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Now Accepting Applications for African American Scholar Program

The Aquarium will award $50,000 each year to support African American students who demonstrate a commitment to studies related to careers in the aquarium field.

Pacific Visions exterior

Pacific Visions exterior view from the Aquarium's front lawn. Credit: © 2019 Tom Bonner

September 14, 2020

The Aquarium of the Pacific is now accepting applications for a new scholarship program that will award $50,000 each year to support African American students who demonstrate a commitment to studies related to careers in the aquarium field. Participants will pursue studies in the areas of ocean education, animal husbandry, water quality, building maintenance or facilities, microbiology, and business management.

Through this program, the Aquarium hopes to bring meaningful opportunities in the marine sciences to African American students and to bring diverse minds to the domain of solving the issues facing our planet.

The scholarship is available to residents of California with African American heritage of any age as long as they provide proof of acceptance or enrollment in an accredited university, community college, or trade school with field of study related to aquarium fields listed above.

Award recipients will be selected by a committee of Aquarium staff members and members of the community. Recipients will be notified by December 31, 2020.

Applicants must submit the application and required materials no later than midnight on November 1, 2020. Applications may be submitted online at pacific.to/africanamericanscholar or received via mail by the deadline at African American Scholar Program, Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.

This scholarship is funded through donor support. Those interested in supporting this program can make a donation online or contact the Aquarium development department by calling Ryan Ashton at (562) 951-1701 or sending an email to rashton@lbaop.org.