Scholarships and Training Grants

Women Divers Hall of Fame

The Women Divers Hall of Fame is offering scholarships in dive medicine, underwater archaeology, marine biology, marine education, marine conservation, photography, graphic arts, or journalism. They are intended to support tuition and fees, independent research, and/or internship programs at accredited universities. Scholarships are paid or awarded directly to the recipient.

Training grants provide funding for diver and related underwater training and, for some awards, scuba equipment. Funds are paid directly to the training facility and/or the equipment vendor upon WDHOF’s receipt of an invoice; they are not paid directly to the grantee.

Most of these are for females but some are also available to males. For more information about WDHOF, the scholarships, or how to apply click here.

The deadline for applications is November 20, 2015.

The following scholarships are available.

Dive Medicine – New This Year!!!

DAN/R.W. “Bill” Hamilton Research Grant – A 12-month, $10,000 research grant has been established by the Divers Alert Network in memory of R.W. “Bill” Hamilton. . The $10,000 award will support new or continuing research in one or more of the following areas: development of decompression procedure techniques for commercial, military, technical and/or recreational divers; development of new decompression models; probability of risk or probabilistic modeling; multi-gas dive simulation; dive computer procedure, protocol and testing; and/or treatment of incomplete decompression and resulting incidents.

Marine Conservation

Marine conservation has been our most popular and most competitive scholarship opportunity for several years. In response to the high number of competitive applications, WDHOF is offering six scholarships in marine conservation in 2016. The scholarships will be awarded to qualified women of any age who are enrolled in accredited graduate or undergraduate academic or research programs in the field of marine conservation. The scholarships are intended to assist with college tuition/fees or may be used to support independent research or an internship program at an accredited university.

 

Undergraduate Marine Research

Undergraduate Marine Research Internship – A $1,000 internship in marine biology will be awarded to a woman undergraduate student who is (or will be) participating in an internship program with a focus in marine biology.

Underwater Archaeology

The Cecelia Connelly Memorial Scholarships in Underwater Archaeology will be awarded to deserving women of any age who are graduate or undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited course of study in the field of underwater archaeology. The funds are intended to assist with college tuition/fees or field study costs.

 

Journalism, Graphic Arts, or Photography

Elizabeth Greenhalgh Memorial Scholarship in Journalism, Graphic Arts, or Photography – A $1,500 scholarship will be awarded to a woman diver who is furthering her education beyond high school in the field of journalism, graphic arts, or photography to better serve the ocean environment or ocean community. The scholarship is intended to assist with college tuition/fees or may be used to support an internship program at an accredited university.

Marine or Underwater Education

WDHOF Scholarship in Marine or Underwater Education – A $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to a qualified woman of any age to plan and conduct an education project in marine or underwater STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) programs for students in grades K-12.

Public Safety Diving

Lifeguard Systems Public Safety Diving Scholarship – A scholarship to take an unlimited number of any Lifeguard Systems open, Levels 1-3, public safety and water rescue certification training programs for a duration of one year will be awarded to a woman 18 years of age or older, with a commitment to public safety diving and water rescue, and preferably some experience in public safety (e.g., EMT certification, volunteer firefighter, in law enforcement, forensics, etc.). The awardee might be able to stay in the host’s facility (e.g., fire department) at no cost, if such an option is available. Applicants must be certified to dive, have their own dive gear, and must be capable of getting to and from the training programs. The recipient will most likely also be able to take additional training programs from at least one other water rescue/recovery training agency.

TRAINING GRANTS

Underwater Photography

Morgan/O’Neill Underwater Photography Grant – A $2,000 grant will be awarded to a qualified female photographer of any age to continue her professional development in the field of underwater photography. Applicants must be certified divers with significant dive experience. Applicants will be required to submit a photographic portfolio and an essay. The grant may be used to fund master digital workshops or other developmental classes in underwater photography, and funds will be paid directly to the instructional facility — not to the recipient.

Basic Dive Training

• Ella Jean Morgan Memorial Dive Training Grants — Two $1,000 training grants will be awarded to deserving young females, age 15-21, who wish to begin their dive education/training. Up to $500 may be used for dive training, and up to $500 may be used for dive equipment.

• Kids Sea Camp Basic Dive Training Grants — Two $500 training grants will be awarded to deserving women divers of any age and background who wish to begin their dive education through a PADI scuba certification course. Two awards will be given to novice divers to gain the fundamental knowledge, skills and ability to safely breathe underwater.

Junior Diver Training

• Ocean Pals Junior Dive Training Grant

One $1,000 training grant (up to $500 for training and up to $500 for dive equipment) will be awarded to a deserving young woman, ages 13-16, who wishes to begin or further her dive education/training. Up to $500 may be used for dive training, and up to $500 may be used for dive equipment.

Advanced Dive Training

Three $1,000 training grants (up to $500 for training and up to $500 for dive equipment) will be awarded to deserving women divers of any age and background who wish to further their dive education through approved scuba diving programs beyond the basic certification level.

• One $1,000 training grant, sponsored by WDHOF member Bonnie Toth, will support advanced dive training for recreational divers.

• One $1,000 training grant, sponsored by the Women Divers Hall of Fame, will support advanced training in technical or cave diving.

• One $1,000 training grant, sponsored by the Women Divers Hall of Fame, will support dive training to advance diving skills needed for the applicant’s profession (e.g., scientific diving).

Hardhat Dive Training

Amelia Behrens-Furniss Memorial Hardhat Diver Training Grant – a $1,000 grant will be awarded to a deserving woman diver of any age and background who wishes to begin or further her training in hardhat diving through an approved hardhat dive training program.

Diver Medic Training

Code Blue Education Ltd Diver Medic Training Grant – two diver medic training grants, worth up to $1275 in tuition and sponsored by Code Blue Education Ltd, will be awarded to deserving males or females who wish to further their diving training/education as a diver medic technician. The recipients must enroll in an approved Diver Medic Training facility with Code Blue Education Ltd in the United Kingdom. Upon successful completion of the Diver Medic Technician course, the recipient will be awarded a DAN or IMCA Diver Medical Technician certification. Applicants must be over the age of 18, have at least the recreational diver certification of Rescue Diver or equivalent, and should hold a current EFR/BLS/First Aid certification.

Disabled Diver Training

Hugh Fletcher Memorial Training Grant to Assist the Disabled to Dive – a $1,000 training grant (up to $500 for training and up to $500 for dive equipment) will be awarded to any disabled diver who wishes to pursue or further his/her dive education and purchase adaptive equipment, or to a dive master, assistant instructor, or instructor to gain the required education/training to assist or teach the disabled to dive. Candidates can be male or female. Up to $500 may be used for dive training, and up to $500 may be used for adaptive dive equipment.

Dive Training for Marine Scientists, Oceanographers, or Ocean Engineers

Scuba Made Easy Training Grant in Marine Science, Oceanography or Ocean Engineering – a $500 training grant will be awarded to a deserving woman diver of any age, working in the areas of marine science, oceanography or ocean engineering. The training grant is to be used for the purpose of continuing diver education/training and is open to candidates worldwide.

Dive Training for Students in ROTC, JROTC, Military Academy or Sea Cadets

Women’s Scuba Association Training Grant – a $1,500 training grant (up to $750 for training and $750 for equipment) will be awarded to a deserving young male or female who wishes to begin or further his/her dive education/training. Candidates must be enrolled in an ROTC or JROTC program, military academy or be a Sea Cadet.