JIM ROBERTS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Jim Roberts 2014 Scholarship Competition Kickoff

NAEP announces the kickoff of the competition for the Second Annual Scholarship Award at the NAEP 2014 Annual Conference in St. Petersburg, FL. The link to the Scholarship Application is below. Submissions are due Friday, January 24, 2014.

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Jim Roberts travelled far and wide to espouse the value of living an ethical life, both inside and outside of the office. He lived NAEP’s Code of Ethics. Once of his last accomplishments was to travel, on his own dime, to most of NAEP’s state and regional chapters reading the story of Winnie the Pooh and relating how this philosophy of life will assist you in living your life in an ethical manner.

Jim was a wonderful man, always positive in his outlook with soft mannerisms. Jim thought the world of NAEP and was willing to commit a large portion of his time and energy in support of the organization and the ethical growth of the environmental profession. Aside from serving as president of NAEP, he was chair of NAEP’s International Committee for 13 years and the Ethics Committee chair for 7 years, among other duties.

Jim always stated that you have to participate in the profession in order to benefit the most from it. In Jim’s eye, participation did not only consist of looking inwardly in pursuing one’s career, but also exploring your effect on others. He felt this was best done through organizations such as NAEP, not only by paying dues, but by attending conferences, joining committees and really getting involved with fellow professionals.

He wrote countless articles and encouraged members to engage in discussions on environmental topics including environmental ethics. In 1999, AEP, NAEP’s California Chapter, presented Jim with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the environmental profession. Four years later, in 2003, Jim was named a Fellow of NAEP for his lifetime of contributions to the organization.

Jim passed away in November, 2007. Brain cancer removed Jim’s ability to speak and made communication very difficult, a very sad ending to a life filled with communication. Nonetheless, he kept up his enthusiasm till the very end.

NAEP developed the James Roberts Scholarship Fund in 2008 to promote the importance of living an ethical life, professionally and otherwise. The fund will assist nascent environmental professionals pay for their education. Over the past few years, the James Roberts Scholarship Committee has told the Jim Roberts story to countless environmental professionals and has collected seed money in order to bring this scholarship to fruition. Eventually, a foundation will be created to manage the funds.

As chair of the Scholarship Committee, at next year’s NAEP conference in 2013, I will be proud to announce the first recipient of this annual scholarship. Application forms for this scholarship will appear on the NAEP and ABCEP websites shortly. The applicants, current undergraduate and graduate students, will be asked to write an essay that reflects on how their education and experience to this point supports ethical work on environmental problems. The winning candidate will be selected by an awards committee based on how this essay reflects how Jim Roberts would have carried out his life.

I encourage you to tell nascent environmental professionals that you know about this scholarship. Also, please contribute to the scholarship through NAEP’s website to increase the endowment. Let’s continue to support ethical practices in the environmental professions and continue Jim’s influence.”

Gary Kelman Chair of the Jim Roberts Scholarship Fund

About Jim Roberts

This page will introduce you to the Jim Roberts Memorial Scholarship Fund. As many of you know, Jim Roberts, a longtime member of NAEP passed away in the fall of 2007 leaving a legacy of leadership and ethical living. A scholarship committee was formed to flesh out a vehicle that will reflect both Jim Robert’s life and his wishes for NAEP and future environmental professionals.

Jim Roberts was a great leader committed to professionalism and ethics in the environmental field. In 2008, the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) Board of Directors approved the formation of the Jim Roberts Memorial Scholarship Fund to continue Jim’s good work and encourage others to follow in his commitment to the industry.

I met Jim many years ago when serving on the NAEP Board of Directors. Jim, at that time, was chairperson of the International committee. I was impressed with his intuitiveness, creative “out of the box” thinking, his sense of humor and, most of all, his commitment to ethics. He had tremendous expectations for NAEP and its members and was willing to commit a large portion of his time and energy to facilitate the realization of this vision. Jim enjoyed working with other environmental professionals through his NAEP connections and I will always remember him taking copious notes at Board meetings, even though he never forgot anything. He wrote countless articles and encouraged members to engage in discussions on environmental topics including environmental ethics, a subject to which Jim demonstrated a personal commitment.

Jim was a key member of the team that developed a proposal for AEP, at that time a separate but similar organization in California, to affiliate with NAEP as its California Chapter. He had been a long-standing member of both organizations and honored by AEP in 1991 with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the environmental profession. Four years later in 2003, Jim was named a Fellow of NAEP for his lifetime of contributions to the organization.

Jim served as President of NAEP from 1996 until 1998 and Vice-President from 2003-2004. He also held other leadership roles including:

NAEP International Committee Chair (1994-2007)

NAEP President's Council for Sustainable Success Chair (1997)

NAEP Ethics Committee Chair (2000 – 2007)

NAEP Parliamentarian (2006 – 2007)

About the Jim Robert’s Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Scholarship Committee has made decisions on several aspects of the award. It will be awarded annually at the annual NAEP conference to a student currently enrolled in an environmental program at any accredited university or college in the United States, its territories or Canada. Official applications will be provided on the NAEP website.

Students supply basic information, transcripts and prepare an essay including their personal reflection on how education will support ethical work on environmental problems. The applications are evaluated by the Scholarship Committee and one honoree receives an award between $500-$1000, depending on the available endowment. These awards can be used for education expenses including tuition and books.

Please send a check to cover your tax-deductible contribution today to:

NAEP

Attn: Jim Roberts Memorial Scholarship Fund

PO Box 460

Collingswood, NJ 08108

Donate immediately by credit card by clicking the link below:

DONATE NOW!!

We have a goal of growing the fund’s endowment to $50,000 in the next five years. The fund is currently at a little above $30,000. Jim Roberts provided a commitment to develop this organization, to advance our profession, to improve our ethics and the environmental industry and most importantly, to assist young people in pursuing an environmental career. It is now time to honor Jim Robert’s commitment by providing this scholarship to aspiring environmental professionals.

Thank you for your generosity,

Gary F. Kelman, Chair

Jim Roberts Memorial Scholarship Fund

National Association of Environmental Professionals

Committee Members:

Cynthia Fridgen

Bruce Hasbrouck

Teri Hasbrouck

John Perkins

Mel Willis