After a successful first year that awarded $100,000 in scholarships to African American college students, the Aquarium of the Pacific has relaunched its African American Scholar Program and is now accepting applications for 2022.
The program invites any college student in California studying aquarium-related careers to apply. That includes fields such as ocean education, animal husbandry, water quality, building maintenance or facilities, microbiology and business management.
“As the African American Scholar program enters its second year, I hope to see an even larger pool of candidates and encourage other zoos and aquariums to undertake similar efforts to diversify our industry,” Anthony Brown, chief financial officer at the Aquarium of the Pacific, said in a statement.
The aquarium will again be awarding $100,000 in scholarships funded by aquarium donors, but the exact number of recipients and amounts will be determined by the committee. Last year the aquarium awarded 10 students $10,000 each in scholarships.
In addition to scholarship money, recipients will have opportunities to engage in various aquarium programs, such as writing for the aquarium’s member magazine or serving as judges in an environmental film festival for high school students.
Recipients of the program will be invited to a symposium in fall 2022 and will have opportunities to meet with aquarium staff members, hear guest scientists speak about their careers, and connect with high school students from Long Beach Unified School District.
Applicants of any age may apply but must be California residents of African American heritage, provide proof of acceptance or enrollment at an accredited university, community college or trade school studying the aforementioned fields and hold a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher from the most recent academic year. They must also provide a resume/CV, two letters of recommendation from a non-aquarium affiliated professional or instructor, and include a 500-word essay describing what inspired the applicant to pursue an education in their field of study. Graduating seniors headed to college are also welcome to apply.
Applications for the 2022 African American Scholar Program are due by Dec. 31. Recipients will be notified by Feb. 1, 2022, and awards will be presented to the recipients at the aquarium’s 20th annual African American Festival on Feb. 27, 2022. For program details and submission guidelines, click here.
Aquarium of the Pacific to award 10 African American students $10K in scholarships