Announcing the 2024 EPP/MSI and Hollings undergraduate scholars!

NOAA Office of Education has selected 130 Ernest F. Hollings undergraduate scholars and 15 José E. Serrano Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) undergraduate scholars for the classes of 2024. Scholars receive a two-year academic scholarship for their junior and senior years, paid summer internship opportunities, and funding to participate in two national scientific conferences.

A large group of professionally-dressed young adults pose in a conference room.

EPP/MSI and Hollings undergraduate scholars gathered in Silver Spring, Maryland, to present their summer internship research at the 2023 Science and Education Symposium. (Image credit: Chris Zimmer Photography)

This year, 3,735 students applied for these two competitive scholarships. The selected applicants of both NOAA undergraduate scholarship programs come from a total of 90 different campuses in 36 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.

Congratulations and welcome to the 2024 class of NOAA scholars! Your hard work and drive has earned you a spot as one of our prestigious undergraduate scholars. We are confident that you will make the most of your NOAA internship.

Louisa Koch, Director of NOAA Education

The 2024 EPP/MSI undergraduate scholars will begin their two-week orientation on May 20, 2024, and begin the first of two summer internships on June 3, 2024. The Hollings undergraduate scholars will attend orientation from May 27-30, 2024, and will complete their internships during the summer of 2025. 

During orientation, the scholars will learn about NOAA’s work, network with NOAA leadership and staff, and hear about some of the research topics that could be available for their summer internships. They will also have the opportunity to tour NOAA facilities and local points of interest, including Jug Bay Wetland Sanctuary and the National Aquarium. EPP/MSI scholars will have an additional opportunity to spend a day touring and kayaking Mallows Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The scholarship application period for the class of 2025 opens on September 1, 2024, and will close on January 31, 2025.

2024 EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program recipients

State

Scholar name

Institution

AK

Hazelanne Stuart

Alaska Pacific University

CA

Rohan Vaswani

University of California, Irvine

DC

Kalimah Muhammad

Howard University

FL

Ainsley Vanderhyde

Barry University

FL

Sophie Welch

Nova Southeastern University

FL

Paola Santini Dosal

Valencia College

HI

Amy Deatherage

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

IL

Yair Banuelos

Northeastern Illinois University

MD

Daryl Bullock

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

MS

Peyton Lockett

Jackson State University

NC

Normandy Carter

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

NY

Sor Bello Melendez

City College of New York

NY

Jose Keppis

Hostos Community College

TX

Renediego Martinez

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

TX

Mario Escobar

University of the Incarnate Word

2024 Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship recipients

State

Scholar name

Institution

AK

Ella Lieb

Alaska Pacific University

AK

Belladonna Darby

University of Alaska Southeast

AK

Markayla Katchatag

University of Alaska Southeast

AK

Brett Kaufman

University of Alaska Southeast

AK

Ruby Kresge

University of Alaska Southeast

AL

Raeed Kabir

The University of Alabama

AL

Blake Yuenger

The University of Alabama

AR

Andie Forbes

University of Arkansas

AZ

Tatum Beyer

University of Arizona

CA

Moira McGovern

California Polytechnic State University

CA

Sophia Tinkey

California Polytechnic State University

CA

Conner Timario

College of the Canyons

CA

Mia Case

San Diego State University

CA

Jason Hu

Stanford University

CA

Taylor Hart

University of California, Irvine

CA

Selena Yu

University of California, Los Angeles

CA

Serena Miranda

University of California, Santa Cruz

CO

Sasha Renton

Colorado College

CO

Claire Labuda

Colorado State University

DC

Beatrice Olivier

Howard University

DE

Piper Priddy

University of Delaware

DE

Teagan Rudderow

University of Delaware

FL

Samantha Cuson

Eckerd College

FL

Lydia Hughes

Eckerd College

FL

Clara Oxford

Eckerd College

FL

Elizabeth Pellegrini

Eckerd College

FL

Mikaela Serio

Eckerd College

FL

Riley Stoppa

Eckerd College

FL

Megan Neumann

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

FL

Samantha Morales

Florida International University

FL

Samantha Walkiewicz

Florida International University

FL

Coral Tolman

Florida Southern College

FL

Layla Lacelle

Nova Southeastern University

FL

Aidan Pflieger

Nova Southeastern University

FL

AG Cornell

University of Florida

FL

Aileen Donnelly

University of Miami

FL

Ariella Duvel

University of Miami

FL

Miles Lubas

University of Miami

FL

Kylie Marozsan

University of Miami

FL

John Yudt

University of Miami

FL

Bradley Boyadjiev

University of South Florida

FL

Coen McGarrah

University of South Florida

FL

Anna Soltys

University of South Florida

FL

Elizabeth Wilson

University of Tampa

GA

Sylvia Chan

Georgia Institute of Technology

HI

Aralyn Hacker

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

HI

Jessica Kamman

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

HI

Grace McCoy

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

IA

Jordan Howell

Iowa State University

IA

Eliot Morrow

Iowa State University

IL

Meera Dasgupta

University of Chicago

IL

Conrad Avila

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

IL

Charlie Remmers

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

IL

Alyssa Shih

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

IN

Elliott Kirwan

University of Notre Dame

IN

Hannah Kostka

Valparaiso University

MA

Helena Shenk

Boston University

MA

Greg Roitbourd

Brandeis University

MA

Kayla Pacheco

Bristol Community College

MA

Leila Curtis

Northeastern University

MA

Larissa Meyer

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

MD

Leah Rottler-Gurley

Loyola University Maryland

MD

Olivia Griffith

University of Maryland, College Park

ME

Graham Lucas

Bowdoin College

ME

Jamie Fogg

University of Maine

MI

Gregory Venarsky

Central Michigan University

MI

Jack Wojczynski

Central Michigan University

MO

Emma Knudson

University of Missouri

NC

Elizabeth Glazer

Duke University

NC

Dhruv Rungta

Duke University

NC

Andrew Price

University of North Carolina Asheville

NC

Clara Divincenzo

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

NC

Lucy Henthorn

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

NC

Isabel Leonard

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

NC

Rochelle David

University of North Carolina Wilmington

NC

Siobhan Duffy

University of North Carolina Wilmington

NC

Nicholas Angeli

University of North Carolina Wilmington

NC

Nicolea Dwight

University of North Carolina Wilmington

NH

Elisabeth Petit

University of New Hampshire

NJ

Ligaya Manalastas

New Jersey Institute of Technology

NJ

Emma Barrett

Raritan Valley Community College

NJ

Elisha Shmalo

Rutgers University – New Brunswick Campus

NY

Maia Berthier

Barnard College

NY

Daniel Schwartz

Lehman College

NY

Jessica Yesensky

Elmira College

OH

Nyrobi Whitfield

Oberlin College

OH

Alexandra Ensign

The Ohio State University

OK

Jonathan Douglas

University of Oklahoma

OK

Liam Thompson

University of Oklahoma

OR

Moani Tiare Atay

Oregon State University

OR

Teaghan Knox

Oregon State University

PA

Maven Mercado

Drexel University

PA

Cortez Catalano

Penn State Brandywine

PA

Westin Boyd

Penn State University Park

PA

Elizabeth Johnson

Penn State University Park

PA

Samantha Kratman

Penn State University Park

PA

Emily Shor

Penn State University Park

PA

Zachary Simms

Penn State University Park

PR

Luis Acevedo Soto

University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus

RI

Mary Brantley

University of Rhode Island

RI

Grace Dandeneau

University of Rhode Island

RI

Alec Duffy

University of Rhode Island

RI

Grace First

University of Rhode Island

RI

Nicole Kobasa

University of Rhode Island

RI

Brooklyn Mitchell

University of Rhode Island

SC

Jennifer Angel

Coastal Carolina University

SC

William Morgan

Coastal Carolina University

SC

Liam McKenna

University of South Carolina

TN

Cora Jackson

Vanderbilt University

TX

Nathaniel Breaux

Texas A&M University

TX

Katherine Forson

Texas A&M University

TX

Malik Hall

Texas A&M University

TX

Amariss Hill

Texas A&M University

TX

Emma Scott-Wellman

Texas A&M University

TX

Mitchell Foster

The University of Texas at San Antonio

TX

Laila Combs

University of Houston – Victoria

TX

Peyton Demarco

University of Texas at Austin

TX

Sarah Barksdale

University of Texas at Dallas

UT

Elizabeth Myers

Salt Lake Community College

VA

Justin Osborne

Southwest Virginia Community College

VT

Hope Jerris

Middlebury College

WA

Minda Chen

University of Washington

WA

Megan Cosand

University of Washington

WA

Michael Han

University of Washington

WA

Hannah Tucker

University of Washington

WA

Caleb Jansen

Western Washington University

WA

Kikken Schleusner

Western Washington University

WA

Alex Rojas

Yakima Valley Community College

WI

Ryenne Julian

Northland College

WI

Alissa Choi

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship

The Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship was established in 2005 in honor of Senator Ernest F. Hollings, who was well known for supporting ocean policy and conservation. The Hollings Scholarship includes a two-year academic award of $9,500 per year and a 10-week, full-time, paid summer internship opportunity at any NOAA facility nationwide. Scholars also receive funding to present their NOAA research projects at two national scientific conferences. Students apply in their second year of undergraduate study and must be a full-time undergraduate majoring in a NOAA mission field such as oceanic, environmental, biological, and atmospheric sciences, mathematics, engineering, remote sensing technology, physical sciences, social sciences, and teacher education.

José E. Serrano Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship

The Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) was established in 2000 to support the education of postsecondary students pursuing degrees that directly support NOAA’s mission. In 2019, Congress renamed the program as the José E. Serrano Educational Partnership Program in honor of Congressman Serrano. The EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship includes a two-year academic award of $9,500 per year and two summer internship opportunities. Scholars also receive funds to present the results of their NOAA research projects at two national conferences. Students must attend a minority serving institution, have and maintain a 3.2 or higher GPA, and have declared a major in a NOAA-mission related discipline including, but not limited to, oceanic, environmental, biological, and atmospheric sciences, mathematics, engineering, remote sensing technology, physical sciences, including physics, geography and hydrology as well as social sciences.

Contact: NOAA Office of Education

For the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship, please email studentscholarshipprograms@noaa.gov

For the Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions Undergraduate Scholarship, please email epp.usp@noaa.gov