The Ohio Environmental Service Industries (OESI) recently awarded four $1,000 scholarships to students majoring in environmental, safety and occupational health at The University of Findlay for the 2008-2009 academic year.

OESI honors four University students each year for their commitment to pursue a profession in environmental science. Each student will receive a scholarship check for $1,000 from OESI to help cover the cost of his or her environmental college education in 2008-2009.

The scholarship recipients are Lauren Hall of Mentor, Ohio; Chelsea Meyer of Napoleon, Ohio; Jared Fenton of Jefferson, Ohio; and Seth Lucas of Gallipolis, Ohio.

UF officials selected the students to receive the OESI scholarships. Each student met the following criteria:

• Student must be an Ohio resident enrolled full time at UF as a freshman or first-year student;

• Student must declare a major in environmental, safety and occupational health or demonstrate interest in an environmental career; and

• Student must have a B average or better in high school.

For the 2009-2010 academic year, students may apply for the scholarship through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or contact Robin Hopkins, associate director of admissions, at 419-434-4161, and indicate their interest in environmental careers. Additional questions may be directed to William S. Carter, Ph.D., director of environmental, safety and health management academic programs, at 419-434-6919 or carter@findlay.edu.

With more than half of all environmental professionals retiring within the next 10 years, there is a need for new professionals to enter the field. OESI is committed to supporting education and training of future generations of environmental professionals to work in the hazardous waste industry.

The University of Findlay was the first university in the nation to offer a bachelor’s degree program in hazardous waste management, now a full-fledged program with emphasis areas in industrial hygiene, environmental management, emergency management and environmental compliance. The University also offers a master’s degree program in environmental, safety and health management, which blends environmental science, engineering and business decision-making at a graduate level. The program combines science, engineering, policy and business concepts.

OESI is a professional association of chemical recycling, treatment and disposal facilities in Ohio that offer hazardous waste incineration, deep-well injection, landfill disposal, fuel blending, solvent and oil recycling, and other waste management services. OESI was established in 1998 to promote responsible business practices and sound regulatory programs for managing hazardous wastes. Each year, member companies receive and process about 600,000 tons of hazardous waste generated by other businesses and industries in the region. This represents about 70 percent of the total hazardous waste commercially treated, recycled or disposed in Ohio.