Scholarships & Funding Opportunities

This annual scholarship was established in 2002 by Bess Fosse's grandson in her memory. Bess Fosse (1905. In the 1950s, she taught her grandchildren to appreciate nature, eat wholesome foods and conserve natural resources, "so there will be something for your grandchildren." Her great-grandson graduated from Huxley in 2001. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide support for a full time undergraduate student who is a declared major in Environmental Studies Department in the College of the Environment at Western Washington University. 

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: preference to be made to applicants who plan to work in a field that benefits the environment as determined by the selection committee. All candidates being equal, financial need may be a consideration. The scholarship is not limited to only applicants with financial need. 

This endowed scholarship was established in 1995 to recognize Al Swift’s 16 years of leadership on behalf of positive environmental policy in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Incoming College of the Environment senior from WWU’s main campus. Applicants who have experienced personal struggles (single parent, caregiver, health issues, financial hardships, etc.) or provided service to our country, and demonstrate academic/research excellence should be considered.

This generous $12,000 scholarships is intended for an incoming College of the Environment senior from WWU’s Western on the Peninsulas locations. Applicants who have experienced personal struggles (single parent, caregiver, health issues, financial hardships, etc.) or provided service to our country, and demonstrate academic/research excellence should be considered.

This endowed scholarship was established in 1995 and honors Cecil William Westman by supporting “students who are learning how to care for our precious earth.” One of the joys of Westman’s life was trout fishing and backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It saddened him to hear of the damage done by too many people.

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: Statement should include outlining commitment to conservation of public land and preservation of the natural environment and applicant's related career plans.

Formerly the Mary Ruggles Scholarship, this annual scholarship was established in 1971 by The Chuckanut District Garden Club comprised of garden clubs in Whatcom, Skagit, and Island counties and is awarded to deserving College of the Environment students.

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: GPA of 3.0 or higher. Financial need. Statement should include a description of applicant’s community involvement.

If you would like to donate to this scholarship, please visit the donation page!

This endowed scholarship was established in 1991 and honors the legacy and personal goals of Gary Gray, a Huxley College of the Environment student who lost his life in an avalanche on Mt. Baker. The scholarship is intended for an Environmental Studies/Journalism major with a desire to fulfill the mission of environmental photography as defined by Gray: “The environmental photographer’s goal is to reawaken the environmental consciousness we, as humans, all inherit.”

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: College of the Environment undergraduate student with special interest, aptitude, and aspiration in photography. Statement should include applicant’s plans to use photography as a tool for environmental advocacy.

This annual scholarship was established in 2006 by IEME to aid students studying emergency management planning at College of the Environment.

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: College of the Environment undergraduate student with an interest in disaster risk reduction. Statement should include an outline of applicant’s interest in the emergency management field. 

Outstanding academic candidate pursuing a degree in environmental science who is the first generation in family to pursue a college degree or who is from an underrepresented population. Candidates must submit the College of the Environment scholarship application and a one-page essay describing why they have chosen this path and how it relates to their goals.

The MDU Resources Foundation Scholarship is intended to benefit College of the Environment students from communities served by Cascade Natural Gas Corporation. Recipients must be a sophomore from Western Washington with a 3.0 GPA or higher and majoring in Energy Studies, Environmental Studies or Environmental Science.

This endowed scholarship was established in 1985 in memory of Richard Brian Whitmire, a Huxley College of the Environment student whose focus was terrestrial ecosystems. Whitmire worked in reforestation for six years prior to coming to Huxley College.

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: College of the Environment undergraduate student in Environmental Science. Senior standing (135 credits) by fall quarter of academic year of award. GPA of 3.0 or higher. Financial need. Statement should include a description of applicant’s interest in terrestrial ecology.

This endowed scholarship was established to provide scholarship support for students in good standing who are enrolled at College of the Environment at Western Washington University who are pursuing a degree to prepare for a career in wildlife biology. To be eligible to receive this scholarship, students must show academic promise and have a demonstrated need for financial support.

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: College of the Environment student preparing for career in wildlife biology. Financial need. GPA 3.0 or higher. Statement should include description of how student is preparing for a career in wildlife biology.

This annual scholarship was established in 1973 by the State Federation of Garden Clubs, which comprises all local and regional garden clubs in Washington.

Scholarship-Specific Criteria: GPA of 3.0 or higher. Legal resident of Washington State. Financial need. Statement should include a description of applicant’s community service, good character, and demonstrated ability.

College of the Environment student who is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Preference given to student of non-traditional age who has worked while attending college. Statement should include description of service in the U.S. Armed Forces as well as employment held while attending college.

This scholarship was established in 1974 by Robert and Marilyn Monahan in memory of their son, Patrick. The open and perpetual fund has continued to grow through a succession of gifts from Robert and Marilyn Monahan, friends of the family, and Geography graduates.

Application

Award Amount: One or more scholarships with a $1,000 minimum award amount.

Eligibility: Students must be full-time undergraduate College of the Environment student declared as a major or pre-major in one of the following majors:

• Environmental Studies-Geography Emphasis, BA  
• Environmental Studies-Geographic Information Science Emphasis, BA  
• Geography—Elementary, BAE  
• Geography/Social Studies, BA
• Geography, BA 

Qualifications: Undergraduate Geography major with strong potential for contributions and leadership in the field of Geography shall be major factors for awarding scholarship funds. Academic achievement and financial need are also important considerations.

For more information, contact the ENVS office at 360-650-3284

The purpose of this fund is to provide an annual scholarship of $10,000 to a student of the College of the Environment and is renewable, if student is in good standing, for up to 4 years. Preference will be made to applicants who are, in descending order of priority:

• Preference for registered member of Federally Recognized Coast Salish Tribe.
• Financial Need.

A College of the Environment pre-major is a WWU student who has expressed interest in becoming a College of the Environment major and is being advised by our professional advising staff. This scholarship can either serve as an Admissions Scholarship for first year or transfer students, or for current College of the Environment majors or pre-majors as a retention scholarship.

This scholarship is awarded to an incoming student who plans to major in one of the College of the Environment's degree programs and who have significant financial need. This award covers $1,000 per year in tuition and fees, as funds are available. Each award is renewable—with demonstrated excellence in Western's College of the Environment preparation—for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students. 

This scholarship is awarded to students who are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe who possess an interest in Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, or Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy. The award covers up to $3,000 per year in tuition and fees. It is renewable—with demonstrated excellence in Western's College of the Environment preparation—for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students. 

This scholarship provides support for students in good academic standing who have demonstrated an interest or have been admitted to the College of the Environment. The award covers up to $2,300 per year in tuition and fees. It is renewable—with demonstrated excellence in Western's College of the Environment preparation—for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students.  

This scholarship is awarded to an entering student transferring to Western Washington University from a Washington state community college. The award covers up to $2,600 per year in tuition and fees for two years of consecutive study at Western, with demonstrated excellence in working towards a degree at the College of the Environment. 

The purpose of the Bliss Family Academic Scholarship is to provide support for students in good standing who are incoming freshmen who have been accepted to Western and are seeking admission to the College of the Environment. To be eligible to receive this scholarship, students must show academic promise and have a demonstrated need for financial support. Preference is also given to students who are members of an underrepresented population and/or are first generation college-bound students.

For more information, contact the Honors College Office directly at College Hall 007, (360) 650-3034.

The Dean’s Fund for Sustainability was established to support scholarly projects or activities that focus on sustainability. Awards from this fund can be used to offset a wide variety of costs including registration fees and travel expenses to attend conferences, professional meetings or competitions.

The dean’s office will determine the amount of funds available at the beginning of the academic year and inform each department of their allocated amount. The College of the Environment Extensions program will also be given an allocation.

Application Process and Criteria

The Dean and Sandy Blinn Travel & Research Fund endowment was established by Dean and Sandra Blinn to celebrate the success of the College of the Environment and to support faculty-mentored student research. Funds are intended to support student research expenses with priority given for student travel to state and/or national meetings to present research. If no student is deemed eligible in a given academic year, funds may be awarded to support expenses for a faculty member to present their research at a state and/or national meeting.

Application Guidelines: Undergraduate and Graduate students may apply. Students may only apply for this fund one time per conference/meeting presentation. The fund application is available once per quarter for three quarters, fall, winter and spring. One student will be selected for each quarter. You may apply for this fund in the quarter prior to the quarter in which you will present work at a conference, thereby procuring potential funding well in advance of your conference date. 

Accepted Use of Funds: This fund can be used for the following expenses:

• Conference registration
• Travel-related expenses (i.e. air fare, bus fare, state rate mileage for use of personal vehicle, per diem meals, per diem hotel/motel, etc.)

Restrictions:

• Maximum award for each recipient is $500.00.
• Funds to be used for travel to present faculty-sponsored research
• You are welcome to submit applications for and combine monies from other scholarships and grants to supplement this award for your conference and travel expense.
• This funding requires a University Travel Authorization, before travel and a Travel Expense Report, including receipts after travel. One Travel Authorization and one Travel Expense Report per student per trip regardless of multiple funding sources.

Application Process:

1. Provide a copy of your research abstract.
2. Detailed travel budget:
   • Name, date, and location of conference.
   • Total amount required and total amount requesting.
   • Itemized breakdown of travel expense, items and amounts already funded by other sources; specify sources and contact information.
   • Pending funding requests – specify source.   Amounts requested or soon to be requested from other sources
3. Submit all application materials using the link below. 
   • Funding decisions will be made by the Scholarship, Research, and Creative Opportunities Committee (SRCO)  approximately two weeks after application submission.
   • If you are a recipient your travel arrangements must be made by scheduling an appointment with the Department Manager of ESCI, ENVS, or UEPP.
4. All travel receipts must be submitted to the Department Manager immediately following travel.

Western Washington University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all programs and activities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, Vietnam-era or disabled veteran status. 

Application

The purpose of this student support fund is to provide support for Senior Thesis or Project work for upper division undergraduate students in the College of the Environment. Preference to be made to applicants who demonstrate outstanding academic merit, a cumulative GPA of not less than 3.2, and demonstrate intent to dedicate their career to improve environmental water quality.

The student support fund may be used to pay any costs related to their Senior Thesis or Project work, including, but not limited to research related expenses, field work related expenses, conference registration.

Application Deadline: 04/21/2024 at 11:59pm PT.

Application: Steve Liming Scholarship Application.pdf

Enrolled graduate or undergraduate students of College of the Environment may apply for the Tommy Gaines Research Stipend (TGRS) to conduct or apply research in or about the Canyon Lake and Kenney Creek watersheds, located 27 miles east of Bellingham. Research opportunities are varied and include ecology, biology, hydrology, geomorphology, forestry, natural resource policy and regulation, environmental education, land use and management, and others. This fund was made available by Canyon Lake community members and other generous donors.

Application Deadline: Applications are accepted anytime during the academic year when funds are available. 

Application: TGRS_Application_11-29-16-rev.pdf

Award Amount: $1,000. Email the scholarship coordinator for fund availability.