The Ray Church Memorial Scholarship Program

The North Carolina Chapter is pleased to support the educational efforts of our members and their immediate family through the annual Chapter scholarship program. This year, the North Carolina Chapter is pleased to continue our annual scholarship program that honors the memory of former Board Member, Mr. Ray Church who passed away on September 25, 2006. 

Ray Church served in many capacities within the NC SWANA Chapter. Foremost, he was one of the founding members of our organization.  Ray supported recognizing members through the scholarship program and recommended the expansion of the scholarship awards in order to broaden the financial support for these scholars. The Board of Director unanimously supported renaming the Chapter’s scholarship in his honor. 

The Ray Church Memorial Scholarship utilizes the National SWANA format in selecting the 1st through 3rd place winners. The scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors pursuing advanced education, full-time college or university students entering their junior or senior undergraduate year and pursuing a degree in environmental science, engineering, or other suitable major related to the field of solid waste management, and full-time students entering a graduate program pursuing a degree in environmental science, engineering, or other suitable major related to the field of solid waste management.  Minimum eligibility requirements include being the son(s), daughter(s), grandson(s), or granddaughter(s) of a member in good membership standing at the time of the recommendation, selection, and award. As a minimum, candidates must complete the appropriate application available at:

National SWANA Scholarships, which includes the completion of a written essay addressing a solid waste issue(s). Additional requirements and submissions are identified within the application’s packaged information. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required information be sealed and sent separately by the high school, college, university, or testing institution and is postmarked and/or received by the submission date. Late submissions will not be considered. Notification of application deficiencies will be provided by the scholarship committee chair.

Upon receipt of complete scholarship applications, the recipients of the Ray Church Memorial Scholarship will be notified. Overall Chapter awards will be recognized as follows:

1st Place – $2,000.00
2nd Place – $1,000.00
3rd Place - $500.00

For the National SWANA awards competition, the NC Chapter is permitted to select a first place winner in each of the criteria categories for consideration. Direct submission of scholarship applications to the SWANA National will not be considered without a NC Chapter endorsement.

All scholarship applications should be submitted and or postmarked by May 1st to the NC Chapter Committee Chair:

Jeryl W. Covington, P.E.
NC Chapter Committee Chair
City of Greensboro
Environmental Services Department
P.O. Box 3136
Greensboro, NC 27402-3136

Street Address:
300 West Washington
Greensboro, NC 27401

Contact: (336) 373-2787 or by email.

2009 Scholarship Winners

Miss Caroline Jennings Saul of Charlotte, NC $2,000 Grant H. Flint Scholarship (Category II)
Miss Jennifer Michelle Thomas of Graham, NC $2,000 Ray Church Memorial Scholarship Award