Announcement of International Scholarship winners
Award Categories
Category I: Graduating high school seniors or graduate equivalent certified candidates who have been accepted for enrollment in a junior college, a four-year college, or a university (any program). To be eligible, candidates must be the children or grandchildren of a SWANA Member (sponsor) in good standing as of May 1st of the current calendar year.
Category II: Currently enrolled full-time college or university students who are entering their junior or senior undergraduate year and pursuing a degree in environmental science, engineering, or other suitable major related to the field of solid waste management. To be eligible, candidates must be the children or grandchildren of a SWANA Member (sponsor) in good standing as of May 1st of the current calendar year or SWANA Student Members in good standing.
Scholarship Amount
The total amount given within Category I and Category II will be $20,000. The amount for each individual award will be determined by the International Scholarship Committee.
The Robert P. Stearns/SCS Engineers Scholarship Award
Criteria for selection
Full-time students who are entering or are in graduate school pursuing a degree in environmental science, engineering or other suitable major related to the field of solid waste management. Eligible candidates must be sons, daughters, grandsons or granddaughters of a SWANA Member (sponsor) in good standing as of May 1st or SWANA Student Members in good standing.
Scholarship Amount
One award of $5,000
Harvey W. Gershman Scholarship
Named for a co-founder and owner of Gershman, Brickner, & Bratton, Inc., (GBB), this scholarship is awarded to full-time university students pursuing a degree in studies applicable to the field of solid waste or resource management and intending to seek employment in the industry.
Criteria for selection
Students from Northeastern University are particularly encouraged to apply, but all Category II scholarship applicants may also be considered for this prestigious award.
Scholarship Amount
The new scholarship of $5,000 a year is funded by a generous donation from Harvey Gershman. SWANA will manage the scholarship as part of its annual Grant H. Flint International Scholarship program.
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Ashlea Smith Sabeti
Marketing Manager & Senior Consultant
Gershman Brickner & Bratton
Scholarships are not just valuable because they offer financial resources and exposure to the field of solid waste management; they also inspire those seeking to make an impact. Many Americans look forward to retiring in 2023, and all “baby boomers” (the generation born between 1946 and 1964) will be over 65 by 2030. That means that in the next five to ten years, the thought leaders you have come to know in the solid waste industry may retire, and a new crop of inspirational and impactful leaders will need to take their place.
Moreover, between now and 2031, the labor force will be growing slightly slower than it did for the ten years before the COVID-19 pandemic*. Combining a steady stream of retirements with a more slowly growing labor force spells the importance of inspiring undergraduate, graduate, and returning students to enter our field earlier so they may help us lead it later. While a company may calculate the value of a scholarship program, the overall impact of scholarship programs offered within the industry is not a sum of its parts. Scholarships are an invaluable way to attract the planners, engineers, drivers, mechanics, advocates, and leaders our industry will need to thrive in the next decade.
* According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS — 2021-2031, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecopro.pdf.
