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Palmetto Bay-based The Everglades Foundation recently announced the 2021 winners of its prestigious ForEverglades Scholarships and Fellowships, which supports graduate students pursuing innovative scientific and economic research to advance restoration and protection of America’s Everglades.
“The ForEverglades Scholarship and Fellowship program is one of our best investments in the future of America’s Everglades,” said Eric Eikenberg, The Everglades Foundation CEO.
“These are the scientists of tomorrow that will help create the solutions for a sustainable world, and we are honored to help them along the way.”
Over the 14 years of the program, more than $1.48 million have been awarded to 81 graduate students, including 63 pursuing doctorate degrees. Awardees have gone on to pursue significant scientific careers as professors and researchers in universities, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
This year’s class includes a record number of nine doctorate candidates, and a record number of women awardees, Eikenberg said, noting that “we received more student applications this year, from more universities, than ever before.”
The nine Scholars and Fellows are comprised of six awardees from Florida International University, two from the University of Florida, and one from the University of Miami.
A total of 45 ForEverglades alumni are from Florida International University (FIU). The Everglades Foundation and FIU’s Institute of Environment partnership not only funds some of these scholarships, but also a variety of programs to train graduate students, conduct leading science to inform policy and management decisions, and engage and inform the public on protecting and restoring America’s Everglades.
“This program provides critical support for the fellows — not only by funding their research on critical topics but also by enabling collaborations between with Everglades Foundation scientists that ensures the results will make a difference in how we protect and restore the Everglades for future generations,” said Dr. Evelyn Gaiser, FIU biology professor.
The ForEverglades Scholarship and Fellowship program is a joint project of The Everglades Foundation and its partners and sponsors including Florida International University, The Patrick Lee Foundation, The VoLo Foundation, and Bass Pros Shops/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund.
The 2021 ForEverglades Fellows and Scholars are:
Florida International University ForEverglades Scholars: Thomas Shannon and Lauren Devito, both PhD students;
ForEverglades Scholars: Chloe Vorseth, Melinda Padauni, Alan Mock, and Lukas Lamb-Wotton, all PhD students at Florida International University;
Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund ForEverglades Fellow: Hunter Howell, University of Miami, PhD student;
Patrick Lee Foundation ForEverglades Fellow: Kelly Ugarelli, University of Florida, PhD student, and
VoLo Foundation ForEverglades Fellow: Satbyeol Shin, University of Florida, PhD student.
These 12-month scholarships and fellowships fund stipends, travel, or research-related expenses for full-time graduate students pursuing cutting-edge research related to restoring America’s Everglades. Applications for the 2022 ForEverglades Scholars and Fellows Program will open in February 2022.
For more information on the ForEverglades Scholars Program send email to scholarships@evergladesfoundation.org or visit www.evergladesfoundation.org/scholarships.
