ACWA Foundation Scholarships

The ACWA Foundation launched its scholarship program in fall 2023 by awarding scholarships to eight juniors attending various colleges in the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems.

The scholarship program was created to invest in future water leaders and cultivate a bright future for students who are dedicated to working in this industry. Students were selected based on financial need, academic excellence, career goals, interest in the water community and whose situation best advances the ACWA Foundation Mission.

Congratulations to the following students who received scholarships:

• Luis Huerta, a junior at Cal Poly Humboldt, who volunteered in restoration efforts and community gardens while growing up on the polluted coast of Tijuana. He is currently President of the American Water Resources Association Cal Poly Humboldt Chapter.
• Zahra Beatty James, a junior at CSU Sonoma, who is a single mom pursuing a degree in geology. A first-generation college student, she wants to “break the cycle of limited opportunities that many in her community face.”
• Ireland McCall, a junior at CSU Fresno, who interned six months with an irrigation company, learning about sustainable groundwater management, groundwater sustainability agencies, and how to better operate irrigation districts.
• Marlenne Ortega, a junior at CSU Monterey Bay, who has volunteered at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Orange County, the Habitat Stewardship Project and at various outreach events where she translates educational materials into Spanish

Congratulations to the following students who received scholarships:

• Arelly Ibarra, at CSU San Marcos
• Simon Maranguis, at San Jose State
• Nicole Nielsen, at UC Irvine
• Finn Schmelzer, at Sacramento State