Gig Harbor, WA—The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) announced the appointment of Jaiden Grinnell Bosick as its new president.
Bosick—one of Kurt Grinnell’s two daughters, who fishes commercially in Alaska—will not only lead the 12-person board but will continue to direct the KGASF’s Scholarship Selection Committee, a role she has filled since the organization was founded.
The KGASF is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was formed in 2022 to carry out the legacy of the late Kurt Grinnell, a leader and Council member of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Washington state, who passed away in 2021.
“We are pleased that Jaiden has accepted this vital leadership role,” said former board president, John Dentler. “Jaiden embodies the commitment to educational opportunities for Indigenous communities that was such an important part of Kurt Grinnell’s vision.”
Bosick said she welcomes the opportunity to guide the organization at a critical time when food sovereignty and food security have become issues of vital importance to Tribes and First Nations.
“I am honored that the board has entrusted me with the responsibility of assisting members of Indigenous communities who seek to further their education in natural resources, fisheries, and aquaculture,” she said.
Since 2022, the KGASF has awarded seven scholarships to Tribal and First Nations students totaling $50,000. To date, scholarship recipients have come from various Indigenous communities, including US federally recognized Tribes as well as Canadian First Nations from Ontario, Canada, Michigan, Alaska, California, and Washington State. Bosick noted, “My father would be proud, not only of these scholars, but also of our Foundation’s efforts and accomplishments.”
The organization has also added three new board members: Matt Deines, CEO of First Federal Bank, headquartered in Port Angeles, Washington; M. Scarlett Tudor, Ph.D., Education and Outreach Coordinator at the University of Maine in Orono; and Teri King, Regional Aquaculture Coordinator for Oregon and Washington, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in Washington state.
The Foundation is now accepting applications for 2024. Applications are open between May 15 and October 15 each year. https://kurtgrinnellscholarship.org/scholarship-application-2/
