DEPARTMENTS
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
A Strong Foundation
BY CYNTHIA A. OSTROWSKI, AIHA PRESIDENT

I am pleased to report the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation continues to function at a high level in awarding scholarships to deserving students. As you may recall, the Executive Committee of the AIHA Board became the Foundation Board of Trustees (BOT) in 2016. This change allows direct oversight of Foundation funding and activities by the AIHA Board. The AIHA Board now receives regular updates on the Foundation to ensure we are meeting the needs of our future professionals.

NEW SCHOLARSHIPS Thanks to increased donations and new endowments, more students than ever before are receiving Foundation scholarships. The new endowed scholarships include: 
  • Upper Midwest/John Pendergrass Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a graduate or undergraduate from the upper Midwest geographic area. Read more.
  • Philip R. Morey Memorial Scholarship, awarded to undergraduate or graduate students who are studying a curriculum involving indoor air quality science and technology. This scholarship was endowed in 2015 through generous donations from Dr. Morey’s colleagues, friends, and family. Read more.
  • D. Jeff Burton Scholarship, awarded to an engineer or engineering student pursuing an education or degree in IH or OEHS.
The new non-endowed scholarships are:
  • Pengfei Gao Memorial Scholarship, awarded to IH students interested in research on protective clothing and equipment.
  • Zefon International Scholarship, awarded to students who meet the Foundation’s general scholarship criteria.
This year the Foundation will present scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to 46 students. Our scholarship recipients have distinguished themselves through their commitment to their studies, their communities, and the profession of industrial hygiene. We are proud to continue supporting these students who are working toward the future of protecting worker health. You can learn about the impact of Foundation scholarships on AIHA's website.

Our scholarship recipients have distinguished themselves through their commitment to their studies, their communities, and the profession of industrial hygiene.
CYNTHIA A. OSTROWSKI, CIH, is AIHA president and owner of CAO Consulting near Detroit, Mich. She can be reached via email.

The BOT recently changed eligibility requirements for scholarships based on feedback from faculty and students. In the past, only students from NIOSH Education and Research Centers or programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology or the Council on Education for Public Health were eligible for scholarships. Starting this year, the BOT now considers deserving students pursuing IH degrees from nonaccredited schools. To qualify, a school administrator must annually complete a separate application that justifies their program and explains why their students should be considered for an AIHF scholarship. Due to this new process, five new programs were eligible for students to submit applications.  FUNDRAISING The Foundation’s Scholarship Committee, which includes many new volunteers and early-career professionals, reviews student applications and awards the scholarships. Our Fundraising Committee reaches out to sponsors for our annual Fun Run and is always looking for interesting and exciting ways to increase donations. At AIHce EXP 2019 in Minneapolis, we will debut the Headshot Café. For a small donation to the Foundation, you can have your headshot taken by a professional photographer. Both the Fun Run and the Headshot Café are scheduled for Tuesday, May 22. If you participate in the Fun Run, you can have your hair and makeup professionally done prior to your headshot.  I wish to thank everyone for their generous contributions this year. You have directly made an impact on the lives of aspiring IH students facing a variety of challenges in their pursuit of professional development. Together, we are ensuring our profession is in good, capable hands.