James B. Warner Water Studies Scholarship 

The James B. Warner Water Studies Scholarship was established by the Rocky Mountain Section AWWA encouraging young professionals to seek higher education in a water-related field. James B. Warner, Chair of the Section (1970-71) served in key leadership roles, including mentoring and encouraging young people.

Application Rules, Eligibility & Selection Criteria:

  • The applicant must be a current member (at least a student member) of RMSAWWA. Membership information available here. Contact RMSAWWA for assistance and/or questions.  
  • The applicant must be a student who will be at least a junior in the next fall term, pursuing a degree at an accredited college or university in the states of Colorado, New Mexico or Wyoming, and planning to live in one of those states upon graduation.
  • The fields of study applicable for this scholarship include, but are not limited to: water science, water management, water resources and water-related engineering.
  • A personal resume and college transcript must be uploaded via the applicant's online scholarship application form.
  • Scholarship funds will be provided directly to the educational institution, and must be used for tuition, books, or fees within ONE YEAR of award.
  • Scholarship awardees will receive a letter of acceptance from RMSAWWA requesting student ID number and university/ college address for receipt of the funds. Students must sign in agreement that the funding will be sent to the institution. Scholarship funds must be used within one year or they are returned to RMSAWWA.
  • The Section Executive Director will administer the funds.
  • Immediate family members of RMSAWWA staff and Governing Board are not eligible to receive scholarship funds.
  • Acceptance of scholarship constitutes permission to use recipient's name and school.
  • The 2026 Warner Scholarship will be $4,000.

APPLY NOW FOR 2026 SCHOLARSHIP


Application Deadline: Monday, June 1st, 2026 - 5:00 PM MST

 

DONATING TO THE JAMES B. WARNER SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Following the family's wishes, donations can be made to the non-endowed scholarship fund.

Donations should be made out to:

Rocky Mountain Section American Water Works Association
CSU Spur, Hydro Building
4777 National Western Drive
Denver, CO 80216
 

 

2025 Scholarship Winners

Kayla Ketterling, University of Wyoming

Kayla recently earned her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Wyoming, and she is now continuing her academic journey by pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering. Her graduate research focuses on osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO) to treat produced water from oil and gas operations–an innovative approach aimed at improving water recovery and sustainability in Wyoming. Kayla's career goal is to become a consulting engineer specializing in water and wastewater treatment, with a focus on process engineering and designing efficient, reliable systems. 

 

 

 

Jaimie Ritchie, University of New Mexico

Jaimie is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Water Resources at the University of New Mexico, with a focus on Hydrology and Water Policy. Her academic and professional interests center on addressing water scarcity in New Mexico through a balance of innovative approaches and historically informed practices. Jaimie is particularly passionate about preserving acequia systems and their cultural significance by encouraging continued community involvement in water management, while also advancing solutions such as green stormwater infrastructure. Her career goal is to become the State Engineer of New Mexico, overseeing the management and distribution of the state’s water resources to ensure long-term resilience and prosperity. Following completion of her master’s degree, Jaimie plans to pursue a Professional Engineer (P.E.) license and apply her engineering background to develop infrastructure solutions that reduce water use while fostering healthy, vibrant communities across the state.

 


Past Scholarship Winners

James B. Warner Water Studies Scholarship 
2024 – Emma Wilder, University of Colorado 
2023 – Aron Griffin, Colorado School of Mines
2023 – Breanna Hayes, Colorado School of Mines
2022 – Ayush Shahi, University of Colorado-Boulder
2022 – Christophe Wakamya, Colorado State University 
2021 – Anthony Pimentel, University of Colorado-Boulder
2021 – Mirmehdi Seyyedi, University of Wyoming 

James B. Warner Associates Scholarship 
2021 – Henry Asare, Emily Griffith Technical College 

View Past Scholarship Winners