This spring, Jarod Snook, who is a sophomore majoring in chemistry, was awarded the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship by the NOAA Office of Education. The Scholarship was established in honor of Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, who was well known for supporting ocean policy and conservation.
The Hollings Scholarship includes a two-year academic scholarship and a summer internship opportunity for full-time undergraduate STEM and education majors. Recipients receive an academic award of $9,500 per year, as well as a 10-week, full-time, paid summer internship at any NOAA facility nationwide, with all travel expenses included in the award. Scholars receive funding to present their NOAA research projects at up to two national scientific conferences.
When applying for the scholarship, Snook wrote about how he would like to use what he has learned in chemistry to research human impacts on the ocean and the marine environment, as well as advocate for environmentally friendly policy for the government. Snook stated that “I think that this scholarship and internship will help set me up for a career in that field.”
The Internship
Snook’s internship is planned for the summer of 2019. This fall, he will be able to choose from multiple facilities across the U.S. and a few U.S. territories. He is narrowing his choices to include facilities where he can study chemical pollutants in the ocean. He is hoping for a location in either California, Florida, or Hawaii to conduct his research.
During this internship, Snook is excited to conduct some of his own research about a topic that he is passionate about; climate change and the marine environment. Snook said that this will be a fantastic opportunity to be able to conduct research in a NOAA lab, and that he believes the experience will set him up for a successful career in the related field. He is also excited to learn more about various issues the marine environment faces, and what he may do in the future to help with this global problem.
Future Impact
The financial support from the scholarship will be helpful to greatly cut down on the amount of loans that Snook must take out to finish his chemistry degree. The reduced financial stress will allow him to focus more on academics, lab work, and volunteering during his last few years at Colorado State University.
After his undergraduate work is complete at CSU, he plans to attend graduate school to get a more specialized degree in environmental/oceanic science. Snook hopes that with his background in chemistry that it will allow him to make a career researching and promoting the well-being of the environment. In the future, he imagines himself working for NOAA or the EPA conducting research or promoting policy.
Snook would like to thank all of his instructors and advisors at CSU for sharing their knowledge and teaching him and his classmates everything they need to prepare themselves for successful careers. Without the support system provided by CSU, as well as his peers, Snook remarked that “I cannot imagine I would be as successful as I have been in my academic career.”
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