AHS grads chosen for Veolia Gum Springs scholarships

Submitted information | For The Arkadelphian

Last fall, Veolia North America President and CEO Fred Van Heems announced that the company’s hazardous waste treatment facility in Gum Springs would be awarding two scholarships to high school students who reside in Clark County and plan to pursue careers in engineering, STEM or environmental studies. Van Heems made the announcement at a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of a new state-of-the-art thermal hazardous waste treatment facility, expected to be completed next year.

After reviewing several essay submissions from students enrolled in Arkadelphia and Gurdon school districts, the Veolia team has announced that the two students chosen to be the recipients of their inaugural scholarships are Olivia Fenocchi and Nathanael “Seth” Campbell, both graduating seniors from Arkadelphia High School.

Fenocchi will be attending Henderson State University this fall, pursuing a degree in nursing. According to her essay, from a young age she had always been interested in the human body and what science can do to help others. With all A’s and multiple academic awards in the nursing classes she has already taken, Fenocchi is excited to go into the field and help others.

Campbell will be attending Arkansas Tech University, pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, and mathematics. Campbell believes that engineering is a field where he can make the most positive impact on the world, citing the Wright brothers and James Kip Finch as inspirations. With plentiful options, Campbell is looking forward to exploring the possibilities and facing the challenges he will encounter in the next chapter of his life.

Fenocchi and Campbell received scholarship awards of $2,500 each at a ceremony at the high school in May. The awards were handed out by Britt Scheer, Veolia Gum Springs director of facility affairs, and Carla Herron, Veolia Gum Springs materials supervisor.

“We are proud to award these scholarships to Olivia and Seth, who have dedicated themselves to academic excellence and will no doubt make great contributions to the world,” Scheer said. “Veolia Gum Springs looks forward to continuing with this scholarship program for years to come as a way to recognize young people looking to build a career in the sciences and engineering.”