Are you a college student in environmental science? Know someone who is? Because we are looking to support scholars pursuing degrees in environmental science, natural resource management, conservation, park administration, and related fields.
Since 1984, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey has been providing scholarships to residents of New Jersey pursuing degrees in environmental science. For 37 years this program has been rewarding environmental scholars who plan to pursue careers protecting the natural resources of their home state. The application period for 2021 is now open, and applications are being accepted.
This year The Land Conservancy will be doubling the number of scholarships awarded from two to four, thanks to a generous gift from the Rochkind-Wagner Foundation. One winner will be chosen for each of four $7,500 scholarships. The selection process is devoted to quality, diversity, and inclusion.
Mark Rochkind explained the reasoning behind his family’s gift: “We’ve exploited our environment and continue to do so; we need to take a better measure of the unintended consequences. We want to encourage young, motivated people to consider a career of studying how the environment affects our quality of life, how we affect the environment, and how we can manage it sustainably. We especially want to support career opportunities in these fields for people of color.”
Applications can be downloaded here or obtained by calling (973) 541-1010 x25. Potential candidates must be New Jersey residents currently enrolled in (and in good standing at) an accredited college or university, with at least 15 credits completed and an academic average equivalent to a 3.0 or higher. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2021.
The Russell M. Myers Scholarship was established in 1983 to honor Mr. Myers, founder of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. An outstanding leader in the field of conservation, Mr. Myers was the first Director of the Morris County Park Commission. His dynamic leadership established the Morris County Park System, which remains the largest county park system in New Jersey and one of the finest in the nation.
The 2020 recipients of the Rogers Family Scholarship, Jessica Zhao of Princeton, and the Russell W. Myers Scholarship, Toyosi Dickson of Newark, have not only achieved academic excellence, but embody many values of the organization, including leadership and a passion for protecting our natural resources. Zhao is a senior at Duke University majoring in environmental science and policy with a concentration in marine conservation. Dickson is pursuing a master’s degree in environmental justice at the University of Michigan—a place she has already gotten to know as a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar.
The 2020 recipients of the Rogers Family Scholarship, Jessica Zhao of Princeton, and the Russell W. Myers Scholarship, Toyosi Dickson of Newark, have not only achieved academic excellence, but embody many values of the organization, including leadership and a passion for protecting our natural resources. Zhao is a senior at Duke University majoring in environmental science and policy with a concentration in marine conservation. Dickson is pursuing a master’s degree in environmental justice at the University of Michigan—a place she has already gotten to know as a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar.
In 37 years our scholarship program has awarded $300,000 in grants to 60 outstanding college students. Past recipients have hailed from nearly 40 different New Jersey towns and have used their scholarships to obtain bachelor, master’s, and doctorate degrees at an array of institutions including New Jersey’s own Rutgers and Stockton Universities. Their fields of study have included environmental law, policy, and planning, as well as chemistry, wildlife ecology, geography, landscape architecture, and forestry management. It’s so excited to watch what these skilled, motivated students go on to accomplish!