The Washington Apple Education Foundation announced its 2023 program awarded 316 scholarships, with 206 renewing students and 110 new students welcomed to the program this year, according to a news release. 

These scholarships represent over $1 million sponsored by the tree fruit industry through various fundraisers, annual donations and scholarships in memory of industry leaders and friends. 

WAEF scholarships are available for students raised in families with direct ties to Washington’s tree fruit industry, students interested in a Washington tree fruit career pathway, and Washington state high school seniors or current college students on a pathway that aligns with potential work in the tree fruit industry. 

Through WAEF’s Beyond the Scholarship Program, all scholarship recipients receive student support services to ensure their success. The scholarship program currently has a 90 percent retention rate, with 86 percent of recipients completing a degree within four years and 79 percent being first-generation college students. 

For more information, visit the foundation’s website at: waef.org.

—by Jonelle Mejica