Emily Van Auken Earns Prestigious Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

2016 Apr 14

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that Stonehill sophomore and environmental science major Emily Van Auken has been chosen for the Class of 2016 Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program which provides academic assistance for two academic years beginning in September 2016 through May 2018 and one summer internship in 2017. A total of 125 students nationwide were selected for the program, including just five from schools in Massachusetts.

"My passion lies within climate science and battling climate change, which is why an internship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a dream come true," says Van Auken, who would like to pursue a career in climatology.

"I'm interested in the data collection and interpretation of models that come with climate science," she explains. To that end, she hopes to conduct climate science research next year at Stonehill and plans to travel to Iceland where she will continue her climate change research, specifically on glaciers.

As part of the Hollings Program's criteria, Van Auken will attend an orientation program at NOAA Headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. the week of May 30th. The scholarship will provide her with a $9,500 a year stipend for each of her junior and senior years at Stonehill in addition to a $7,000 stipend for a 10-week summer internship in 2017.

In her two years at Stonehill, Van Auken has taken a keen interest in environmental issues, serving as a student representative on the Environmental Stewardship Council and serving as the Vice President of the Students for Environmental Action group.

The Moreau Honors student has also worked closely with Bridget Meigs, manager of The Farm at Stonehill, through volunteer work at The Farm and also as a part of the Travel Learning Community course taught by Meigs and Assistant Professor of Studio Arts Candice Smith Corby called "Origin of Resources: From Farm to Studio," which traveled to Italy in January.

"The detailed and thoughtful responses she provides in the classroom and her keen interest shared while volunteering at The Farm demonstrates her commitment to learning about and contributing to solutions to environmental issues," says Meigs, who will continue to work with Van Auken this summer when she will serve as a Farm intern.

The Hollings Program is designed to increase undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education and foster multidisciplinary training opportunities as well as 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. It also aims to 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.