911 Restoration is proud to name Luke the recipient of the Spring 2027 Fresh Start Scholarship. Luke is a graduate student in the Master of Natural Resources program at Texas A&M University, and he already spends his working life helping Texas communities get through disasters.
The $1,500 award goes straight to Texas A&M to support his studies.
Meet the Winner
Luke earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geoscience, with a minor in meteorology, from Texas A&M in 2023. This fall he returned to the university for graduate school in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
For the last three years he has worked in disaster response for a Texas state agency. His work sits where natural resources, animals and people meet. He teaches residents and agricultural producers how to prepare for disasters and how to care for pets and livestock when one hits, and he works with Texas counties to plan for how the next disaster could affect animals and agriculture.
18 Days on the Texas Panhandle
Luke's first major deployment came in February 2024, when a wildfire burned more than a million acres across the Texas Panhandle. He spent 18 days in Borger, a small town where the fire had wiped out the surrounding grazing land.
There he managed a state animal supply point. His team collected donated feed, hay and fencing supplies, loaded trailers from early morning until late evening, and delivered them to ranches that had lost nearly everything.
In his application essay, Luke wrote that for some ranchers, he was the first person they had spoken with since losing their cattle, their fences and, for some, their homes. He made time for every one of those conversations and pointed families toward resources for recovery.
Those 18 days made wildfire mitigation the topic he cares about most.
A Practical Idea for Wildfire Mitigation
One method Luke teaches ranchers is called "Circle of Cows." Livestock trample and graze down the vegetation wherever they are fed. By moving feeding spots to the areas around barns, homes and ranch roads, ranchers can create fire breaks around the places that matter most, often at no added cost since they are already feeding.
He pairs it with a sound cue. Once cattle learn that a horn, siren or song means feed, ranchers can use that same sound to gather and move large herds quickly when a fire is approaching.
The 911 Restoration team chose Luke because his work mirrors what restoration crews see every day: people trying to rebuild after something they could not control, and the difference good planning makes before disaster strikes.
In Luke's Words
"Receiving this scholarship from 911 Restoration allows me to continue my education in a field that directly contributes to the betterment of our rural communities. Getting to combine my Disaster Response career with education is a dream that I am able to achieve because of scholarships like this one."
Why 911 Restoration Sponsors the Fresh Start Scholarship
Every property 911 Restoration restores is a fresh start for the family or business on the other side of it. Recovery work depends on people trained in emergency management, environmental science, construction and public safety, and the Fresh Start Scholarship is one way the company invests in the next generation of those professionals.
The Spring 2027 cycle drew strong interest from across the country. Nearly 300 students reached out to the scholarship inbox, more than 100 sent complete applications, and applicants came from about 90 colleges and universities. Every finalist was studying in a qualifying field with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, which made choosing one recipient a difficult decision.
Apply for the Fall 2027 Fresh Start Scholarship
Applications for the Fall 2027 cycle open January 15, 2027, and close March 31, 2027. The next recipient will be announced May 1, 2027.
Students enrolled in or accepted to an accredited college, university or trade school are welcome to apply if they are studying emergency management, environmental science, construction management, civil engineering, public safety, disaster preparedness or a related field. Full eligibility details and application steps are on the Fresh Start Scholarship page.
Congratulations to Luke From 911 Restoration
Everyone at 911 Restoration congratulates Luke and looks forward to seeing where his studies at Texas A&M take him. Ranchers and families across Texas are already better prepared because of the work he does.
Questions about the scholarship can go to scholarship@911restoration.com. Property owners dealing with water, fire or mold damage can contact 911 Restoration to get help from a local team.
