First Annual Colorado Water Fellows Convening
A Celebration of Water Storytelling: Reflecting on the Success of the First Annual Colorado Water Fellows Convening
The First Annual Colorado Water Fellows Convening, held from February 11-13, 2025, brought together a total of 76 attendees, including 52 students from Colorado State University and our five Colorado Water Fellows Program partner institutions from around the state: Colorado Mesa University’s Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center, Fort Lewis College’s Four Corners Water Center, Metro State University of Denver’s One World One Water Center, University of Colorado Boulder’s Western Water Assessment, and University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
The event not only celebrated the recent expansion of the Colorado Water Fellows Program, but also laid the groundwork for future partnerships, funding opportunities, and further program expansion to additional partner institutions. Major donor representatives from the Walton Family Foundation engaged directly with students, witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of their support. Their involvement underscored the significant role of donor contributions in advancing the Colorado Water Fellows Program’s mission to build the next generation of water leaders.
The Convening centered on the art of storytelling, teaching student Water Fellows how to weave personal insights, academic research, and community impact into compelling narratives. Participants learned to articulate the urgency of water access and conservation issues, transforming local challenges into stories that resonate on a global scale. The focus on narrative empowered students to connect their personal experiences to broader water challenges, better equipping them to create meaningful change in the water sector.
The event opened with a welcome dinner on February 11th, where students from Colorado Water Fellows partner institutions networked and provided program updates. The following day, keynote speaker Lorelei Cloud – appointed in 2023 as the first Tribal Council Member of the Colorado Water Conservation Board – captivated the audience with her insights on leadership, Indigenous water policy, and advocacy. Her distinguished career, including her role as the outgoing Vice Chair of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Co-Founder of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network, provided context and framed the day for the discussions that followed.
"Hearing from Lorelei Cloud was amazing, seeing someone in her position be vulnerable and authentic was refreshing and a good example for students."
Post-keynote, Colten Ashley, Director of KSUT Public Radio’s Tribal Media Center, led an impactful workshop on using media to tell effective water stories, guiding students on how to become more authentic and compelling voices for change. Following this session, a hands-on mentor mapping exercise presented by Mia Pino of Metro State University of Denver’s One World One Water Center, Dr. Carolyn Cummins of the Four Corners Water Center at Fort Lewis College, and MSU Water Fellow Dominique Garcia, offered guidance on cultivating supportive professional relationships and collaborative peer networks.
Dr. Tom Romero of DU’s Sturm College of Law, and Jessica Thrasher, Interim Associate Director of the Colorado Water Center, led a session encouraging students to lean into their personal water stories and creative side, sharing their deep, personal connections to water that drive their commitment to water advocacy.
Karen Schlatter, Interim Director of the Colorado Water Center, led an interactive workshop focused on understanding students’ needs and interests to support water workforce development. Through facilitated small-group discussions with Colorado Water Center staff, students shared their perspectives on fostering cross-disciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration, enhancing job and internship connections through a water education hub, and improving the dissemination of water-related events and opportunities via newsletters and social media.
"It was amazing to talk with colleagues from different institutions and listen to different perspectives on water issues."
Rounding out the event, the Fort Lewis College Tribal Water Media Fellowship Program student project showcase featured a diverse range of projects that mixed personal narratives, cultural insights, and various media techniques to highlight the ways in which water connects us all. This showcase tied together everything students had learned throughout the day about the power of storytelling, demonstrating how their individual experiences, whether rooted in local challenges or transformative personal moments, could serve as powerful narratives to illuminate broader water issues.
Following the Convening, students participated in the Colorado Water Center’s 2nd Annual Water Workforce Career Fair on February 13th. This event connected high school, college, and graduate students from across Colorado with over 40 exhibitors offering job and internship opportunities in the water sector.
The success of the First Annual Colorado Water Fellows Convening has set a high bar for future events. As we reflect on this inspiring gathering, we celebrate the spirit of collaboration and community that it fostered across the six Colorado Water Fellows Program partner institutions.
Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and contributed to making the Convening a resounding success. Together, we continue to drive meaningful change and support students in becoming the next generation of water leaders in Colorado and beyond.
Thank you to our Colorado Water Fellows Program Funders!
