Scholarship Winner: Christy Li, University of Delaware
Christy Li grew up in an area with the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay as her backyard. Her interest in watershed management was sparked by her concerns with toxic agricultural contaminants flowing through the watershed and into the Bay. She did extensive research as an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Earth Science and wrote in her SWEP scholarship essay about how this research led her to further studies and a career path in the environmental sciences. “The research I conducted as an undergraduate and working as a sustainable development intern raised my awareness of the threats to riverine systems and how to combat these environmental issues.”
The importance of Christy’s research is evident as written in a letter of recommendation from Professor Michael O’Neal of the University of Delaware. “Her research provides great insights into the nature and timing of anthropogenic alterations and contamination of our regional landscape, a topic of great importance that has proved difficult to evaluate.” Professor O’Neal further supported Christy’s application when he wrote, “Christy is, without a doubt, of the best Ph.D. candidates that I have encountered in my 17 years at the University of Delaware.” As with Zoe, Christy has a strong commitment to pursue her career goals and ends her application essay with this promise to us, “I am aspired to use my scientific knowledge and experience to assist water quality remediation in riverine systems and to educate the community regarding the toxic contaminants of regional rivers and their watersheds.” With support from SWEP, we have no doubt Christy will realize her aspirations.
Scholarship Winner: Zoe Kerrich, University of Pennsylvania
Zoe Kerrich’s goal is to pursue a career in environmental planning. She feels there is a strong connection between human welfare and environmental health and believes the thread that connects the two is linked by strong planning leadership. In her application essay she wrote, “Environmental planning provides a framework for tackling industrial legacies and environmental contamination to the benefit of both local communities and ecosystems.”
In a letter of recommendation, Zoe’s professor, Tom Daniels of the University of Pennsylvania, Weitzman School of Design, is certain Zoe will succeed on her career path and wrote, “She has the background, determination, and ability to become a true leader on environmental issues.” Zoe summed up her written essay with the following commitment, “It is clear to me from previous work and my current planning program that new solutions and approaches are needed now — and I am ready to take on that challenge.” After getting to know Zoe, the committee wholeheartedly agrees that she is ready to find solutions. We are confident this scholarship award will help her fulfill this commitment.
