SAUGUS — In an effort to encourage students who pursue careers that benefit the environment, Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) is offering a $1,000 scholarship to high school seniors and college freshmen.
The deadline to apply for the scholarship is April 21, and any Saugus resident in their final year of high school or first year of college is eligible to receive it. The scholarship is open to anyone pursuing a career in an environmental field or anyone whose career benefits the environment somehow.
SAVE Co-President Ann Devlin said the organization has been offering the scholarship for more than a decade now and recently increased the amount from $500 to $1,000 in the hopes of drawing more applicants. To apply, residents must complete a form on the group’s website, provide a brief summary of their activities relating to the environment, and explain how their career choice will positively impact the environment.
Devlin said SAVE offers the scholarship less as a way to financially support students, acknowledging that $1,000 represents a drop in the bucket toward paying for college. Instead, she said it is a way to offer support and encouragement for those pursuing careers with an environmental focus or benefit.
“To me, that is the greater value, showing support for that career choice,” Devlin said. “That is really, really important.”
Demand for the scholarship has been as low as zero applicants in years past, and Devlin said she is “always amazed” that SAVE doesn’t receive more applications.
“It worries me that career choices in that direction are not prioritized in this country,” she said. “I know for myself, preserving and protecting the environment is my passion and I’ve done it for no funds.”
“It’s sad that our country doesn’t prioritize jobs in that field,” Devlin continued.
As a result of the low demand, SAVE expanded eligibility to college freshmen in the hope that they might have a better sense of what career path they want to pursue. Devlin said previous winners have included an artist who created “breathtaking landscapes,” which she said generated an awareness of “what we need to protect.”
Other recipients have included Devlin’s son, who now works as a conservation agent, and Ryan Duggan, who has since joined the group’s leadership team.
Applications should be emailed to Devlin at [email protected] by no later than midnight on April 21, 2023. Applications can also be mailed to SAVE, P.O. Box 908, Saugus, MA 01906.
