Equity & Belonging Scholarship Information

Equity & Belonging Scholarship Program

The E&B Scholarship was created by the NMEA Board of Directors in 2024 to strengthen the organization’s commitment to addressing the lack of demographic diversity in its membership and leadership. This award builds on the work of the former Expanding Audiences initiative. The E&B Scholarship is a financial need-based scholarship that is open to individuals who have not previously been a member of the national organization (current or previous chapter membership is allowed) and identify as racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people of low socioeconomic status, and/or other underrepresented groups at all levels of marine science education. Scholarship awards range from $500 - $1500.

Selection and Award

Application: Applications for this year’s conference are due by February 14, 2025. All applications that are received by the deadline are eligible for consideration.

Criteria: Scholarship awards are based on the financial need of the applicant. Geographical location and order of receipt of the completed applications are not considered in the decision to award scholarships.

Eligibility: The Equity & Belonging Scholarship is a financial need based scholarship open to individuals who have not previously been a member of the national organization (current or previous chapter membership is allowed) and identify as racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people of low socioeconomic status, and/or other underrepresented groups at all levels of marine science education. Applicants must be over the age of 18.

Selection: Applications for NMEA scholarships are confidential and will be seen only by reviewers for the NMEA Scholarship Committee. Applicant names will be shared with the NMEA National Office to verify membership and with the NMEA treasurer for payment. Committee decisions will be made and all applicants will be notified approximately one month after the scholarship application deadline, in order to be able to register before the early bird registration deadline. If you are awarded a scholarship and cannot attend the meeting please notify NMEA’s Executive Administrator as soon as possible so the award can be given to the next qualified applicant.

Award: Successful applicants will receive a complimentary one-year membership to NMEA and a scholarship ranging from $500 - $1500 to cover registration and travel costs for the NMEA Annual Conference. Scholarship awardees will receive the award as a check at or mailed after the conference. Successful applicants will have 90 days after the last day of the conference to submit all paperwork and receipts to receive the scholarship reimbursement check.

For more information on the conference, please visit the conference website.