Jun 15, 2022

Washington tree fruit industry awards over $1M in scholarships this spring

The Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) awarded 318 scholarships to students this year. Of the 318 scholarships, 218 were awarded to renewing students, and 100 new students were welcomed to the WAEF family.

These scholarships represent over $1 million sponsored by the tree fruit industry through various fundraisers, in memory of industry leaders and friends, and annual donations. WAEF scholarships are awarded to students whose families have ties to the tree fruit industry, specifically apples, pears, and cherries. In most instances, the parents of recipients are employed in orchards and warehouses.

The WAEF scholarship program has a history of remarkable statistics regarding the retention of students at 87%. Additionally, 84% of our WAEF students graduate within four years or less from college/university, and 78% of the students that we serve are first-generation college/university students. The Beyond the Scholarship Program secures our WAEF students’ success through mentoring, workshops, care packages, career exploration, regional events, and continuous follow-up throughout their academic careers.

A full list of scholarship recipients is available at https://waef.org.