Seven Scholarships Awarded By Friends
Press Release | June 15, 2026 | Seven scholarships have been awarded by Friends of Virgin Islands National Park to Virgin Islands youth studying at the undergraduate level in the 2026/2027 academic year. The awards totaling $35,000 fall under the auspices of two scholarship programs: the Jeffrey Matheny Scholarship and the Noble Samuel Scholarship and Internship.
The two new scholarship recipients this year are Dax Chouiniere and Zia Zucker from St. John. Dax Chouiniere, a senior at Gifft Hill School, has been awarded the Noble Samuel Scholarship and Internship to study sustainable innovation at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. Zia Zucker, a senior at Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy, has been awarded the Jeffrey Matheny Scholarship and heads to Harvard University to study environmental science and public policy.
Both students cite the storms of 2017 and concern about the island’s vulnerability to climate change as having impacted their choice of study. As Dax Chouiniere wrote in his application essay: “From that point on, I have followed climate news all over the world, with the thought of how the Virgin Islands will be affected always sticking in the back of my mind. Our natural beauty and community are vital, and it makes me saddened to imagine it slowly disappearing due to our changing climate.”
Similarly Zia Zucker wrote: “Since then, I have become deeply inspired by individuals who try to fix this: the VI congressional delegate who fights for better infrastructure and funding, or local filmmakers who highlight St. John’s beauty and its destruction to generate awareness. These examples have prompted me to pursue academic study in environmental policy-making, where political and environmental justice are inseparable; government policies determine how climate sustainability is pursued: and where resources are allocated after crises, shaping which communities are protected.”
“The commitment to sustainability and community demonstrated by these talented students is exciting and bodes well for the future of our islands,” says Tonia Lovejoy, Executive Director, Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. “Friends of the Park is committed to building a pipeline of opportunities from our School Kids In The Park, Learn To Swim and Summer Trail Crew programs, to internships and scholarships like these.”
The Jeffrey Matheny Scholarship was established in 2010 by his family in recognition of Jeffrey’s love of St. John and supports Virgin Islands students at the university level studying fields related to natural resource management and protection. Recipients of this scholarship in the 2026/2027 academic year are, Una Alexander (Howard University), Dennis Bigrigg (University of the Virgin Islands), Justin Richards (University of the Virgin Islands) and Zia Zucker (Harvard University).
The Noble Samuel Scholarship and Internship launched in 2021 is endowed by anonymous donors inspired by the life of Noble Samuel who was a beloved park ranger known for generously sharing his love for the Virgin Islands National Park with passion and humility. The 2026/2027 recipients of this scholarship, which is inclusive of a paid internship, are Dax Chouiniere (Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands), Valorie Gore (University of South Carolina) and Maxim McMahon (University of the Virgin Islands).
Learn more about Friends of Virgin Islands National Park’s scholarships and youth programs on their website at www.friendsvinp.org.
