KANE — The Sandy Cochran Memorial Scholarship selection committee announced four regional students will share in the award of $2,500 in scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year.

The committee received a number of exceptional applications from students across the region with aspirations to pursue careers related to the stewardship of forests and natural resources.

Mason Roessner of Coudersport will receive a $1,000 scholarship as he attends Penn State’s Mont Alto Campus to pursue a degree in forest technology. He is working as an intern on the Susquehannock State Forest and hopes to work for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources when he graduates.

John Bruner will receive a $500 scholarship as he attends Penn State-DuBois pursuing a forestry/wildlife technology degree. He is working as an intern for the Pennsylvania Game Commission during this summer with a goal of attending the Ross Leffler School of Conservation and become a game warden.

Colin Keith of Brackway will receive a $500 scholarship and will attend Penn State-Altoona to pursue a degree in wildlife technology degree. He will then continue his education at Penn State’s main campus to pursue a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries science.

Cecily Bell of Bradford will receive a $500 scholarship and will attend Cedarville (Ohio) University to pursue a degree in environmental science with aspirations to find a career that focuses on forestry and wildlife conservation.

The Pennsylvania/New York forestry community created the Cochran Memorial Fund to honor Roe S. “Sandy” Cochran, who served as a forest resources extension specialist for Penn State for 25 years. He was instrumental in founding the Allegheny Hardwood Silviculture Training Sessions, Kane Area Logging Safety Council, the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group (AHUG), the Ben Roach Forestry Forum and the Deer/Forest Regeneration Subcommittee of the Society of American Foresters.

One mission of the fund is to support students from the 17-county region of northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York who are committed to pursuing careers in forestry, natural resources management or environmental science.

The fund committee operates under the umbrella of the Roach-Bauer Forestry Forum Committee, which is comprised of forestry, environmental science and resource management professionals from across the Northern Allegheny Region. The fund is administered by the ESF College Foundation, Inc, affiliated with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF).

This year’s scholarship awards were supplemented by a contribution from AHUG, non-profit hardwood industry organization dedicated to promoting, expanding and diversifying the forest products industry through sustainable, science-based forest resource management practices. AHUG serves the 14-county region of northwest and north central Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit sandycochran.org.