Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach Scholarship

Each year through the ACWA Scholarship Program, ACWA, in partnership with SCV Water, awards one $2,500 scholarship to a qualified undergraduate student.

Apply for this Scholarship

Please review the Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach Scholarship Guidelines thoroughly before completing the scholarship application. Applicants who do not meet the minimum eligibility requirements will not be considered. The 2024-’25 cycle is now open and applications must be submitted by March 1, 2024. To apply, please create an account using the button below and answer and submit the general information to proceed to the specific scholarship essay questions and applications.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

  • Applicants must be a California resident at the time of application.
  • Applicants must be attending an accredited, University of California or California State University at the start of the academic year covered by the scholarship.
  • Applicants must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in a water resources-related field related to engineering, agricultural and/or urban water supply, environmental studies, or public administration at the start of the academic year covered by the scholarship.
  • Applicants must be at least a junior at the time of the academic year covered by the scholarship.
  • Applicants must commit to full-time enrollment (12 semester units or 16 quarter units) for the entire academic year covered by the scholarship.
  • Applicants must submit at least two current letters of recommendation (but no more than three), with at least one of the letters originating from a college professor or employer on business letterhead; all letters of recommendation must include contact information for the letter writer.
  • Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college they have attended; acceptable formats include photocopied or scanned official transcripts; however, printed class schedules will not be accepted.
  • Applicants must submit an essay responding to specific prompt (no more than 1,000 words).

Selection Criteria

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on:

  • Scholastic achievement;
  • Demonstrated motivation to the vocation of water resources-related management;
  • The quality of the student’s essay; and
  • Commitment to full-time enrollment for the entire academic year.

Purpose and Disbursement

Scholarship funds are not disbursed to the student directly. Funds are disbursed to the appropriate Financial Aid Office in a lump sum of $2,500 and must be applied to the student’s account for tuition and fees. Scholarship funds should not be transferred directly to the student or be used for any other purpose.

If a scholarship recipient fails to meet the terms of this scholarship in any way, the award may be rescinded.

Past Recipients

  • Elizabeth Pena, UC Davis (2023)

Suggested Resources

15 RESOURCES prev next
2023 Year In Review

ACWA’s “2023 Year in Review” outlines ACWA’s advocacy wins, awards and services provided to members, as well as events and […]

Groundwater Awareness Week 2024 Toolkit

ACWA encourages member agencies to participate in National Groundwater Awareness Week March 10-16 to raise the public’s awareness of groundwater […]

Dam Safety Fact Sheet

ACWA, along with the California Municipal Utilities Association and California Alliance for Jobs, has released a Dam Safety Fact Sheet, […]

Making Conservation a CA Way of Life Fact Sheet – January 2024

  ACWA’s Making Conservation a California Way of Life Fact Sheet provides a summary of the State Water Board’s draft regulatory […]

Comment Letter on Sacramento/Delta Draft Staff Report

Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Subject: Comment Letter – Sacramento/Delta Draft Staff Report Letter excerpt: The Association of California Water […]

Comments on Proposed Updates to the Drinking Water Cost Assessment Model

Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Subject: Proposed Updates to the Drinking Water Cost Assessment Model: Other Essential Infrastructure, Admin Needs, […]

Draft White Paper: Proposed Updates for the 2024 Drinking Water Needs Assessment

Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Subject: Draft White Paper Discussion On: Proposed Updates for the 2024 Drinking Water Needs Assessment […]

Division of Drinking Water Reporting Toolkit

Sorry, but only ACWA members have permission to view this content. Member login is required.

ACWA 2023 Fall Conference Presentations

Presentations from ACWA’s 2023 Fall Conference & Expo held November 28-30 in Indian Wells are available below. Please note that […]

Request for Extension of Public Comment Period for Lead and Copper Rule Improvements

Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Subject: USEPA Lead and Copper Rule Improvements EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0801 – Request for Extension of Public Comment Period […]

Joint Comment Letter Regarding Proposed Hexavalent Chromium MCL

Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Subject: Joint Comment Letter regarding Proposed Hexavalent Chromium Maximum Contaminant Level and Addendum to the […]

2024 ACWA Scholarship Toolkit

Sorry, but only ACWA members have permission to view this content. Member login is required.

ACWA 2023 Fall Conference Attorney Programs

Presentations from the Attorney Programs held during ACWA’s 2023 Fall Conference & Expo Nov. 28-30 in Indian Wells are available […]

Motion to Consider Renewal of the Electric Program Investment Charge Program

Agency: California Public Utilities Commission Subject: A.19-10-005: Order Instituting Rulemaking on the Commission’s Own Motion to Consider Renewal of the Electric […]

Comment Letter – Tulare Lake Subbasin Probationary Hearing Draft Staff Report

Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Subject: Comment Letter – Tulare Lake Subbasin Probationary Hearing Draft Staff Report Letter excerpt: The […]

Suggested News

15 Articles prev next
City of Folsom Kicks Off Water Vision Project

Folsom’s Environmental and Water Resources Department is continuing its planning effort to guide the management of the city’s water resources […]

March 15, 2024 ACWA News Available

Sorry, but only ACWA members have permission to view this content. Member login is required.

Spotlight March 2024: Legislative Tours Maximize Outreach Effectiveness

Tahoe City sits squarely within the wildland urban interface, that zone where communities and forested wildlands meet, setting the stage […]

D.C. Conference Again Highlights Importance of Our United Effort through ‘ACWA East’

ACWA’s presence in Washington D.C. counts among our association’s most valuable resources for member agencies. Bringing that fact home is […]

MCWD Celebrates National Groundwater Awareness Week

It’s National Groundwater Awareness Week. Because groundwater is the main source of water for Marina Coast Water District (MCWD) customers […]

District Earns Two Awards for Project of the Year

MARINA — Marina Coast Water District is proud to announce that it received two Projects of the Year awards, one […]

Westlands Water District Exceeds Annual Groundwater Recharge Goal

FRESNO –Westlands Water District (District) has officially recharged 380,000 acre-feet (af) of surface water back into District aquifers since March […]

West Valley Water District Board of Directors Adopts a New Strategic Plan

RIALTO – West Valley Water District (WVWD) Board of Directors approved its 2024 Strategic Plan that will provide focus and […]

March 2024 Priority Issues Update Now Available

The March 2024 Priority Issues Update is now available online to members. The update is a summary of the latest […]

State Water Board Releases Revised Draft Regulation for Water Use Efficiency

The State Water Resources Control Board on March 12 released a revised draft regulation for Making Conservation a California Way […]

Soquel Creek Water District General Manager Announces Retirement

After an exceptional 20 years of dedicated service to Soquel Creek Water District, with nearly nine years as the agency’s […]

San Juan Water District Receives EPA Grant for Infrastructure Needs

GRANITE BAY – The San Juan Water District (SJWD) today announced it has secured $1,250,000 in funding from the Environmental […]

ACWA Comments on State Water Board’s Revised Draft Water Use Efficiency Regulation

SACRAMENTO – The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) released the following statement today from Regulatory Relations Manager Chelsea Haines […]

Zone 7 Water Awarded Federal Grant to Help Fund PFAS Treatment at Chain of Lakes Wells

LIVERMORE – Zone 7 is celebrating Groundwater Awareness Week with a $957,752 federal grant award to help fund the Chain of […]

Yuba Water Teams up With Local Public Water Agencies on Water Conservation Kits

Yuba Water Agency is teaming up with several local public water providers to offer water conservation kits to Yuba County […]