The Community Environmental Scholars Program (CESP) is supported by two different funding sources, each with slightly different eligibility criteria. However, both scholarships are identical in terms of your experience as a student in the program. With these two sources, we are able to provide substantial scholarships to 25-30 students each semester. Here are the details:
Wisconsin CESP Scholarships
The Wisconsin CESP Scholarships (CESP WI) are funded by an ongoing grant from the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands to the Nelson Institute. Eligibility criteria include:
- Be a resident of the State of Wisconsin
- Be enrolled in the environmental studies major or certificate
- Have filed a FAFSA for the current academic year and have financial need
- Have sophomore standing to apply and junior or senior standing to receive the scholarship (preferred)
Requirements of all Scholarship Recipients
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the environmental studies program and your degree (a target GPA of 2.75).
- Enroll in a 1-credit Nelson Institute Community Environmental Scholars seminar (Environmental Studies 402) for at least three semesters in the program.
- Participate in cohort building experiences and leadership development activities throughout the year.
- Meet with the Nelson Institute undergraduate programs coordinator or your CESP-assigned advisor at least twice a semester to discuss your progress toward your degree and/or certificate.
Diversity, including that of perspectives, culture, ethnicity, economics, and background, is very important to those of us in the Community and Environmental Scholars Program. Please let us know if you identify with any of these categories or another of your own choosing:
- Heritage from an underrepresented population
- First-generation college attendee
- Disability/differently abled
- Non-traditional student
- Veteran
Funding
The CESP Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (CESP S-STEM) are funded by the National Science Foundation, under grant DUE S-STEM #1643946 and previously under DUE S-STEM #1153698.
