09/05/2023

Maryland State Pest Control Association Selects Two Recipients for The Fred Neil Scholarship

Congratulations Trinity Williams and Nick Spigler!

The Maryland State Pest Control Association (MSPCA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Fred Neil Scholarship. MSPCA Members, employees, and their children are eligible for this annual scholarship.  

The Fred Neil Scholarship is named for Fred Neil, the former Secretary of MSPCA, former Editor of the MSPCA Newsletter, and an industry contributor who dedicated 35 years of unrelenting energy to the Association. Previously known as The Doug Sroka Scholarship, the MSPCA Board elected to rename the scholarship in honor of Fred's hard work, multi-decade contributions, and dedication. MSPCA believes in advancing education, and we want to support the hard work of MSPCA family members, or employees who are studying full-time at a college or university.

Trinity Williams, whose father, Mike Williams, works for American Pest Control, was selected to receive the award to support her education at the University of Mary Washington, in Fredericksburg, VA. As an incoming Freshman, Trinity is excited to start her academic career, building the skills and expertise to support her professional goal of being a mental health therapist.

Trinity shared with us the drive behind her goals, “Becoming a therapist is my ultimate goal. I've always felt compassion for the people I know, including my friends, family, neighbors, and classmates. With the pressures in society, I aspire to become thoroughly educated in helping people realize the care they will need early on in their lives that will help them through many life situations—being mindful of their health and having a purpose.”

Our second scholarship recipient is Nick Spigler.  Nick is a repeat scholarship winner. His father, Richard, works for BASF.  A student at Washington College in Chestertown, MD, Nick is studying to become a wildlife biologist or conservation ecologist.  His passion for nature extends to sharing nature with others through education.

Nick told us, “Educating people about the environment is just as important as enjoying it myself. I intend to spread my knowledge and help people better understand their surroundings, maybe learn which birds are visiting their bird feeder or what insects are pollinating their flowers. I’m all for the science, but the science should also be for the rest of the world. Enriching the fabric of society can be as simple as teaching people to notice the world around them.”

MSPCA wishes these young scholars the very best as they build their knowledge to launch their careers!