Occupational Safety & Health students receive $95,000 in national scholarships

Press Release Date: 09-29-2009

DURANT, Okla. – The Southeastern Oklahoma State University Department of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) was recently notified that 15 OSH department undergraduate and graduate students have been awarded $95,000 in scholarships from the Erma Byrd Scholarship Foundation sponsored by the United States Department of Education.

The Erma Byrd scholarship program is a national program offered to students majoring in technical fields such as Occupational Safety & Health. The award represents the largest amount ever received by the OSH department in a single academic year from any one program. Students accepting the award must be employed in an occupational safety related field within six months of graduation.

"The Erma Byrd scholarship program is a new initiative from the Department of Education and we were made aware it by Sherry Hudson, director of financial aid at Southeastern," said Dr. Wayne D. Jones, OSH department chair. "We appreciate her assistance throughout the application process. I am very proud of our students and these awards only reinforce my continued belief that our Southeastern occupational safety students are as well prepared as any in the country."

Originated in 1989, the Southeastern Department of Occupational Safety & Health has grown to more than 400 undergraduate and graduate majors and is one of the largest occupational safety programs in the United States with more than 900 alumni working all around the world.