The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation (NGWREF) recently awarded $25,000 from its Len Assante Scholarship Fund to 10 students. Each of the scholarship recipients are entering a field of study that serves, supports or promotes ground water professions. NGWREF is operated by the National Ground Water Association as a 501(c)(3) public foundation focused on conducting educational, research and other charitable activities related to a broader public understanding of ground water.

Julia DeGagne of Downington, Pa., received $4,000 with the Past President’s Award – the top scholarship presented to the most qualified of the applicants. DeGagne, who has an undergraduate degree in water resources engineering, is pursuing graduate research at Portland State University (Oregon) in ground water hydrology and water quality in arid and semiarid lands.

The other recipients:

• Eamon McCarthy Earls of Franklin, Mass., $4,000 for the Ora Lyons Scholarship named in honor of a former distinguished National Ground Water Association member; Earls plans to study geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  
• Kurstyn Mills of Shawnee, Okla., $3,000; Mills attends Oklahoma City University.
  
• Elora Arana of Houston, Texas, $2,000; Arana is attending Texas A&M University.
  
• Jenna Chandler of Manchester, Mich., $2,000; Chandler is attending Michigan State University.
  
• Hanna Dornhofer of Austin, Texas, $2,000; Dornhofer is attending the University of Texas at Austin.
• Devin Ergler of Cle Elum, Wash., $2,000; Ergler attends Washington State University.
  
• Madeline Friend of Flagstaff, Ariz., $2,000; Friend attends Northern Arizona University.
  
• Jessie Moravek of St. Charles, Ill., $2,000; Moravek attends Northwestern University.
  
• Morgan Reid of Buffalo, Wyo., $2,000; Reid attends Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa.

The scholarship awards have been made for more than 30 years.