We are proud to announce the recipients of our 2025 Community, Equity, Learning, and Persistence (CELP) Scholar Program! Fifteen students studying fields related to the ocean at Southern California higher education institutions have been awarded $10,000 each to support their academic pursuits. The CELP Scholar Program seeks to broaden participation in marine sciences, help more students find their own community in STEM, and support students’ persistence in the field. With this program, the Aquarium looks to bring a greater variety of lived experiences to the challenge of ensuring a healthy and sustainable ocean for everyone. “Growing up, I did not see a lot of Black scientists within the marine field or the veterinary field, and so I want to be a part of that change within diversity, especially for the younger generation and younger Black scholars to be able to know that they have a possibility to thrive within the marine field as well,” said Hayden Washington, a 2025 CELP Scholar. Visit pacific.to/celp25 to learn more about this program and meet our 2025 scholars! The CELP Scholar Program is supported by contributions. The public is invited to make a donation at pacific.to/celpfund
