The Oilfield Divers Monument is a project of the International Petroleum Museum & Exposition, Morgan City, La. The project raises funds from divers and diving companies to give money for a scholarship that allows students to attend diving school at the Southern Louisiana Community College. In 2023 they fund three $1,000.00 scholarships in the memory of Terry Burlson.
Coming on the heels of a $20,000 donation in 2023, at the 2024 International WorkBoat Show, another $20,000 was donated to the SLC endowment fund. Thanks to a matching grant from the state of Louisiana, the endowment could potentially reach $80,000, further supporting the critical need for skilled workers in the industry.
"These are just kids and if they don't get help, they have to come up with money for a place to live,” said Bryce Merrill, Curator at the Historical Preservation Museum that facilitates the scholarship. “This offsets the cost to these families and keeps kids from having to take a loan. It’s by divers and for divers and really shows how we can bring people into this industry."
