SWEP of Greater Philadelphia is excited to announce the winners of this year’s scholarship! We had many impressive applicants, but after much deliberation, we were able to select 3 extraordinary candidates.

The first recipient of the graduate scholarship is Leila Kelly.

Leila is pursuing a master’s in sustainable engineering at Villanova. She works as a graduate research assistant in the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems. Leila is currently studying the carbon sequestration capacity of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) sites. She has been involved in carbon capture projects for over 2 years, having interned at the University of Tennessee and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to research carbonated concrete and CO2 mineralization. Originally from Colorado, Leila received her bachelor’s in environmental engineering from Mercer University, where she researched biofuel production from food waste. Leila is pursuing a professional engineering license and hopes to work as a water resources engineer after graduation.

The second recipient of the graduate scholarship is Jocelyn Geoghegan.

Jocelyn is pursuing a master’s in environmental studies with a concentration in corporate sustainability at UPenn. Her capstone focuses on packaging waste reduction strategies in the beauty industry. She received a bachelor’s degree in natural resources/environmental science and a minor in agricultural economics from the University of Kentucky. While in school, Jocelyn works as an analyst in the Product Stewardship & Sustainability department at Inolex, a personal care product manufacturer that champions sustainable ingredients. At Inolex, she manages the supply chain by reviewing product sourcing and assesses agricultural feedstock projects by evaluating them based on environmental and social criteria. She hopes to utilize her degree to promote the development of responsible supply chains and sustainable product design within the cosmetic manufacturing industry.

The recipient of the undergraduate scholarship is Nicole Bowen.

Nicole is studying environmental science at Saint Joseph’s University and plans to graduate with her bachelor’s in 2026. In her junior year, Nicole researched Saint Joseph’s Hawk Hill campus’s carbon footprint by assessing the school’s energy usage with the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform. Apart from research, Nicole is an active member of her SJU community and serves as the Community Garden Associate Coordinator, the Student University Leader at the Ignatian Justice Summit, a scholar of the John P McNulty Scholarship/Leadership Program for Women in STEM, a member of the Green Fund for Environmental and Sustainability Action, and an EcoFellow with the Institute for Environmental Stewardship. After graduation, Nicole hopes to work as a sustainability consultant.

We are proud to support Leila, Jocelyn, and Nicole’s careers in the environmental field. We welcome these commendable women to our SWEP community!