THE PLEIN ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The Plein Environmental Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to benefit students in need of financial assistance who are pursuing an undergraduate degree at a community college or public university in Virginia.
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To see the list of eligible public universities, visit https://www.schev.edu/students/applying-for-college/colleges-universities and click “Virginia Public Colleges and Universities”.
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Each awardee will receive $5,000 for their studies, given in the Fall semester. Three scholarships will be awarded per academic year.
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Scholarship Eligibility:​
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Student must be either:
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a high school senior (graduating no later than June 2026) set to attend a community college or public university in Virginia, or
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a current undergraduate student at a community college or public university in Virginia.
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Student must be pursuing a degree in an environmental field of study. Possible degrees
include: Environmental Science, Conservation, Forestry, Biology, Urban Planning,
Economics, Public Policy, or otherwise related. -
Student must demonstrate financial need through the submission of a short written
statement. -
Student must clearly and compellingly demonstrate why they wish to pursue an
environmental field of study, and how they hope to utilize their degree, through the
submission of two essays.
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Applications are currently closed. We will open applications for the 2026-2027 school year in early January of 2026.​ Please reach out to scholarship@whfarmfoundation.org with any questions.
PAST AWARDEES
Meet the students who are making a difference for the environment through their passion and dedication.
Ayla Janney
Virginia Tech
Dairy Science
“The Plein Environmental Scholarship helps me pursue a future in dairy science by supporting hands-on learning in sustainable agricultural practices.”
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Kenley Eisenmenger
University of Virignia's College at Wise
Environmental Science
“The Plein Environmental Scholarship will allow me to further pursue my career in Speleology and Karstology studies by providing me with funds to travel abroad to cave sites.”​
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Anna Labrie
Virginia Tech
Environmental Resource Management
“With the help of the Plein Environmental Scholarship, I can focus on my academics instead of worrying about my finances.”
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Savara Shrivastava
College of William & Mary
Biology, Environmental Science
“I plan to use this scholarship to fund my education so I can better conduct research and promote our collective understanding of marine systems, their inhabitants, and their sustainable uses.”
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Cierra Telleen
College of William & Mary
Finance, Environment & Sustainability
Cierra has a deep appreciation for the environment and a passion for protecting our planet. She hopes to enter a career in promoting green banking and facilitating investments in sustainable business solutions.
Leilani Cabrera
Northern Virginia Community College
General Studies
Leilani has always enjoyed nature and the outdoors. In their future career, Leilani wants to address problems that can stem from human effects on the environment.
John Daniel Tiras
Northern Virginia Community College
Civil Engineering
“The Plein Environmental Scholarship will support my journey toward becoming a civil engineer dedicated to designing sustainable and resilient infrastructure.”
Nora Waide
Virginia Tech
Environmental Resource Management
Nora has turned a lifelong love of nature into a passion for furthering environmental sustainability. She is excited to be pursuing a degree in Environmental Resource Management.​
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Ahmed Ibrahim
Virginia Tech
Environmental Horticulture
Ahmed has a deep appreciation for biologically active soil and enjoys getting his hands dirty. In the future, Ahmed hopes to share his love of trees, shrubs, and soil as an educational farmer.