Twenty-One Students Awarded $50,000 in NPG's Annual Scholarship Contest for 2026-2027

NPG Awards $50,000 in Scholarships for the 2026-2027 Academic Year

In an impressive display of talent and awareness, Negative Population Growth (NPG) has recently concluded its annual Essay Scholarship Contest, awarding a total of $50,000 in scholarships to twenty-one deserving students across the United States. The scholarships, which were granted to students ranging from high school seniors to graduate students, aim to support their academic endeavors, particularly in light of the rising tuition costs.

The competition required participants to submit an original essay addressing the crucial issue of population growth. High school seniors and undergraduate participants were tasked with writing a 450- to 500-word essay that identified three elements of American life adversely impacted by an increasing population. They had to articulate why these challenges could be better managed with a smaller populace, highlighting their understanding of the implications of overpopulation.

For graduate students, the challenge was more extensive. Their essays were required to be between 500 to 750 words, and they were to explore not only the negative effects of overpopulation but also propose what they consider to be the ideal population size for the United States, alongside their reasoning behind this viewpoint.

Among the standout submissions, Anthony DesRois from Regis College garnered NPG's prestigious Edwin S. Rubenstein NPG Memorial Scholarship. This award, aimed at high school seniors and undergraduates, came with a top prize of $3,500. DesRois’ insightful exploration of the topic distinguished his entry and earned him the highest accolades in this division.

In the graduate section, Breanna Wixted from the University of Colorado was awarded the Donald W. Mann Memorial Scholarship for Population Studies, which includes a grand prize of $5,000. Her essay provided a compelling argument, reflecting the depth of thought and research that NPG aims to encourage through its initiatives.

Additional undergraduate scholarships were awarded to Ava Moczarski from Florida State University and Ruby Spurlock from Texas A&M University, each receiving $2,500 for their noteworthy contributions. Moreover, eight other students were recognized with $2,000 scholarships: Alana Borgers (University of Montevallo), Ronald Cabrera (Northwestern University), Amber-Lee Gibbs (Georgia Southern University), Lee Kerk (The University of Texas at Arlington), Hridoy Kundu (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Traven Lawson (South College), Dylan Nolly (Amherst College), and Julia Pieri (Florida State University).

The success was paralleled in the graduate segment, where Jenef Allotey from Emory University and Dmitriya Minkin from Boston College earned $3,500 and $3,000 scholarships, respectively. Furthermore, seven additional graduate students—Daniels Eloka (Georgia State University), Yamil Alquizar (Florida International University), Emir Gokce (Oregon State University), Jaylon Muchison (The Juilliard School), Harry Panajoti (University of Hartford), Joshua Thaisananikone (University of Wisconsin), and Paige Vaughn (The University of Texas at Austin)—each received $2,000 scholarships in recognition of their academic efforts.

This year’s awards represent a part of hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships awarded by NPG since 2006 through its Youth Outreach Program. This program is dedicated to encouraging young Americans to think critically about the long-term ramifications of unchecked population growth and to explore viable, pragmatic solutions to existing population-related issues.

In addition to the scholarship competition, NPG has engaged thousands of teachers nationwide, equipping them with factual information about population issues to share in American classrooms. These educational efforts are made possible through the generous contributions of NPG members, who are committed to ensuring a sustainable world for future generations.

Since its inception in 1972, NPG has been a steadfast advocate for awareness surrounding the impacts of overpopulation. By promoting the necessity of reducing population growth, NPG strives to achieve a sustainable balance with environmental resources, continually offering a rational voice in a society often swept up by the allure of perpetual expansion.

For more detailed information and access to their initiatives, visitors can check out NPG’s website at NPG.org and follow them on social media platforms like Facebook (@NegativePopulationGrowth) and X (@npg_org).