Sunnyvale Woman Honored With Surfer Scholarship

SUNNYVALE, CA — It's not every day a student gets awarded a scholarship from a surfing organization — especially one that lives inland.

Isabella Rosado of Sunnyvale went above and beyond expectations when she was deemed one of three students in the United States to receive the Sea Surfer 2018-2019 Environmental Studies Scholarship.

“The students we select to receive this scholarship show a genuine passion for the environment and scholarship,” says Richard Lee, executive director of the Surfers Environmental Alliance. “All candidates must complete a rigorous application process, maintain a high GPA and present a worthy essay.”

“I am honored to be a SEA scholarship recipient,” said Rosado, a sophomore at Yale University who told Patch she doesn't surf but is interested in species and land conservation. “This scholarship reflects the values that I hold dear. Being recognized for my work in environmental conservation is really humbling, and I hope I will be able to continue following my passion for protecting the environment in the future.”

The SEA Scholarship is open to high school, college and graduate students that plan to major in the areas of environmental studies and sciences.

Rosado noted that this scholarship spoke to her on a very personal level.

“This scholarship highlights the importance of environmental protection, specifically for coastal areas. Growing up with easy access to the beautiful California coast, protecting our oceans and environment in general has always been something I’ve valued. This scholarship gave me the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that,” she said, adding: "Not only does the environment provide us with invaluable resources, but there is so much intrinsic value in nature. We have so much to learn and experience in nature, and it is so important to me to allow everyone to have the opportunity to do so."

She noted the diversity within the environment — from coral reefs and rainforests to mountains and the desert — as a reason to appreciate exploration.

The scholarship is offered annually, and they are now accepting applications for the 2019-20 academic years. More on that can be found by visiting sea surfer scholarships

Surfers’ Environmental Alliance is a nonprofit organization committed to the preservation and protection of the environmental and cultural elements inherent to the sport of surfing.