SWANA Scholarship Applications Now Open

SWANA is pleased to announce the opening of its annual Scholarship Program and members of the Scholarship Committee want all members and chapters, not only students, to know about the program that annually distributes up to $30,000 to six high school, undergraduate and graduate students.

“For members, the scholarship program provides a little monetary relief while supporting their children’s or grandchildren’s advanced education, said Lori Calub, a Scholarship Committee member who works at HDR in Omaha, NE. “The SWANA scholarship program has been instrumental in obtaining college students to sign up for SWANA.”

Many SWANA chapters provide local scholarships as well as sending nominees on to SWANA for consideration in the Grant H. Flint Scholarship Awards Program, named for the Southern California member who was a driving force in the formation of the Solid Waste Association of North America.

The Association program makes available:

• Three scholarships of $5,000 to high school seniors going onto a four-year college or university. The students must be sponsored by a relative who is a current SWANA member.
• One scholarship of $5,000 to a rising college junior or senior who is a SWANA student member (or sponsored by a SWANA member) and studying a topic related to environmental science, engineering, or other major related to the field of solid waste management.
• The $5,000 Harvey W. Gershman Scholarship, named for SWANA life member and co-founder of Gershman, Brickner & Bratton (GBB). Undergraduate students enrolled at Northeastern University, Boston, MA and interested in a career in the solid waste industry are prioritized for this award.
• The $5,000 Robert P. Stearns/SCS Engineers Scholarship, named for the co-founder of SCS Engineers, which provides funding for a student pursuing a graduate degree in an environmental field.

“We need to get students interested in our industry,” said Robert Gardner, who represents SCS Engineers on the Committee. “A good way to do that is through a scholarship and exposure to people in the industry.”

SWANA currently has about 860 student members – defined as full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Student membership is free for the duration of the full-time enrollment, a benefit intended to open the doors for students to learn more about the industry and the Association.

“If young people are looking for an opportunity to make a difference in the world, careers in the solid waste and related industries are essential for the health and wellbeing of our communities,” said Committee Chairman Mike Stringer, a member of the Pacific – British Columbia & Yukon Chapter. “The scholarship application process is an opportunity to promote the solid waste industry and SWANA as an organization in a very positive way. It is a chance to provide information (and enlightenment) about the industry and the opportunities that are available.”

Scholarship application forms are available on SWANA’s website. Applications must be submitted to the student’s or sponsor’s Chapter Scholarship Chair no later than May 2 with the top applications forwarded for consideration in the Association program. SWANA’s awards will be announced during summer 2022.

For more information about SWANA’s Scholarship Program, see the applications or email Sara Bixby at sbixby@swana.org.