Will Nutter Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Tree Fund
Purpose
This one‑year scholarship of $5,000 is intended to support students pursuing careers in utility forestry and arboriculture by helping them meet academic goals without incurring excessive debt. Recipients may use up to $500 of the award for textbooks and supplies.
Eligibility
- Open to high school seniors who will be entering college or community college, and to returning college students pursuing their first associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
- Applicants must be enrolled at, or planning to attend, an accredited U.S. college or university.
- All applicants must demonstrate a sincere interest in the utility forestry or arboriculture professions in their application letter.
Application period
- Applications are accepted annually from January 15 through March 15.
- For the current cycle, TREE Fund will accept applications only between January 15 and March 15, 2026.
How to apply
- Apply through TREE Fund’s online application portal (you will be prompted to create an account or sign in).
- You may save your progress and return to complete the form as you gather materials.
Required materials
- Current academic standing and enrollment status
- Record of previous scholarships and extracurricular activities
- Essay (up to 1,000 words) explaining your interest in a career in utility forestry/arboriculture, your reasons for choosing the field, your goals and objectives, and why you are a strong candidate for this scholarship
- Current transcript
- Proof of student membership in the International Society of Arboriculture
- Two letters of recommendation or contact information for those who will provide them; one must be from your academic advisor
Selection process and scoring
- Applications will be reviewed and scored by TREE Fund’s Education Committee using the following rubric (maximum 100 points):
- Enrollment as an entering or returning student at an accredited U.S. undergraduate institution
- Cumulative GPA (minimum 3.0): 20 points
- Essay: 30 points
- Advisor letter of recommendation: 20 points
- Second letter of recommendation: 15 points
- Demonstrated potential for a sustained career in arboriculture, urban forestry, or related fields: 15 points
Equal opportunity and conflicts of interest
TREE Fund does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or national or ethnic origin. Current TREE Fund trustees and immediate family members of trustees are not eligible to receive TREE Fund scholarships.
Award notification and payment
- Scholarship recommendations will be forwarded to the TREE Fund Board of Trustees in May 2023 and recipients will be announced within two weeks of the Board’s decision. The award letter will include instructions for submitting acceptance information.
- After TREE Fund receives the acceptance information, the first installment of $2,500 will be sent directly to the recipient’s institution.