WAMAS Establishes Endowed Scholarship at Nova Southeastern University

[Origami]

WAMAS has established a permanently endowed scholarship at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Read more below.

 

https://nsunews.nova.edu/nsu-student-first-recipient-of-coral-reef-conservation-endowed-student-support-fund

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is pleased to announce that one of its students is the first-ever beneficiary of the WAMAS Coral Reef Conservation Endowed Student Support Fund. The Washington D.C. Area Marine Aquarist Society, Inc. (WAMAS) donated $25,750 to provide support to NSU graduate students enrolled in NSU’s Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography. 

 

 

“I am very grateful to receive the WAMAS scholarship and will be using this to help cover tuition costs,” said Alyson Kuba, the NSU student receiving the scholarship. “Generous groups like WAMAS help students like me continue research in critical fields of science.”

 

 

Alyson is currently finishing her master’s degree in marine biology, and she plans on continuing her studies toward a doctorate in coral research. She said that as a child, she wasn’t drawn to dolphins or sharks or turtles – rather, there was something about corals and coral reefs that piqued her interest.

 

Her studies focus on the effect climate change has on coral reproduction. Specifically, she said she is assessing “the transgenerational effects of coral bleaching on larval dynamics in order to determine how climate change – particularly ocean warming – influences the recovery and connectivity of coral populations.”

 

With this award, Alyson will be able to continue studying what she loves.

 

“This donation comes directly from the proceeds of our hosting the Marine Aquarium Conference of North America in 2015 and is consistent with our shared interests in conservation and education,” said Tom Land, WAMAS President. “We are very pleased and excited to be able to offer meaningful support to NSU and to future students who will benefit from this fund.”

[L8 2 RISE]

Cool! Link is broken. Is this solely supporting her, or how is this fund being split?

[John Ford]

https://nsunews.nova.edu/nsu-student-first-recipient-of-coral-reef-conservation-endowed-student-support-fund/

[Origami]

Cool! Link is broken. Is this solely supporting her, or how is this fund being split?

Fixed the link. Thanks.

 

In a nutshell: The fund is pooled with other funds and managed by the school. The funds are invested and returns are divided up proportionally and given to students that meet the criteria for each fund. This way, the fund is sustained perpetually. Alyson is just the first beneficiary of the fund. 

 

For those that are curious, you can donate to the fund to increase the principal amount. Donations to the fund are tax deductible as charitable donations to the maximum extent of the law.

[Hilary]

Sharing a note that we received from the latest student beneficiary of the WAMAS Coral Reef Conservation Endowed Student Support Fund, Perla Marina Garmendia:

 

"Thank you so much for supporting the Washington DC Area Marine Aquarist Society (WAMAS) scholarship I recently received.  This funding will be essential to determine if the restoration of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease susceptible stony coral species is appropriate in the Arrecife de Puerto Morelos National Park (APMNP) Mexico using microfragmentation as a restoration tool.  My proposed research will be the basis of my master's thesis; therefore, this funding is determinant to fulfill my studies at Nova Southeastern University (NSU).  As an international student, applying for funding is very limited, so I appreciate the will to fund students at NSU from any background.

 

Thank you again for believing in my research project and for providing the means to make it happen.

 

Best Regards,

 

Perla Marina Garmendia"

 

 

[Origami]

Great news, Hilary. I'm so glad that the scholarship that we funded (and you spearheaded) will help students at NSU for many, many years to come. Its great to get a report like this, too.

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