The KGASF is dedicated to honoring the legacy of aquaculture champion, the late Kurt Grinnell (pictured), by offering scholarships to enrolled Native American, Alaska Native, and Canadian First Nations students of the U.S. or Canadian Federally recognized Tribes.
Photo: Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation Facebook page.
The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) has announced the names of the seven awardees of its scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year, which total USD 25,000. As KGASF's Executive Director, John Dentler, explained, "These scholarships honor the legacy of the late Kurt Grinnell by making it possible for Indigenous students to pursue their dreams in the fields of aquaculture, fisheries and natural resource management."
Of those seven recipients, only one student, Mary Simeon, is receiving the scholarship for the first time. The other six had already received it in previous courses, but given their good results, the organization has decided to renew it so that they can continue their studies.
"Several of the applicants have consistently earned a place on the Dean's List at their respective academic institutions. The awardees are highly motivated and will make lasting contributions to their Tribes and communities," the KGASF Executive Director noted.
As said, Mary Simeon, a Yup'ik Native and affiliated with the Orutsaramiut Traditional Council of Alaska in Bethel, Alaska, is the newly awardee of this course. Attending the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau, where she is pursuing a degree in marine biology with an emphasis on fisheries science, KGASF said Simeon noted that she is determined to contribute her knowledge and energy to her local community once she has completed her studies.
Like her, another award recipient, Apemesim Galipeau, also plans to work for his nation in the field of natural resources after completing his studies. A Member of the Penobscot Nation, he has worked with Tribal youth for six years, coaching competitive canoeing, engaging in planning and outreach to improve the health of Tribal Members, and tutoring students after school. Galipeau, who is enrolled at the University of Maine at Orono's Ecology and Environmental Studies program, first received the scholarship last year.
At the same time as him, another student, Joseph - Joe - Brown, also received the scholarship. A member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, after a decade working in the construction trade, Brown decided to pursue his dream of continuing his formal education in fisheries and wildlife. He is pursuing an Associate Arts degree in fisheries and wildlife at Washington state-based Spokane Community College.
Before them, the first award recipient of 2025 was Ilene Goudy, who is enrolled at Heritage University, where she is studying Environmental Science. A Member of the Yakama Nation, she has worked for many years as a dedicated Fisheries Technician, where she has participated in various fisheries enhancement projects, including Coho salmon recovery, habitat enhancement in the Methow Basin, and in hatcheries, where she has been raising spring Chinook in the upper Yakima River. She has also worked part of the year at the Cle Elum, Washington, Hatchery.
Likewise, the scholarship awarded to Jaycee Williford, one of the two last recipients of the 2024 funding, has also been renewed. He is very interested in pursuing a career in the aquaculture sector. A member of the Chickasaw Tribe, he will be entering his second year at the University of Washington's School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science, where he is focusing on Marine Biology and Fisheries. Williford grew up near Lake Sammamish, and his observations of Tribal efforts to restore Kokanee salmon runs in the Lake Sammamish area helped him realize the importance of aquaculture restoration efforts.
The sixth recipient this year is Alana Schofield, also a former scholarship recipient who is currently in her final year of study at Lake Superior State University in Michigan, where she will be receiving a B.S. Degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Science. A Member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Michigan, she plans a career in natural resources and cultural food sovereignty, working with Tribal agencies, and ultimately earning her Ph.D. degree.
Finally, the seventh and last student deserving of scholarship renewal is Allison Carl, a Member of the Chugach Alaska Corporation and Native Village of Eyak, Alaska, who is pursuing an M.S. degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. With a strong interest and experience in marine resources, including marine aquaculture, she is currently a lab manager at the Chugach Regional Resources Commission's Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute in Seward, Alaska.
As mentioned above by KGASF's Executive Director, John Dentler, the Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2022 to honor the legacy of the late Kurt Grinnell, a Native American leader of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe in Washington State, who passed away suddenly in 2021.
Kurt Grinnell viewed aquaculture - whether shellfish, finfish, or plants such as algae - and natural resources as a solution to Tribal food security, Indigenous reconciliation, Tribal sovereignty, and overall wellbeing. So, toward that end, KGASF provides financial assistance to Tribal and First Nation students who wish to pursue careers in aquaculture and natural resources.
A KGASF Board Member and Chair of the Scholarship Selection Committee, Jaiden Grinnell Bosick - one of the two daughters of Kurt Grinnell, who fishes commercially in Alaska - noted that many of the awardees exhibit both practical experience and interest in advancing their formal education.
"That combination of experience and interest gives us confidence that these students will make a significant contribution to the management and conservation of natural resources so important to Tribal Communities," she said.
Regarding what the scholarship means to its recipients, speaking on behalf of everyone, one of this year's awardees said: "This opportunity is not only a financial blessing but a life-changing gift that will help me continue pursuing my education with greater focus and less stress."
"Your generosity eases the burden of everyday expenses that come with being a student. These funds will allow me to cover essential needs such as fuel for commuting, groceries, and other living costs. It will also help with academic expenses such as textbooks, technology upgrades, and course materials, items that are often overlooked but essential for success," the spokesperson for the scholarship recipients continued.
And concluded: "This scholarship will give me the ability to put more energy into my studies and involvement in school/community/tribal programs without the constant worry of how to make ends meet. I am deeply appreciative of your investment in my future and the belief you have in my potential."