The HGS Undergraduate Fund gives scholarships to students studying for a bachelor’s degree in geoscience.
The Houston Geological Society Foundation was established in 1984 with the intent of providing scholarships to deserving undergraduate geosciences majors. The Foundation was incorporated in 1985 and achieved tax-exempt status from the IRS later the same year as a nonprofit Section 501c (6) organization for charitable, scientific, or educational purposes. As of November 2022, Foundation trustees are Joe Lynch (Chairman), Angela Hammond (Treasurer), Shannon Lemke (Secretary), Kirstin Burns, Paul Hoffman, Scott Krueger, and John Schneider. The Foundation has provided over $300,000 in scholarships since its inception.
The Foundation uses a variety of means to try to raise scholarship funds. Direct donations, HGS membership dues, Vendors Corner proceeds, matching-fund donations, and golf tournaments all produce funds that help support our scholarship program. Since 2011, the HGS has also allowed the Foundation and Calvert Memorial (graduate) scholarship programs to recruit sponsors for Legends/Scholarship Night and has hosted a special dinner meeting to honor the scholarship recipients. Profits from these events are split between the two scholarship funds and are a significant source of funding.
Seven universities participate in the Foundation’s scholarship program. These include Rice University, the University of Houston, Texas A&M, the University of Texas, Sam Houston State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, and Lamar. Each fall, the head of the geosciences department at each university is contacted. The university submits two or three nominees and notifies the students of their nomination. Applications for this scholarship are forwarded to the students after nomination. Scholarship winners are notified in December and awards are presented to students in February. Awards range from $1,500 to $5,500. The Foundation is pleased to be supported by both the Maby and Basinski families and awards two special scholarships in their honor every year.
