SCV Water, in partnership with the Association of California Water Agencies, is proud to announce that the 2024 Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach Scholarship has been awarded to California State University, San Marcos student Krisha Pedraza.

Established in honor of the late Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach, a past ACWA president, SCV Water vice president, and longtime local, state, and national water leader, this annual ACWA Scholarship Program awards $2,500 to one qualified undergraduate student majoring in engineering, agricultural and/or urban water supply, environmental studies, public administration, or other water-resource-related fields.

“We are thankful to ACWA for partnering with SCV Water to honor Jerry’s legacy through this annual scholarship. This award will continue to have a positive impact on future water leaders in the same way that Jerry inspired so many,” said Gary Martin, president, SCV Water Board. “We congratulate Krisha and look forward to all the future holds.”

Pedraza is a junior at CSU San Marcos and is majoring in Environmental Studies. She is a first-generation college student whose parents immigrated from the Philippines as teenagers, and strives to represent voices that may not often reach the surface. Through the Environmental Studies program at CSUSM, Pedraza has a passion for protecting California’s natural resources and healing the communal relationship with the land and one another. Upon graduation, Pedraza wishes to work alongside others to ensure natural rights for all.

“I’m beyond thankful to SCV Water and ACWA for the opportunity to be awarded the Edward G. ‘Jerry’ Gladbach Scholarship. It means the world to be as I continue my education. I’ve had to stop and start higher education many times due to hardship and affordability,” Pedraza said. “Instability often imparted psychological roadblocks while wayfinding to be of service in a world so rigidly structured by economy. My father was the breadwinner of our six-person immediate family and with his passing went my safety net, so this scholarship will allow me to give back in a way that makes the most of my time here on our planet. I hope to enter an industry that allows me to build on the material I’m learning at CSUSM, participate in society in fruitful ways, and uphold the dignity of our less-visible communities.”

The Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach Scholarship is awarded through the ACWA Scholarship Program to a full-time undergraduate student attending an accredited University of California or California State University. Scholarship applications are open from late December through March 1 each year for the following academic year. For a list of qualifications and eligibility requirements, and a link to the online application system, please visit ACWA’s scholarships page at www.acwa.com/about/scholarships.

###

About SCV Water:

The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 75,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on January 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider. More information can be found at yourSCVwater.com. For more information, contact Kevin Strauss, SCV Water communications manager, at kstrauss@scvwa.org.