Kirt Brooks Scholarship

** Non-degree training programs include certificate programs from colleges, community colleges, and trade schools . See further details and example programs. Professional certifications and licenses achieved from organizations such as CWEA and the State Water Resources Control Board, are NOT eligible for KBSF funds and are not included in this non-degree training program category.

Kirt Brooks Scholarships are to be used for educational purposes only. Please note that this scholarship will only directly offset your tuition. This scholarship itself cannot be used for personal expenses or housing.

*Applicants are considered to be employed in the industry if they are employed full or part time by one of the following water environment industry employers:

• Municipal/district water and wastewater systems
• Municipal/district wastewater only systems
• Municipal/district water only systems
• Industrial systems/plants (manufacturing, processing, extraction)
• Consulting or contracting firm (e.g., engineering, contracting and environmental)
• Government agency (e.g., EPA, state agency, etc.)
• Research or analytical laboratories
• Manufacturer of water/wastewater equipment or products
• Water/wastewater product distributor or manufacturer’s rep

GATHER THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS

• OFFICIAL transcripts. Scanned copies of official transcripts will be accepted. Online transcripts and any other form of grade reports will not be accepted. Transcripts must be from within the current school year. If you are enrolling into a new program, provide a copy of your most recent transcript.

• Statement of career and personal goals. 1,000 words or less.

• Financial Aid. Describe how receiving a Kirt Brooks Scholarship would financially assist you in achieving your personal, educational, and career goals. Please note that this scholarship will only directly offset your tuition. This scholarship itself cannot be used for personal expenses or housing.

• Two (2) letters of reference (non-family). Letters should be on the letterhead of the firm, school or organization involved and reference specific duties or classes taken, as well as dates. These can come from co-workers, supervisors, professors, classmates, instructors, etc. Letters must be from within the last 6 months and relevant to the scholarship application. (Scanned letters will be accepted.)

• CWEA member sponsor. Yourself or anyone you know that is a member (family, co-worker, friend, professor, etc.). You or your sponsoring member must be a current member in order to be eligible. Student memberships are $20 and you can join at join.cwea.org.

INCOMPLETE OR DISQUALIFIED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE EVALUATED.
Applications, including related documents, will be evaluated by the Scholarship Committee to determine the successful scholarship recipients. Only the current-year forms will be accepted.

Completed application form must be submitted online. Only the forms from the current year will be accepted.

• Get help from a mentor or counselor.
• Share your resume when you ask someone for a reference.
• Read the application and gather all the materials from the How To Apply section before sitting down to apply online. You can even provide them with a sample outline with key points to cover about you.

ON WHAT BASIS IS THE KIRT BROOK SCHOLARSHIP EVALUATED?

a. Verification of CWEA membership or sponsoring member.

b. Scholarship record (all inclusive).

c. Relation of Education Major and career goals to Water Environment Industry.

d. Need for financial aid. Degree of need will be considered when determining the amount awarded to qualified individuals. This information can be provided in the form of income tax information, explanation letters of hardship, etc.

e. Applicant’s personal references.

f. Verification of enrollment from the educational institution of attendance starting in the Fall. (A proof of enrollment on school letterhead is required prior to award.)

g. To qualify and be eligible for a Kirt Brooks Scholarship, applicants must maintain an overall GPA as required by their school. Applicants are not required to be “A” students.

h. Relation of occupation to the Water Environment Industry.

i. Amount of units enrolled for versus amount of hours working.

WHEN MUST APPLICATIONS BE IN?
Completed applications must be received by April 25.

WHEN WILL APPLICANTS RECEIVE NOTICE OF AWARDS?
Scholarship recipients will be notified by email in May/June.

WHEN IS THE SCHOLARSHIP EFFECTIVE AND HOW WILL PAYMENTS BE MADE?
The Scholarship is effective immediately (for the succeeding fall semester) and disbursements will be made between September 15th and October 15th, directly to the financial aid or registrar’s office at the program, college, university or trade school indicated on the application at CWEA’s discretion. Please note that this scholarship will only directly offset your tuition. This scholarship itself cannot be used for personal expenses or housing.

DOES IT AFFECT AN APPLICANT’S POTENTIAL FOR AWARD IF OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED?
It may, if the Scholarship Committee has determined that the applicant has sufficient funds for the school year, beginning in September without the Kirt Brooks Scholarship. Additionally, those who have received a Kirt Brooks Scholarship in prior years may apply, but priority will be given to applicants who have never received a scholarship from CWEA.

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2024

2023

Erin Lyn DeAngelis
Ronald Diaz
Bryan Frazier
Janeen Gordon
Miguel Gonzalez
Aaron Gilbert
Matthew Hayden
Sean Ho
Tyler Kleinsasser
Ruby Kaura
Mayra Lara
Autumn Morlock
Margaret Usher
Santiago Neri
Delbert Truong
Michael Truong
Andrea Olguin
Onja Raoelison
Ryan Shim
Algrid Sova
Olivia Tahti
Maya Roma
Victora Zellner

2022

Eliseo Bonilla
Hayley Jenkins
Tyler Kleinsasser
Xavier Vera
Norman Woods

2021

Christian White
Leslie Rios
Danielle Drake
Connie Ho
Sam Good
My Vu
Yian Sun
Natalie Carrasco
Tzipora Wagner
Casey Finnerty
Yihan Zhang
Molly Oshun
Marcus Sanchez
Patricia Macatugal

2020

Valerie Leone
Chathura Abeyrathna
Leslie Rios
Jahlen Pinelo
Marcus Joseph Sanchez
Jared Speicher
Sebastian Rossouw
Aidan Wilson

2019

Lauren Armistead
Alejandro Cerano-Lopez
Susan Hiestand
Connie Ho
Cassey Hong
Kourosh Irani
Valerie Leone
Gabriel Snook
Cole Parsons
Visala Tallavarjula

2018

Sammy Arvizu
Janelle Garabedian
Edwin Hale
Phillip Leone
Seth Rossi

CWEA’s Kirt Brooks Memorial Scholarship was named after Kirtland “Kirt” Brooks, Association Manager and Bulletin editor for several years in the 1980’s. Kirt had joined the Association in the mid-60’s and become active in the San Francisco bay section and several other northern California sections.

Kirt believed that by improving the technical qualification of operators and maintenance people, all would benefit. One of his major satisfactions was the development of what is now the Technical Certification Program. He was a key figure in encouraging the development of the program while on the Board of Governors and later its first “paid staff” to manage and process the tests – although he probably donated more time than he got paid for. Later when the idea of a scholarship program was conceived, Kirt became a member of the ad-hoc committee to define its objectives and selection criteria. He saw the scholarship as a logical extension of the Association’s basic purpose of education of its members.

For nearly thirty years, Kirt actively contributed his time, creativity and wisdom to the Association. He was so respected and loved, that, at the next Board meeting following his passing, the Board unanimously voted to name the scholarship program after him.