Read about this special scholarship in the St. Pete Catalyst here.
On Thursday, July 27, University of South Florida College of Marine Science student Sarah Sullivan became the second recipient of the annual Walter C. Jaap Memorial Scholarship, during a presentation at the Marine Sciences Laboratory.
“When selecting a recipient, we look for students who emulate Walt’s life passions,” said Father Ryan Whitley of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, who came up with the idea to create the scholarship fund to honor Walter’s memory.
Walter C. Jaap dedicated his career to understanding and preserving coral reefs. Read more in this Tampa Bay Times article. This scholarship was created in memory of Walter Jaap to assist students interested in a career in science and especially those with the goal of preserving coastal and oceanic habitats and organisms.
This year’s recipient of the scholarship, Sarah Sullivan, has focused her graduate education and research at USF’s College of Marine Science on studying Sargassum, a macroalgae that has been blooming in excess since 2011 and has had a detrimental impact on coastal habitats, organisms, and communities around the world.
