2006 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

The Cecilia Connelly Memorial 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a deserving woman of any age who is an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited course of study in the field of Underwater Archeology.

Awarded to: Athena Trakadas

Athena obtained her PADI Junior Open Water at the age of 12, growing up in Southern California. Her diving and archaeology interests were first fortuitously combined during college when she participated in the harbor excavations at Caesarea Maritima, Israel. Since then, she has received MAs from Texas A&M (Nautical Archaeology) and Aarhus University (Roman Archaeology) and participated in underwater excavations in Turkey and Morocco while achieving PADI Dive Master certification. Now studying for a PhD in Maritime Archaeology from the University of Southampton, Athena will focus her research upon coastal surveys of Morocco.

The Hugh Fletcher Memorial 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to any dive master, assistant instructor or instructor to learn to teach or assist the disabled to dive.

Awarded to: Patti Parnell

Patti started diving in 2003. Just one year after a blood clot in her spinal column left her a paraplegic. Patti was introduced to SCUBA diving through an adaptive SCUBA dive club called Eels on Wheels. She now serves as the clubs social chairman. Patti is at the beginning of her diving career having completed just over 26 dives. She aims to continue her dive education by becoming an advanced diver. She feels grateful that SCUBA diving is part of her life because of the confidence it has given her to try new things.

The Ocean Pals 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a deserving young female, ages 13-18, to be used towards an entry level or advanced diving related educational program.

Awarded to: Taylor Bodine

Taylor is a senior at Morro Bay High School. She grew up in a small beach community where she developed a love of the ocean. She was certified Open Water Diver in 2004. She traveled to Palau and Fiji to experience the beautiful coral reefs. In 2005 she returned to Fiji to work on a reef conservation project. There she received her Rescue Diver certification and plans on studying for Diver Master. In June of 2006 she will return to Fiji to continue her conservation work. In the future she hopes to earn a degree in Marine Biology.

The Scuba Made Easy 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a deserving woman diver of any age, working in the areas of marine sciences, oceanography or ocean engineering.

Awarded to: Bridget Cashdollar

Bridget is a graduate student in the Wildlife and Fisheries Department at Texas A & M University. She received her BS in General Biology at the University of Arizona. She began diving in 2002 in the Gulf of California. Currently, she is undergoing scientific diver training through the American Academy of Underwater Sciences at Texas A & M. She will conduct underwater, scientific diving research for her master’s thesis on the role of algal distribution in karst systems in Bermuda. She plans to continue on and receive her doctorate degree in the marine biology field. Afterward she would like to teach at the university level and continue exploring the undersea world.

The Undergraduate Marine Research Internship 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a female undergraduate student who is (or will be) participating in an internship program with a focus on marine biology.

Awarded to: Lisa Rich

Lisa became a certified diver (PADI) in 2001. She currently has the Master Scuba diver certification. Lisa is attending Saint Francis University and majoring in Marine Biology. During the 2006 fall semester, she will be interning at the Aquarium of Niagara in Niagara Falls, NY where she will not only experience the daily routine of aquarium employees, but volunteer as a scuba diver as well. Her future goal is to work at an aquarium in order to inform visitors about the fascinating world of marine life.

Hillary Viders, Ph.D. 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a qualified woman of any age, who is enrolled in an accredited academic or research program in the field of marine conservation.

Awarded to: Julia Brownlee Royster

Julia, a native Texan, started diving in 1995. She has volunteered for the Day to Day Management Unit of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia and a Biodiversity Study in Fiji. She worked for The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on the U.S. Marine Managed Areas (MMA) Inventory developing a MMA report for the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. She is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Rhode Island focusing on the management of marine reserves and coral diseases. In the future, she will continue to work on the conservation and management of the world’s marine ecosystems.

Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF, Inc.) 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a deserving woman diver of any age and background who wishes to begin or further her dive education.

Awarded to: Emily Fisher

Emily has been diving since she was 14 years old and been diving in and around the Great Lakes ever since. Recently certified as a Divemaster, Emily is a teaching assistant for Open Water, Advance, and Rescue diving classes though Northern Michigan University where she is a junior, an honor’s student and preparing for a career as a Secondary Education Teacher. During the summers she works at Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City in North Carolina and plans to continue to pursue her interests in diving and is currently planning on completing her IDC next winter in Florida

The Women’s Scuba Association 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a deserving young male or female who is enrolled in the Navy’s NJROTC or NROTC program.

Awarded to: Alison Hawkins

Alison was certified in 2001. She is currently a senior in Civil Engineering at Iowa State University. At school, she is active with her NROTC unit, the women’s rugby club, and various civil engineering societies. Her diving experience includes various dives in the Caribbean Sea and in Minnesota Lakes. Upon graduation she will enter the U.S. Navy.
She hopes to transfer to the Navy Construction Corps and work on an Underwater Construction Team. Until graduation, she hopes to become and advanced SCUBA diver and learn about wreck diving.

Women Underwater 2006 Scholarship

A scholarship awarded to a qualified woman diver for the purpose of venturing or continuing her education/training in the area of technical diving.

Awarded to: Susanne Grieve

Susanne is currently an Assistant Conservator at The Mariners’ Museum where she is currently working on small finds and organic materials from the USS Monitor. She began diving at the age of 14 and received a BA degree in Anthropology with a specialization in underwater archaeology. During that time, Susanne attended Flinders University maritime archaeology field school in Australia. After completing her BA, she began an internship with the CSS Hunley project in Charleston. She then went on to receive a MA in conservation from University College London. Susanne hopes to be able to continue underwater excavation while combining her experience in preservation of cultural heritage.