Water Fellows Program
The Colorado Water Center (CoWC) Water Fellows Program advances the next generation of diverse water leaders by training and connecting undergraduate and graduate students from historically excluded/ marginalized communities or identities to careers and opportunities in the water field.
This academic-year long program is designed to prepare students for careers in the water field and connect them to opportunities. This includes attendance at water conferences, field trips, and monthly meetings that delve into critical topics such as water law, water equity and justice, water careers, Tribal perspectives, and one water approaches encompassing graywater, stormwater, and recycled water. The emphasis on a holistic, interdisciplinary understanding of water-related issues prepares the Water Fellows to navigate the complexities of the field.
Beginning with the 2023-2024 cohort, the Colorado Water Center is actively building an internship program for the Water Fellows, offering participants the opportunity to be matched with available internships after the year-long program, thereby bridging the gap between education and real-world application. This approach ensures that the Water Fellows not only receive theoretical knowledge but also gain practical experience, enhancing their readiness for impactful contributions in the water sector.
Benefits of Participating
Students
Join the Water Fellows Program!
Why join?
- Every Water Fellow receives a $1000 stipend to participate
- Attend water conferences for FREE
- Connect with water experts through monthly meetings
- Get connected to water summer internships and job opportunities
Water Industry Professionals
Support the Water Fellows Program
Advance the next generation of water leaders through speaking at monthly meetings, hosting a summer internship or sponsoring students.
Not a student at CSU? Connect to Water Fellows Programs across Colorado!
Due to the generous support of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, we are partnering with the following academic institutions to launch Water Fellows Programs at each institution for the 2024-2025 academic year!
Enter your information below to be notified when the applications open for the Water Fellows program at your school for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Water Fellows Making Waves in the News
2023-2024 CSU Fort Collins Fellows
2023-2024 Denver Fellows
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Winnifred’s story stands as a testament to the transformative power of education, community service, and the pursuit of one’s aspirations. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng) degree from Nigeria in West Africa and currently dedicated to her pursuit of a master’s degree in Civil Engineering at Colorado State University in the United States of America.
Winnifred is a graduate research assistant on an NSF funded project, her research interests in engineering education are understanding the experiences of early-career engineers with ethics and equity as they transition to professional practices. Ethics and equity are critical aspects that demand attention because they play an important role in shaping engineering. Her research endeavors are geared towards redefining the landscape of engineering education, with the aim of fostering an environment that champions diversity and advocates for ethical practices within the engineering profession.
She has been actively involved in volunteer initiatives over the years, driven by a desire to give back to her roots and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to humanitarian service.
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Sociology
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Ethnic Studies
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Anthropology
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Environmental Engineering
Read more about Robert’s story here.
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Environmental Engineering
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
- Pronouns: She/Her/They/Them
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Soil and Crop Science
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Family and Consumer Sciences
- Bio: Evion is an undergraduate college student and at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. He is majoring in Family and Consumer Sciences with a minor in International Development Studies. Having grown up in various communities across the country, he understands that water plays a unique and crucial role in the sustenance of diverse social, cultural, economic, and ecological systems. As a current Water Fellow, he is challenging himself to learn about key topics within the water industry in addition to exploring careers and opportunities for community engagement related to the water field. With the knowledge and experience he is gaining through the fellowship and his studies at CSU, he strives to be an active participant and collaborative leader in the community.
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Horticulture
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Systems Engineering
- Pronouns: They/Them/Ella
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Social Work
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Soil and Crop Sciences
Huma was born and raised in a small town in Northern Pakistan. Her love for the environment stemmed mostly from her upbringing closely connected to the earth and its fruit while growing up in the beautiful valley of Mansehra, situated at the foot of a beautiful mountain range. While initially, concerns about water and air pollution were primarily aesthetic, they later shaped her decision to choose environmental engineering as a career.
Huma did her undergraduate and master’s degrees in environmental engineering from the NUST University and the US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water respectively. This center is located in Southern Pakistan; region grappling with water scarcity and compromised water quality within the agriculture sector; living there she got a chance to witness the effects of these issues firsthand.
In order to professionally contribute to finding solutions to these problems, Huma was honored with the Fulbright Scholarship to pursue her Ph.D. in Soil and Crop Sciences from Colorado State University. Her research focuses on evaluating the impacts of oil and gas produced water irrigation on soil and crop health. Huma has joined the Water Fellows Program to deepen her understanding of challenges faced by the water sector through networking with other water experts and enthusiasts across the state.
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Geosciences
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Systems Engineering
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Chemistry
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: CSU
- Major: Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Pronouns: They/Them
- Institution: MSU Denver
- Major: Environmental Science
- Pronouns: She/They
- Institution: MSU Denver
- Major: Political Science
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Institution: UC Denver
- Major: Social Science- Society and the environment
- Pronouns: She/Her
- Institution: MSU Denver
- Major: Environmental Engineering
- Pronouns: She/Her/They/Them
- Institution: MSU Denver
- Major: Environmental Science
The Water Fellows Program Comes to Denver!
Due to funding received by CSU Spur Hydro, we are excited to announce a new partnership with the One World One Water Center at Metropolitan State University to offer the Water Fellows Program in Denver! starting in 2023!
Staff
- Water Equity Programs Leader
- jessica.thrasher@colostate.edu
- (970) 491-4473
Jessica Thrasher is the Water Equity Programs Leader at the Colorado Water Center. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Southern Methodist University and a master’s degree in International Development Anthropology from Colorado State University. She focuses on creating and managing programs that promote a diverse water workforce representative of the communities served, equitable access to water resources and information, and developing resources that promote integration of DEI practices into the water field. She is dedicated to fostering collaboration, innovation, and inclusion of diverse perspectives to build an equitable, sustainable water future for all.
- Ph.D. Student – Watershed Science
- daniel.dominguez@colostate.edu
Daniel served six years in the US Marine Corps, concluding his service in the Presidential Flight Detachment. Following his undergraduate studies at CSU, he was honored with the Marshall Scholarship and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. As a Marshall Scholar, he obtained two master’s degrees: one in Sustainable Water Environments from the University of Glasgow and another in Computer Science from Cardiff University. Presently, Daniel is pursuing a Ph.D. in Watershed Science at Colorado State University as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Matt Ross. His research focuses on employing Machine Learning and Remote Sensing for Water Quality predictions. Furthermore, Daniel holds the role of Project Coordinator for the Colorado Water Center, with a primary focus on the Water Fellows program, in which he previously participated during his undergraduate years.
Thank you to the Water Fellows Program Sponsors!
