BRI students awarded $46k in scholarships

ALPINE Seven graduate students at the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University have been selected to receive $46,500 in scholarships from seven different sources, including the first ever scholarship awarded from the Wes and Victoria Bannister Scholarship and the Wayne and JoAnn Moore Endowed Scholarship, a press release stated.

The Wes and Victoria Bannister Scholarship was established by the Bannisters’ family after their passing. The Bannisters were longtime residents of Alpine who loved the natural beauty and ecological diversity of the region. They passionately supported wildlife conservation and philanthropy in the region, and their family honors their legacies with a permanent endowment fund plus annual student scholarships to the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University.

The Wayne and JoAnn More Scholarship was established by the Wayne and JoAnn Moore Charitable Foundation in Midland. Wayne and JoAnn placed considerable emphasis on education and saw it as a path to a fulfilling life. To that end, the foundation has established a number of endowed scholarships at various colleges and universities, most recently at the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University.

“We are very grateful to the Bannister and Moore families and their support of our students that will be felt far into the future,” Dr. Louis Harveson, who is the Dan Allen Hughes, Jr., BRI Endowed Director at Sul Ross State University, stated in the press release. “Our students are working hard to finish up their degrees, and many take out loans as they work on their classwork and thesis projects. These scholarships are an investment in the future, and we are grateful for the support of these fine organizations and donors.”

Scholarship Source Student

>> Wes and Victoria Bannister Scholarship: Caleb Hughes

>> Wes and Victoria Bannister Scholarship: Olivia Gray

>> Wayne & JoAnn Moore Endowed Scholarship: Maya Ressler (first ever)

>> Virginia Matthews Law Scholarship: Leanna (Lilly) Morin

>> Franklin and Virginia Law Scholarship: Brooke Bowman

>> West Texas Safari Club Scholarship: Erin O’Connell

>> Dan L. Duncan Scholarship (Houston Safari Club): Preston McKee

>> Dan L. Duncan Scholarship (Houston Safari Club): Olivia Gray

>> Dan L. Duncan Scholarship (Houston Safari Club): Erin O’Connell

>> Dan L. Duncan Scholarship (Houston Safari Club): Maya Ressler

>> Wildlife Graduate Student Scholarship of the Southwest Section of The Wildlife Society: Olivia Gray