2011 Scholarship Awards

The EPOC Environmental Scholarship Fund was established in 1998 to assist Connecticut residents 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 DEP, 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 Connecticut students applying for a scholarship this year. At a recent meeting of the EPOC Scholarship Fund Committee, this year’s scholarship winners were voted on and approved.

Jill Libby

Jill is a resident of Willington and a graduate student in Geosciences at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.  Jill is currently a teaching assistant at UConn, working with the geology lab program.  Jill’s advisor professor states, “In addition to taking classes, she worked with me during her first year to develop an idea to greatly reduce the cost of characterizing fractured bedrock ground water conditions through the use of tracers. This summer she is developing a physical model of a bedrock well to test the method in the lab prior to testing it in field". Jill noted in her essay application, “I would overwhelmingly appreciate the opportunity to make contributions to the field of hydrogeology with my master’s thesis, which consists of furthering the understanding of fractured bedrock well contamination".

Scott Braddock

Scott is a resident of Harwinton and entering his senior year at Central Connecticut State University.  Scott states in his application essay,  “There is still so much to discover in the field and that is what excites me the most about it. I was also drawn to geosciences because of its importance to people’s lives, whether they realize it or not. Issues such as polluted water and soil, melting glaciers, and earthquakes affect the lives of so many people. Researching these subjects would not only allow me to make a contribution to science, but could also improve people’s lives”. Scot’s Structural Geology professor states, “Aside from Scott being a good student, he exhibits a natural curiosity that is commonly lacking in many undergraduates. His natural curiosity has also led Scott to participate in two research projects this summer. Scott chose to do these two projects because he wanted to get as much out of his undergraduate career as possible. This is typical of Scott, who looks to learn as much as he can about his chosen discipline”.

Chad Johnston

Chad is a resident of Coventry and is attending the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Chad is entering his fourth year as a Phd student in Environmental Engineering. One of Chad’s professors at UCONN states, “He is able to solve practically any experimental problem posed to him, but also has the intellectual curiosity to tackle difficult theoretical problems”. Chad stated in his application essay, “Upon completion of my doctorate at the University of Connecticut, I plan to embark on that fulfilling career path as an environmental engineer with a focus on groundwater remediation. To this end, I believe my research experience in graduate school thus far has been invaluable”.

Sarah Boison

Sarah is a resident of Rocky Hill and entering her junior year at Hofstra University as an Environmental Resources major. One of Sarah’s geology professors at Hofstra states, “Sarah is an extremely conscientious young woman who takes her studies very seriously. I note that she is actively involved in our student geology club and that she works cooperatively and constructively with her peers in the department. Her interest in the subjects of Geology and Environmental Science is genuine, as is her desire to pursue a career solving environmental problems”. Sarah stated in her application essay, “Building on real world experiences, I hope that someday I will be able to pursue a career which enables me to be part of the solution to global environmental issues. With the help of this scholarship I can bring myself one step closer to that dream”.

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. Anyone needing additional information about the Scholarship Fund or EPOC, please contact Seth Molofsky, Executive Director.