NWI Partners for Clean Air Scholarship Application

NWI Partners for Clean Air Scholarship Application
About This Scholarship

Partners for Clean Air (PCA), coordinated by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), is a coalition of businesses, industries, local and regional organizations, government entities, and individuals that are committed to improving overall air quality and public health through voluntary actions in Northwest Indiana. This scholarship allows the coalition to give back to Northwest Indiana by helping qualified students succeed in post-secondary education goals aligned with clean air and public health. PCA will award one (1) or more scholarship award(s) in the amount of $2,500 to help with post-secondary education expenses, which will be publicly announced at the PCA Awards Ceremony in June 2026, with the financial distribution occurring in August. This scholarship will be a one-time award.

Qualifications

To be considered for a PCA Scholarship, applicants must:
1. Timely submit the PCA Scholarship Application.
2. At the time of application, be a senior at a high school in Lake, Porter or LaPorte counties, Indiana.
3. Have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) or higher.
4. Be attending an accredited college, university, or trade school in the Fall of 2026.
5. Be pursuing a two-year or four-year college degree or two-year trade school certification or degree. Any applicant will be considered provided that the applicant demonstrates how their planned field of study aligns with clean air and public health.
Criteria Used for Awarding the Scholarship

Applications will be accepted beginning September 25, 2025. Consideration for this scholarship opportunity will be limited to the first 100 applications received by PCA and/or those received by 5:00 pm CST on April 30, 2026, whichever comes first. To be considered, applicants must meet the criteria identified above. Preference may be given to students who have:
1. Engaged in community service.
2. Participated in environmental programs or clubs.
3. Demonstrated a sincere interest in improving air quality, as supported by the responses to the questions in Part II – Narrative Responses of the application.
Note: IDEM, as coordinator of the PCA program, is collecting the applications. However, the scholarships are made available by the PCA program. The PCA Steering Committee will evaluate and select the scholarship recipient(s).

Contact Information

Please direct questions regarding this scholarship opportunity to Malorie Medellin, PCA Coordinator, at (219) 250-0119 or mmedelli@idem.in.gov.
I. Applicant Information
Legal Name of Applicant

First NameLast Name
Preferred Name of Applicant (if different)

First NameLast Name
Address of Applicant

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Email
example@example.com
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Name of High School Currently Attending
Is your High School located in Lake, Porter or La Porte county?
NOTE: If your High School is located outside the above mentioned counties, you are not eligible for the PCA Scholarship.
Current Cumulative GPA
Name of University, College or Trade School You Plan to Attend
Have you been accepted to attend this University, College or Trade School?
Intended Major/Field of Study
II. Narrative Responses
Please provide answers to the following questions. Please keep your answers as concise as possible, while providing enough information to enable Partners for Clean Air (PCA) to make an informed decision.
A. Describe your involvement in community-based programs/organizations, environmental organizations, or clubs, highlighting any leadership roles in which you served.
B. Describe why clean air is important to you.
C. Provide at least three ideas/concepts that you believe would help to reduce air pollution.
D. Explain how, after graduating from your college or trade school, you see yourself implementing and/or participating in activities - work related or social - that you believe will help keep our air clean, protect the environment and provide for better quality of life.
E. Explain how you believe Northwest Indiana can better address environmental issues in communities that have numerous and historic environmental hazards.
III. Signature
By electronically signing this application, I give permission to Partners for Clean Air to request and obtain my personal documentation, such as transcripts, as needed to verify the information provided in this application. I agree that if awarded a scholarship, Partners for Clean Air may use my writings, and photographs or videos of me without royalty and with or without my name, for publicity, illustration, advertising, and digital content. I also agree that if awarded a scholarship, I will attend the Partners for Clean Air Annual Awards Ceremony, in June 2026 (subject to change), to publicly receive my scholarship award or provide a video or letter of acceptance to be played/read at the awards ceremony. If I do not attend the awards ceremony or provide an acceptance video or letter, my right to receive the reward may be forfeited.

I have read and understand the above.
Electronic Signature of Applicant

First NameLast Name
Signature of Applicant

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IV. Parent/Guardian Consent

If under the age of 18 at time of application submittal
By electronically signing this document, I give permission to Partners for Clean Air to request and obtain my child’s personal documentation, such as transcripts, as needed to verify the information provided in this application. I agree that if awarded a scholarship, Partners for Clean Air may use my child’s writings, and photographs or videos of my child without royalty and with or without their name, for publicity, illustration, advertising, and digital content. I also agree that if awarded a scholarship, my child will attend the Partners for Clean Air Annual Awards Ceremony, in June 2026 (subject to change), to publicly receive their scholarship award or provide a video or letter of acceptance to be played/read at the awards ceremony. If they do not attend the awards ceremony or provide an acceptance video or letter, their right to receive the reward may be forfeited.

I have read and understand the above and allow my child to participate in the Partners for Clean Air Scholarship.
Electronic Signature of Parent/Guardian

First NameLast Name
Email of Parent/Guardian
example@example.com
Phone Number of Parent/Guardian
Please enter a valid phone number.
Signature of Parent/Guardian

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Supporting Documents

If you have supporting documents, including resumes or transcripts, you may upload them here.
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NWI Partners for Clean Air Scholarship Application

I. Applicant Information

II. Narrative Responses

III. Signature

IV. Parent/Guardian Consent

Supporting Documents