The NJEPA honors the State’s exemplary Emergency Managers through a series of scholarships named in their honor. These awards are named for:

• Captain Jonathan C. Young, former President of the New Jersey Emergency Preparedness Association and career firefighter and fire officer,
• Michael Augustyniak a former career emergency manager and planner for the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.

2025 Scholarship Applications will open Janurary 1st and close March 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
Click on the link below for more information or to submit an application.

Eligibility

• The applicant, applicant’s parent(s) or grandparent(s) must be members in good standing in any emergency service department in the State of New Jersey. Emergency services agencies include any police, fire, rescue, EMS, or emergency management. Any other affiliations with an agency that performs emergency or disaster response, and recovery operations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• A high school senior, planning to attend college, or current college student presently enrolled in a college or university with at least one full year remaining.
• A citizen of the United States of America.
• Willing to pursue a career path in the emergency services field such as emergency management, homeland security, fire suppression, law enforcement, hazardous materials, arson investigation, Emergency Medical Services, Health, Public Health, Social Services, etc.
• Scholarship recipients are required to be present at the time of presentation, which will occur at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, NJ on April 8, 2025, beginning at 5:30 PM. If the recipient is unable to attend, an email must be sent to the Scholarship Committee telling us that the recipient has other commitments that cannot be changed.
• Past NJEPA Scholarship recipients are NOT eligible to receive another scholarship.

Selection Process

All applications must:

• Be received by electronic submission.
• Include a current transcript(s) and at least one Letter of Recommendation. You may also add any other supporting documents you would like to have considered.
• Applications must be received by the application deadline; TBD. Any application received after this date will not be considered for a scholarship

All applications are reviewed for eligibility and to ensure that all supporting documentation has been received. The selection process is designed to ensure fair treatment of all applicants.

The NJEPA has a standing committee of experts in the emergency management field who review the scholarship applications.  Each committee member ranks the scholarship application based on the merits of the individual applying for the scholarship.  The scholarship committee recommends the slate of applications for the award of the NJEPA memorial scholarship.  Scholarship winners will be notifed shortly before the conference and will be invited to accept their scholarship at the Annual Awards and Networking Reception.

2025 Scholarship Sponsors

Continuity Operations Group

Scholarship Memorials

Jonathan Cardell William Young was born for a lifetime of service. He began the journey November 28‚ 1961‚ in Newark‚ New Jersey‚ son of Ruth Griffin Young and Howard Curtis Young. In 1979‚ he graduated from Abraham Clark High School in Roselle and from Linden Vocational Technical School where he studied electronics.

At age 15‚ Jon started his career in emergency services with the Roselle Volunteer Ambulance Corps. In 1979‚ he became a volunteer firefighter for the Roselle Fire Department‚ and in 1990‚ he achieved his life goal to become a career firefighter for the department. In 2001‚ he was promoted to lieutenant; he later earned the rank of captain. He was a certified Level 2 Fire Department Training Officer‚ training firefighters at the Roselle Fire Department and at the Union County Fire Academy. He served as an EMT for over 23 years and as coordinator of the Office of Emergency Management in Roselle.

Jon was Roselle’s most highly decorated firefighter. In addition to being awarded Fire Fighter of the Year three times‚ he received Valor Awards from the New Jersey Fireman’s Mutual Benevolent Association and the St. Barnabas Hospital Burn Foundation‚ and the Community Service Award from the Roselle NAACP. A highlight of his career was the delivery of thirteen babies. In 1997‚ while off duty‚ Jon rescued a civilian trapped in a burning car‚ for which he received a Valor Award from the City of Woodbridge.

In his memory‚ and in an effort to preserve his love for the community‚ the Borough of Roselle‚ the Roselle Chamber of Commerce‚ Agape House of Worship‚ and the Young family are holding the Annual Jon Young Memorial 5K. Jonathan was a certified HAZMAT specialist and communications specialist with the New Jersey Urban Search and Rescue Team NJ-TFI. NJ-TFI was the first rescue team at Ground Zero on September 11‚ 2001‚ and remained there for ten straight days.

Following that assignment‚ he worked with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in a mental health support program for first responders. Jon was the communications officer for the NJ Task Force and president of the NJ Emergency Preparedness Association.

He was a certified instructor for confined space rescue‚ high angle rope rescue‚ HAZMAT‚ automobile extrication‚ CPR‚ weapons of mass destruction‚ blood borne pathogens‚ incident command systems‚ and emergency vehicle driving.

In his off time ‘Juice‚’ as he was affectionately known‚ enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He was a licensed Ham Radio Operator and was in the process of obtaining a pilot’s license. He loved all animals‚ especially Kieko and Kayla‚ his beloved Labradors. Jonathan C. W. Young departed this life in the line of duty on November 16‚ 2011‚ just shy of his 50th birthday. ‘Well done‚ my good and faithful servant.’

Michael Walter Augustyniak, known to almost everyone as “Augie,” began his career with the New Jersey State Police (NJSP), and became a true expert in the field of Emergency Management. In his more than 33 years there, he developed policies and procedures still in effect today, and trained countless others in their implementation.

Mike was an esteemed and beloved colleague and friend to many.  He accomplished much in his long tenure with the NJSP, playing important and lasting roles in many assignments. He worked in the Emergency Response Bureau and was the Emergency Management Section’s hazardous materials (HAZMAT) expert. As an instructor, he developed and conducted exercises, provided technical assistance visits and, over a period of five years, almost single-handedly brought the HAZMAT annexes of the State’s 566 municipalities and 21 counties up to the standards demanded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Later, when the Section reorganized, Mike moved to the Operational Planning Bureau and served as a Shift Chief when the State Emergency Operations Center was activated. Mike soon became the Section’s, and indeed several governors’, go-to-guy in weather situations during hurricane season.

He was instrumental in developing plans for the State’s new fusion center, the Regional Operations Intelligence Center, and was a stalwart during the Y2K transition and numerous major federal exercises. Mike also contributed his talents for several years to the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), traveling nationally and internationally to assess jurisdictions for accreditation, and playing a key role in the NJSP’s initial accreditation and re-accreditation.

Mike was a deeply thoughtful and intellectual professional. He cared earnestly about the mission and always saw the potential of the organization and strived untiringly to help everyone achieve it. His knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of state agencies was unsurpassed. He was unquestionably one of the most respected and versatile civilian employees in New Jersey State Government. 

After he retired, Mike continued to use his emergency management and planning skills as a contractor, coordinating and developing policies for New Jersey Task Force 1, one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams. He assisted NJTF1 in gaining EMAP accreditation, and ensured its policies and procedures met the benchmarks required to conform to FEMA Administrative Readiness guidelines. Mike also co-taught several classes at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. And for a change of pace, he worked several hours a week at the tiny and beloved Crosswicks Library in Crosswicks, New Jersey, a mile from his home, and served as primary editor for his father’s book, Adventures of a Young Marine in WWII, published in 2018.

Mike was the best husband, father, brother, son, and friend anyone could ask for. He will be remembered most for his sense of humor and infectious laugh, his thoughtful and loving nature, his cleverness and curiosity, and his incredible zest for life.

In the words of his beloved Star Trek, may he “live long and prosper!”