Black History Month: Recognizing David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology Recipients

NWA would like to spotlight some of our African-American David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology recipients who are inspiring the next generation of weather enthusiasts and growing into their own careers built upon the foundation of strong leaders before them. Learn about three of our award recipients throughout this month. 

National Weather Association Profiles of Diversity and Achievement - Amber Liggett

Amber Liggett is an NWA Board Director. She was the 2015 NWA David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology recipient. She works as the Public Information Officer for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, focusing on emergency preparedness, crisis, and emergency risk communication for infectious diseases, including Coronavirus. She is also a freelance broadcast meteorologist, while continuing to run her own business: Amber's Amazing Animal Balloons.

To what degree did the NWA scholarship help you advance?

The scholarship not only financially helped me complete my sophomore year of college, but it was an instant networking tool that was invaluable for an underclassman student.

What are your top achievements since graduation?

I went on to obtain a Master's in Emergency Management while serving as a Graduate Assistant for the Millersville University Center for Disaster Research & Education.

What is the value of supporting minorities in meteorology?

In general, S.T.E.M. is not promoted amongst many minorities, especially African-Americans. It's imperative for minority youth to see people who look like themselves in the field of meteorology, so that they can see first-hand that they too can become a meteorologist! Just like anything else, having a role model in the field gives you a sense of belonging and motivation to achieve the same goals.

What are your endeavors in meteorology?

One of my goals is to understand how people perceive their risks to hazardous weather phenomena. My second goal is to use that information to appropriately educate people outside of the weather community about their weather threats and appropriate safety measures, especially ahead of severe weather situations.

You can be a part of future diversity and achievements in operational meteorology by promoting and donating to the NWAF David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology, and other NWAF scholarships.  Find out more at nwafoundation.org.
— NWA R.A.C.E. Ad-Hoc Team


Ari Brown, 2016 David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology Recipient

National Weather Association Profiles of Diversity and Achievement - Ari Brown

Ari Brown was the 2016 NWA Foundation David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology recipient. He is now a senior at North Carolina A&T State University working toward a bachelor's degree in atmospheric science with a minor in political science. Ari was selected for an internship program with the US Department of Defense for this summer but that was pushed back to 2021 due to the pandemic.

What is the value of supporting minorities in meteorology?

Encouraging and supporting minorities in meteorology is critical for the advancement of the field. Diversity has been scientifically demonstrated to add value across the board and this is particularly relevant for communicating weather information to minority groups in our country. Support for minorities can and should work to counteract historical and cultural practices within the field (and our society more broadly) that are designed to deny and curtail entry into the field by minority populations. All communities benefit from support for minorities in meteorology.

What are your endeavors in meteorology?

My overarching goal is to engage in interdisciplinary work that integrates meteorology with social science and geographic information science (GIS). Areas of interest in meteorology include what the National Weather Service calls Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS), mass communication of critical weather and climate information to the public and development of better public policy (both proactive and reactive) surrounding natural disasters including weather disasters.


Dorien Minor, 2020 David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology Recipient

National Weather Association Profiles of Diversity and Achievement – Dorien Minor

Dorien Minor is a third-year Earth and Atmospheric Sciences major at Georgia Tech with a focus in meteorology and academic interests in tropical cyclogenesis, numerical weather prediction and climate dynamics. He was the 2020 NWA David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology awardee. In addition to his involvement in NWA, Dorien is an active member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and serves as President of Georgia Tech’s AMS Student Chapter, StORM Club (Students Observing and Researching Meteorology).  

To what degree did the NWA scholarship help you advance?

This scholarship has played a pivotal role in helping me to achieve my educational goals and has assisted me financially in finishing my junior year of college.

What are your top achievements in your college matriculation?

My education in applied meteorology and forecasting has enabled me to be a recipient of multiple WxChallenge awards, to include being the first place overall underclassman forecaster for the 2019-2020 season. Additionally, I have been a recipient of the Georgia Tech Tower Award for outstanding academic excellence in my freshman and sophomore years.

What is the value of supporting minorities in meteorology?

In meteorological fields where minority representation is not as widespread compared to other sectors, it is important for our minority youth and students to see individuals that look like them in their respective careers. Having such role models to look up to in meteorology and other aspects of the geosciences enables our youth to embody their passion and to ultimately become the next generation of leaders and meteorologists. 

What are your endeavors in meteorology?

Throughout my life, I have always wanted to be a meteorologist who used my resources, research and reverence to develop an innovative and revolutionary approach to the study of the changing atmosphere. After college, I plan to begin my career as a broadcast meteorologist which would give me an opportunity to communicate my interests in weather with a broader community. Later in my career, one of my aspirations is to begin my own meteorology and STEM-related broadcast network in hopes of teaching kids about the different, vast possibilities about what they can contribute and learn from in the sciences, technologies, engineering disciplines and mathematics.

As we celebrate Black History Month, please take the opportunity to take a look at these resources that we’ve curated for the NWA community.  It is our hope that as we learn and build awareness together we can continue to shape a future that is more inclusive.


Make a Donation in support of our scholarship and grant programs through the National Weather Association Foundation

Consider donating to our National Weather Association Foundation scholarships and grants, including the David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology, which was established in 2002 to aid minority students in their sophomore year or higher of undergraduate study, or in graduate study, enrolled in a program of meteorology or atmospheric science (or related field).

The David Sankey Minority Scholarship in Meteorology may be awarded in an amount up to $1,000 per year to one qualified student to cover qualified education expenses such as tuition, fees, and course-related expenses such as books, supplies, and equipment. Applicants must have one or more semesters to complete after the scholarship is awarded.

Comments are closed.