MSRA established the Jim Gracie Memorial Scholarship in 2021 to aid students pursuing education in the natural resources industry who demonstrate a passion for streams and the environment with preference given to disadvantaged applicants. In the inaugural year, we were able to award two $500 scholarships to students studying stream restoration. We are aiming to raise additional funds through our Golf Tournament and other avenues to allow the scholarship fund to have a greater impact in helping students fund their education.
The Jim Gracie Memorial Scholarship is open to all students pursuing degrees or training in fields promoting natural resource preservation, stream restoration, and the environmental sciences. Preference will be given to those with diverse perspectives residing in Maryland and Virginia. Applicants should be able to show and demonstrate their passion for nature and the natural environment and should be enrolled in a degree seeking program or training program for these fields. The successful applicant should be able to articulate in their application how they connect with the environment, how their passion and study aligns with the values exhibited by Jim, and how receiving a scholarship award will help in achieving their academic and career goals.