Jacobs Holly A. Cornell Scholarship
Offered by American Water Works Association and Jacobs
About this scholarship
The Jacobs Holly A. Cornell Scholarship awards $10,000 to a graduate student interested in water supply and treatment who has faced a recognized barrier to education. An applicant must have been a first-generation college graduate when entering graduate school, have experienced economic disadvantage, or have overcome another significant educational barrier. Jacobs sponsors the award through the American Water Works Association in honor of Holly A. Cornell, a co-founder of CH2M. Applications for the 2027-2028 academic year are open through November 6, 2026. AWWA membership is not required, but applicants must be permanent residents of the United States, Canada, or Mexico. Selection is competitive and merit based, with GPA considered in review. The common AwardSpring application should document the student’s graduate work in water supply or treatment and clearly establish the applicable first-generation, economic, or barrier-related qualification without overstating it. Required recommendations must arrive before the deadline and should come from academic or professional contacts rather than family members or friends. AWWA pays the scholarship directly to the student’s institution. Eligible uses include tuition, books, lab fees, lab equipment, and conference registration; rent, per diem, and living stipends are excluded. Incomplete or late applications are not reviewed, and the committee’s decision is final.
Eligibility
- Be a graduate student interested in water supply and treatment
- Have been a first-generation college graduate when entering graduate school, experienced economic disadvantage, or overcome a significant barrier to education
- Be a permanent resident of the United States, Canada, or Mexico
- Provide the academic record and merit-based materials requested in the AwardSpring application
- Arrange for all required academic or professional recommendations to be submitted before the deadline
- Complete the matched Jacobs Holly A. Cornell Scholarship application by November 6, 2026