Two Mary Jane Dockeray Scholarships have been awarded for 2024. The scholarships are granted to graduating seniors from Kent, Ottawa, or Muskegon counties who plan to pursue a career in the sciences. The scholarships are offered in honor of the late Dr. Mary Jane Dockeray, founding curator of the Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids, through the Regional Math and Science Center.  This year's winners are Sophie Meyer and Paige Schuiling.

Sophie Meyer is a 2024 graduate from Grand Rapids City Middle-High School and is attending Michigan Technological University,

Josiah A. Dominiak, City High Middle School English teacher states, "Sophie is a scholar who stands out amongst her peers. Sophie's commitment and persistent yearning for knowledge and her passion, appreciation, and love for environmentalism, environmental preservation, and ecological affairs make her the ideal candidate for this scholarship. Sophie has dedicated much of her personal and academic life to improving our natural world, distributing essential and accurate information regarding environmental longevity, and restoring natural order."

Sophie shares, "Silviculture, soil health, and water health are all things I explored at Blandford Nature Center. Through camp, I learned to observe the natural world and how we interacted with it. I was endlessly fascinated by these topics and made it a goal to learn as much as I could about nature. Receiving this scholarship means the world to me as it helps me realize my dream of pursuing an education in Forestry, thus furthering my passion for conservation and stewardship. Following that, I hope to enter a career based around forest management, utilizing the skills and values cultivated during my education. I am so grateful for this scholarship, as it inspires me to continue to pursue my goals, and will work hard to reflect this in university and beyond."

Paige Schuiling graduated from Jenison High School and is attending University of Michigan- Ann Arbor.

Phil Zuber, Jenison high school science teacher states, "Paige has a passion for the sciences.She strives to develop the higher skills necessary for more complex challenges, and she learns for the love of learning."

Paige shares, "I'm interested in learning about marine biology, conservation biology, paleoclimatology, evolutionary biology, environmental policy… the list goes on. This scholarship will help me pursue environmental science at my dream university. On top of that, it allows me to focus more of my time on my studies and career development in college. I am committed to making meaningful improvements for the environment and my community alike, and I'm encouraged by this generous award to keep working hard and pursuing my ambitions. I'm so honored to be gifted with a piece of Mary Jane Dockeray's legacy. "

Congratulations to this year's Dockeray Scholarship winners! The $2,500 scholarships may be applied toward tuition, fees, or other educational costs at a two or four-year college or university.

Applications for the 2025 scholarships will open in November on the Scholarship website.