Scholarships & Awards
Ben Masengil Memorial Scholarship
The Beaver Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is pleased to offer the Ben Masengil Scholarship Award Program each year as a benefit to chapter members and to promote education and the advancement of the solid waste industry. This scholarship is dedicated in thanks to Ben Masengil, one of the founding members of the Chapter. The Beaver Chapter is proud to offer this scholarship program as a way to honor Ben’s long-standing history of contributions and participation within the organization.
Eligibility
Candidates applying for the scholarship must be a son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter of, or sponsored by, a Beaver Chapter member in good standing as of June 1st of the year the application is submitted. Candidates must also reside within the geographic region covered by the Beaver Chapter.
Note: Eligibility for applicants of this scholarship vary from those offered by SWANA International scholarships. Please consult the SWANA International website for more information.
Grant Categories
Up to four $1,000 scholarships will be awarded each year by Beaver Chapter to the highest scoring applicant in each of the following categories:
- Graduating high school senior or graduate equivalent (certified) that have been accepted by a junior college (2-year), four-year college, trade school, or university in any program.
- Returning college student enrolled in any junior college, trade school, four-year college, or university in any undergraduate program.
Deadline
June 1st is the deadline for submission of the completed application and all supporting materials including transcripts.
Please submit all applications (scanned/PDF) to scholarships@swanabeaverchapter.org
Funding
The Ben Masengil Scholarship is made possible by generous donations and fundraising activities organized by the Beaver Chapter of SWANA. If you would like to make a donation to this scholarship fund, please contact the current chapter treasurer at treasurer@swanaoregon.org or donate online.
2026 Ben Masengil Recipients
Piper Thompson
I’m Piper, and I am from Newport, OR, and have grown up in the waste industry watching my parents run and operate a third-generation family business, Thompson’s Sanitary Service. This is part of what led me to double-major in Business Analytics and Sustainability at Oregon State University. This past school year, I worked for OSU as the Eco-Rep Recycling Program Lead, where I educated first-year students living on campus about recycling and sustainability. This summer I am working at LAIKA Animation Studios as a Sustainability Intern, tracking energy usage and renewing sustainability certifications. Outside of class, I just finished serving as the President of the Sustainability in Business Club, where our goal is to bridge the gap between the sustainability field and business. This coming fall quarter, I am so excited to study abroad in Vienna, Austria, at the Vienna University School of Economics and Business, where I will earn an international business option. I will graduate in Spring of 2027 and hope to work in the sustainability field post-graduation. I am very appreciative of the financial support from the SWANA Beaver Chapter because it allows me to pursue all the opportunities college has to offer. Thank you!
SWANA Scholarships
In order to prepare the next generation for the environmentally and economically sound practice of solid waste, SWANA has developed several scholarships for students studying in fields related to solid waste management.