2008 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

WDHOF Cecelia Connelly Memorial Scholarship in Marine Archaeology

This $2500 scholarship is awarded to a deserving woman undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited course of study in the field of Underwater Archaeology. It is sponsored by the Connelly family in memory of their mother, Cecelia Connelly, who was inducted into WDHOF in 2001.

Awarded to: AMANDA EVANS

Amanda first became interested in underwater archaeology and diving while an Anthropology Major at Indiana University. She became a certified diver in 1995, and worked on projects in the Dominican Republic and Cayman Islands. She earned a Masters Degree in Anthropology from Florida State University in 2005, continuing to study underwater archaeology in the Caribbean. Amanda is currently a doctoral student at Louisiana State University where her dissertation is focused on the investigation of submerged prehistoric archaeological sites on the offshore continental shelf, Gulf of Mexico.

WDHOF Ocean Pals Junior Dive Training Grant

A $500 training grant awarded to a deserving young female, ages 13-18, who wishes to begin or further her dive education/training. It is presented in the form of a certificate, to be redeemed at the time the recipient enrolls in an approved diving course/program, at which time the funds are submitted directly to the training facility.

Awarded to: katherine levasseur

Katherine first discovered the world of scuba diving at the age of sixteen when she attended a Marine and Environmental Science course in Victoria British Columbia. She is currently certified as an Open Water scuba diver and is planning to further her diver career with certifications in Advanced Open Water diver, eventually leading up to Master scuba diver. Katherine graduated high school in the top of her class and is presently pursuing an education in sciences. She is a volunteer, piano player and Belly Dancer. Katherine is a very motivated and determined young woman who one day, hopes to make a difference in the world.

WDHOF Reimers Systems, Inc. Certified Hyperbaric Technician Training Grants

RSI sponsors two $800 training grants to divers for enrollment in a Certified Hyperbaric Technician Course. Candidates can be male or female. The grants are presented in the form of a certificate, to be redeemed at the time the recipient enrolls in an approved diving course/program, at which time the funds are submitted directly to the training facility.

Awarded to: CHRISTEL FILS

Christel started diving shortly after undergraduate school to complement her degree in Biology. Her interests in biological sciences, conservation, the outdoors and diving led her to begin a career in research and contract diving. Becoming bored with freshwater she expanded her experiences to saltwater becoming a research diver for the University of Rhode Island and the University of Massachusetts. As a NAUI Instructor, she has also assisted in training for scientific diving. Christel plans to pursue further training in hyperbaric medicine and veterinary sciences as well as continuing scientific endeavors.

WDHOF Reimers Systems, Inc. Ted Hoggard Memorial Training Grant

Awarded to: CHRIS EISENBERG

Chris holds a doctorate of music from the University of Northern Colorado in classical piano performance and opera direction. During her doctoral studies she began diving in Guanaja, Honduras where she completed her initial certification in 2003. Chris’ interest in hyperbaric medicine was motivated by a class II DCS she suffered last summer while diving in Cozumel that was a result of a PFO. While recovering from surgery, Chris successfully completed a Hyperbaric Medicine and Technology Course as well as receiving her USCG MPIC Certification. She is looking forward to her upcoming DMT training as well as completing her Dive Master. Chris is committed to being involved in the development and implementation of hyperbaric technology, particularly in third world countries.

WDHOF Scuba Made Easy Training Grant

A $500 training grant awarded to a deserving woman diver of any age, working in the areas of marine science, oceanography or ocean engineering. The training grant is intended to be used for the purpose of continuing diver education/training and is open to candidates worldwide. It is presented in the form of a certificate, to be redeemed when the recipient enrolls in an approved diving course/program, at which time the funds are submitted directly to the training facility.

Awarded to: MICHELE LAVIGNE

Michele received her Bachelor’s Degree in 2003 in environmental chemistry and geology from Hampshire College, a small liberal arts college in western Massachusetts. After college, she returned to her home state of New Jersey to work as a technician in the marine geochemistry lab at the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University, where she began working on trace elements in corals. She decided to continue working on the project for her Ph.D. thesis. She started diving in 2006, and plans to use this award towards her rescue diving certification that she needs to conduct field research on corals in the Florida Keys this summer.

WDHOF Undergraduate Marine Research Internship in Marine Biology,

sponsored by Sue Morra, Ph.D. and Kathleen Dudzinski, Ph.D.

A $2,500 scholarship awarded to a female undergraduate student who is (or will be) participating in an internship program with a focus in marine biology. Students must have completed at least 60 credits or hold third year (junior) status prior to starting the internship.

Awarded to: EMILY VUXTON

Emily is a junior at the University of Florida where she will receive her B.S. in Zoology. Emily has always had a love of the ocean, but first became PADI Open Water trained in 2007. She is currently an AAUS Scientific Diver in Training. In the spring of 2008, Emily will complete a research training internship in Moorea, French Polynesia, where she will study coral reef communities. She plans to study Marine Disease Ecology in graduate school. In the future, Emily would like to continue to perform research, and also inspire a love of science and diving in the general public.

WDHOF Scholarship in Marine Conservation, sponsored by Hillary Viders, Ph.D.

A $2,500 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: KATHRYN KEMPTON

Kathryn is a Southern California-based attorney and dive instructor who loves diving everywhere from the murky rock quarries of her home state of Iowa to the gin-clear caves of the Yucatan peninsula. Kathryn has helped prosecute federal environmental crimes, has worked with student groups to pursue remedies for Clean Water Act violations, and has assisted in training research divers for Reefcheck California. The 2008 Hillary Viders, Ph.D. Scholarship in marine conservation will assist Kathryn in completing the intensive one-year LL.M. Program in Natural Resources and Environmental Law offered by Lewis & Clark Law School, recently highlighted in Sierra Magazine as a recommended school for environmentalists who want to change the world.

Women Divers Hall of Fame Training Grant,

sponsored by Kathleen Rand

Kathleen Rand is the 2004 recipient of the WDHOF Hugh Fletcher Memorial Training Grant. She now has established a $500 training grant to provide financial assistance to an individual, male or female, who is preparing for a professional career that involves scuba diving. The grant is presented in the form of a certificate, to be redeemed at the time the recipient enrolls in an approved diving course/program, at which time the funds are submitted directly to the training facility.

Awarded to: ELENI ANAGNOSTOU

Eleni originates from a little island in Greece, called Astypalaia. She arrived in the US with a Chemical Engineering Degree to pursue graduate studies in Environmental Science. Currently, she is a third year Ph.D. student of Oceanography at the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University. Her research is on using chemical tracers in deep sea corals as indicators of past environmental conditions related to paleoclimate. She started diving in 2006, and she is looking forward to using this fellowship to obtain scientific diving certification and eventually use diving in her paleoceanographic research on corals.

WDHOF Women Underwater Technical Diving Training Grant

A $500 training grant awarded to a qualified woman diver who wishes to begin or further her dive education/training in the specialty area of technical diving.

Awarded to: Delia Ní ChíobhÁin

Delia learned to dive with her university club in Galway, Ireland, while earning a Bachelor of Archaeology degree in 2004. Her goal was to become an underwater archaeologist. Upon graduation she was awarded the 2006 European Rolex Scholarship from the Our World Underwater Scholarship Society. During her year she focused on artifact conservation, archaeological excavations, museum practices and technical diving, including CCR. She wishes to use this training grant to further her knowledge of cave diving and hopes to explore the subject of speleo-archaeology. In fall of 2008 she will begin a masters program in underwater archaeology at the University of Southern Denmark.