The EPOC Environmental Scholarship Fund was established in 1998 to assist qualified applicants who are attending a college or university (in CT or out of state) and have declared majors pertinent to the environmental field. The scholarships are awarded annually to junior, senior, and graduate level students (full or part-time) enrolled in accepted programs of study leading the student to become a Technical Environmental Professional in the State of Connecticut as defined by the CT DEEP, or a professional in a related service discipline who may render technical assistance to the Technical Environmental Professional. EPOC would like to express its thanks to all the students applying for a scholarship this year. At recent meetings of the EPOC Scholarship Fund Committee, scholarship applicants were reviewed and voted on. We extend our congratulations to the following award winners:
Riley Matto
Riley is a resident of Stratford and is attending Eastern Connecticut State University as a Junior for the coming academic year. From Riley’s application: I came to Eastern with the knowledge I wanted to pursue a major in Environmental Earth Science, even though I wasn't clear on the jobs available with this major. This summer I am honored to get a taste of what my future could be like by pursuing an internship for my town, Stratford. The internship includes water sampling for the Housatonic River and data entry for these samples. Some careers that stand out to me include- exploration jobs, consultants, and geoscientists.
Daniel Schott
Daniel is a resident of Middletown and is a graduate student at Unity College in New Gloucester, ME. From Daniel’s application: A graduate degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability will provide me with the essential skills required to be a valuable member of the environmental community. I obtained my bachelor's in environmental science which provided me with the technical skills to jumpstart my career as an environmental professional. Now with almost ten years of remediation and environmental compliance experience, a master's degree will give me the confidence and knowledge required to step into a leadership role in the environmental field.
Aiden Roche
Aiden is a resident of Bristol and is attending Central Connecticut State University as a Senior for the coming academic year. From Aiden’s application: l I made the swap to a major in Environmental sciences with a specialization in Geology in the Spring 2022 Semester. With a degree in Earth Science and concentration in Geology, I hope either to enter the mining industry to aid in mineral exploration or enter the field of hydrogeology to determine sustainable groundwater sources for agriculture purposes.
Wiktor Szwajger
Wiktor is a resident of East Hampton and is attending the University of Connecticut as a Junior this coming academic year. From Wiktor’s application: Interested in the field of environmental engineering through brownfields and contaminated site remediation. Would like to pursue higher education in Civil and/or Environmental Engineering to continue work on transportation and brownfields. Would like to pursue a career in contaminated site remediation or green transportation planning.
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The EPOC Scholarship Fund is financed through the support of EPOC programs, proceeds from golf tournaments, and direct contributions from individuals and companies. EPOC is a non-profit organization, and as such, contributions to the Scholarship Fund are tax deductible for most firms. Unlike many other organizations, 100% of your contributions go in the EPOC Scholarship Fund. A committee of volunteers who support its goals and ideals manages the fund. For further information, please visit our website at www.epoc.org/scholarship.
