The emphasis on reducing one’s environmental footprint has created a wealth of professions from organic nutritionists to wetland ecologists. Consequently, green scholarships for environmental studies are growing in number as more students are pursuing diverse fields of study which fall into the “green” category. One of the difficult things about searching for this type of environmental scholarship is that not all which are technically green are searchable with that terminology, so you should search with this broad terminology but also with many variations and with specific keywords, as well. There are many of these types of unknown green scholarships for the environment with a few of the top examples listed below.
The Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship for the environment is awarded to graduate students in honor of Gloria Barron who sought to protect all aspects of the wilderness. While the actual green scholarship amount varies in any given year, usually about $10,000 plus travel expenditures is awarded to a student preparing to research and author a wilderness paper. Publication of the subsequent findings is not mandatory but encouraged. The deadline for the 2011-2012 school year is March 31, 2011. All budding conservationists seeking to study and learn about the planet and its inhabitants in a fresh, new way are encouraged to apply.
The Nicodemus Wilderness Project encourages volunteerism through its Apprentice Ecological Initiative. Students who initiate an ecological project not only help their community and planet but may be eligible for a green scholarship for environmental consciousness people . A wide variety of projects can be initiated by students: from collecting rainwater for use in watering gardens to planting native grasses or picking up garbage in protected areas. Students will write an essay about the project and will automatically be eligible for one of three $850 green environment scholarships. Any such student from the ages of 13-21 who exhibits a desire and leadership to save the wilderness will be considered. The deadline for entry is late December for the following school year.
Singer John Denver and Thomas Crum co-founded The Windstar Foundation which awards several undergraduate environmental scholarships for green students and one graduate scholarship “”To inspire individuals to make responsible choices and take direct personal actions to achieve a peaceful and environmentally sustainable future.” The undergraduate green scholarships are $500 while the graduate scholarship is awarded to students in their second year of graduate school and is $1000. Applicants should have a college GPA of 3.0 or better in their selected major of Environmental Studies, Environmental Engineering or some other major focused on environmental studies. Hard copy applications are no longer accepted and electronic application must be received by June 1, 2011.
The Dr. Wesley Eckenfelder Scholarship honors its namesake’s contributions to the environment. College juniors, seniors, or those in a graduate program to study chemical, civil or environmental engineering or an environmental science may be eligible for the $5,000 green scholarship. The environment scholarship is funded by Brown and Caldwell, a private U.S. environmental company. Its principals of simplicity, economy and innovation drive the company’s philosophy and its sponsorship of this scholarship for being green conscious. Applications are accepted until January 31.
The organic foods company Annie’s Homegrown strives to grow and market natural foods to its customers. Their philosophy: Planet to Food, Food to People, and People to Planet sustains the company as well as Annie’s Sustainable Scholarships in Agriculture. This year $75,000 in environment scholarships will be provided to support future farmers in their education and profession. Winners are announced in April.
2011 marks the 12th Annual Brower Youth Awards which reward six outstanding leaders in the areas of conservation, preservation and restoration of the planet. Each recipient of a $3000 green scholarship must be between the ages of 13-22, live in North America and must have organized an environmental project. The environmental scholarship for green students is funded by the Earth Island Institute which also sends the recipients to San Francisco for a weekend which pairs environmental concern and leadership development together. Individuals will attend training and conferences that boost knowledge and skills in these areas. Applications for the 2011-2012 school year must be submitted online by May 16th, 2011.
There are numerous unknown green scholarships available for environmentally conscious students. While not all require an academic emphasis for monetary eligibility, most do seem to prefer students who are passionate enough in their concerns for the planet to seek further education and employment in some area of environmental studies. In addition to typical green scholarships, you should also look for internships or funded practical experience. Since environmentalists want to encourage students to enter similar fields, many businesses will offer paid student positions which help financial need but also give you practical experience which will set you apart from other students when entering the job market.