Save Our Beach Association

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Starting in 2023, SOBA has offered the Paul Bisso Beach Preservation Scholarship. Every year, at least one scholarship of not more than $2,000 is awarded to a student accepted at an accredited two or four year college for a full-time status. The student may be either an undergraduate or postgraduate. 

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Priority will be placed on Marine and Coastal Environmental Science or Coastal Studies. The scholarships will be awarded based on a rating system that includes the applicant’s residence (with priority given to Brazoria County); chosen field of study (preferably coastal sciences); the amount of community service devoted (such as SOBA’s own “Dune Days”); and an essay on how the student’s career plans meet the mission of SOBA and positively impact the Texas Gulf Coast environment.

The scholarship is named in honor of Surfside Beach resident Paul Joseph Bisso, an avid surfer who tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2013. He was a graduate of Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas, and the son of current Surfside Beach Mayor, Gregg Bisso.

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Left: 2023 SOBA Scholarship Recipient Marina Wilson describes volunteer work at the Sea Center Lake Jackson during SOBA meeting on February 17, 2024, at Surfside Beach City Hall.