Finley '12 Earns NOAA Hollings Scholarship Award

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Nina Finley ’12 was recently awarded one of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hollings Scholarships. The Ernest F. Hollings scholarship program is designed to:

• increase undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education and foster multidisciplinary training opportunities;
• increase public understanding and support for stewardship of the ocean and atmosphere and improve environmental literacy;
• recruit and prepare students for public service careers with NOAA and other natural resource and science agencies at the federal, state and local levels of government; and
• recruit and prepare students for careers as teachers and educators in oceanic and atmospheric science and to improve scientific and environmental education in the United States.

The Hollings Scholarship Program provides successful undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance for full-time study during the 9-month academic year; a 10-week, full-time internship position during the summer at a NOAA facility; and, if reappointed, academic assistance for full-time study during a second 9-month academic year. The internship between the first and second years of the award provides the Scholars with “hands-on”/ practical educational training experience in NOAA-related science, research, technology, policy, management, and education activities. Awards also include travel funds to attend a mandatory NOAA Scholarship Program orientation, conferences where students present a paper or poster, and a housing subsidy for scholars who do not reside at home during the summer internship.

Nina, who is studying evolution, ecology, and organismal biology at The Ohio State University, will be completing her internship at the Seattle Aquarium, studying sea star wasting syndrome which has been a major issue in the marine science and ecology fields for the past few years. Last April, Nina was featured in the Alumni Section of the Seattle Academy student newspaper The Cardinal.

Congratulations to Nina and her family.