education
NEHA/AAS Scholarship Information
Scholarship Information and Application
Both the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS) have established education in environmental health (EH) as one of their principal goals. NEHA and AAS believe that structured education at the undergraduate and graduate levels is important to an individual’s successful professional development in the field and that continuing education is a vital component in an EH professional’s continued career growth.
As a result, the NEHA Board of Directors established a scholarship fund in 1984 that began with a gift of $1,000 from Dr. A. Harry Bliss, a NEHA Past-President, and personal donations from NEHA Board Members. Because of their strong belief in scholarship programs, AAS also made a financial donation to the NEHA program, allowing NEHA to increase the number of undergraduate scholarships awarded. As the program grew, NEHA offered scholarships to both undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in the EH field.
In 1996, NEHA and AAS decided to jointly fund undergraduate and graduate scholarships and call them the NEHA/AAS Scholarships. In 2020, the boards of both organizations voted to name one of the undergraduate scholarships to honor Sheila Davidson Pressley, DrPH, CPH, DAAS, REHS, HHS. In 2021 the second undergraduate scholarship was named in honor of Dr. Carolyn Hester Harvey, PhD, MS, RS, CIH, CHMM. Both of these esteemed members served as champions for students and environmental health academics throughout their impressive careers.
Funding for the scholarships is continually obtained from donations, proceeds from association fundraisers, and NEHA/AAS budget commitments. By offering the NEHA/AAS Scholarships to eligible undergraduate and graduate students, NEHA and AAS hope to positively contribute to the future of environmental health.
Eligibility
Undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in an accredited college or university, with a dedicated and recognized curriculum in environmental health sciences, are eligible to apply for the NEHA/AAS Scholarship. The purpose of the scholarship program is to encourage early commitment by students to pursue a career in EH. Therefore, preference is given to applicants who indicate that they intend to work as sanitarians/environmental health professionals and not in related fields.
The undergraduate scholarship is to be used toward the tuition and fees associated with either the junior or senior year of college studies. The graduate scholarship is to be used toward tuition and fees associated with graduate studies. All applicants must have at least one semester of coursework remaining to be eligible for this scholarship.
Scholarship Amounts
There will be two undergraduate scholarships awarded for $2,250 each:
- One undergraduate applicant will be awarded the Dr. Sheila Davidson Pressley scholarship.
- One undergraduate applicant will be awarded the Dr. Carolyn Hester Harvey scholarship.
There will be one graduate scholarship awarded for $2,500.
Application Process
Applicants must:
- Complete the online application form
- Provide an unofficial academic transcript from the school in which the applicant is currently enrolled
- Submit one faculty letter of recommendation from the school in which the applicant is currently enrolled
- Submit one letter of recommendation from an active NEHA member.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please have all components ready before beginning the online application. Applicants must have both recommendation letters and an unofficial academic transcript ready to be uploaded during the online application process. You will not be able to save your work and submit it later. Please do not mail any items associated with your application directly to NEHA.
If you have questions email Heather Folker.
Deadlines
Applications are currently closed. Applicants will be notified no later than June 1, 2022.