AWWA Water Equation News: Two Pennsylvania students receive corporate scholarships
Congratulations Andrew Pogue and Dienye Tolafari !!!
Students are currently coping with the uncertainty of Fall openings of Universities and Colleges, but AWWA scholarships reduced some of the anxiety of funding education for 37 students this year. While the awards are usually recognized at the annual conference, we took advantage of technology this year with a virtual scholarship recognition event. The link to the event can be found here. The AWWA Scholarship portfolio of 27 academic scholarships and the One AWWA Operator Scholarship is managed by AWWA Water Equation, and awards over $200,000 annually for water related research and studies.
The Roberts Filter Group awards an annual $5000 scholarship to a Pennsylvania student in water studies. Andrew Pogue of Bucknell University is the 2020 recipient of the Charles “Chick” Roberts Scholarship. His interest in Environmental Engineering started back in high school as the product of an engaging AP Environmental class and a very insightful Biology teacher. He says he was leaning towards engineering but had no idea where to go from there. His collegiate path began at Virginia Tech, where his passion for engineering was confirmed. His financial situation forced him to take a gap year so that he could work full-time to save up for college. He transferred to Bucknell University where he found small classes and caring professors with real industry experience were just what he needed to gain an appreciation for the Water/Wastewater Industry. An internship with Gannett Fleming’s Water Business Line last summer helped confirm his interests and gave him experience with new areas of the Field, like stormwater management and working with municipalities. Outside of class, Andrew serves as the President of the Bucknell University chapter of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES), is a captain of our men’s Club Ultimate Frisbee team, and helps lead Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
The Dave Caldwell Scholarship offered by Brown and Caldwell was awarded to third-year doctoral candidate Dienye Tolafari. Dienye attends Drexel University in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering under the advisement of Dr. Patrick Gurian. Dienye says the choice of science and engineering came naturally to her inquisitive mind, as she wanted to understand how things function, as well as ways to improve them. Growing up in the southern region of Nigeria, she experienced how the environment around her gradually changed. The region is rich with natural resources like coal, petroleum, tin and a host of others. She recognized that over the years there has been a continuous decline in the environment particularly in the quality of water supply and Dienye believes that clean and safe water is a right to every living human. She is currently investigating how plumbing design and operation affects the quality of water in buildings both biologically and chemically. The scholarship received from Dave Caldwell will support her research interests in conducting experiments that will not only provide answers to drinking water quality but also test out solutions that will improve water quality and have a positive impact on overall public health.
AWWA Scholarship applications will open again in August 2020 with final deadline in mid-December. The awards will be recognized at ACE21 in San Diego, CA.