Scholarship Overview

In 2024 GIS Colorado was pleased to announce four scholarships available to students exhibiting academic excellence in the following geospatial technologies fields: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), or related disciplines. Scholarships support education and research for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in accredited 2-year or 4-year Colorado colleges or universities.

In addition to the monetary award, all winners received a one year membership to GIS Colorado. Scholarship recipients who chose to present wining projects at GIS in the Rockies (as a poster or presentation) received conference registration fee paid for by GIS Colorado.

Eligibility

Undergraduate scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate excellence in the application of geospatial tools, and are intended to support student learning and experience with geospatial technologies and tools. Graduate awards are designed to support application of GIS knowledge and expertise to independent and original research. Undergraduate or graduate level status will be based on the student’s highest level of completed education. The final decision of this status is up to the Scholarship Committee and the Board of GIS Colorado.

Students must be attending an accredited 2-year or 4-year college/university, or graduate school, located in Colorado, either as a resident or as an online student. To receive scholarship funds, winners must be confirmed as full-time or part-time enrolled students during the fall semester.

Kendall is an undergraduate transfer student seeking a B.S. in Rangeland and Forest Management with an Ecological Restoration Minor at Colorado State University. He enjoys botany and is working as a fire ecology field technician for the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute over Summer 2023. Kendall hopes to pursue a graduate degree soon. He plans to further develop his skills with geospatial tools and apply them to trait-based tundra ecology research.

Jenni Kerns is a senior environmental engineering student who is passionate about GIS and environmental planning. Her non-traditional background initially led her to work in the non-profit and community development sector, where she gained invaluable experience working across diverse cultures in multiple countries. This experience influenced her decision to pursue a career centered around environmental concerns. Since returning to school, internships and research opportunities have led her to focus on utilizing GIS applications to promote sustainable environmental solutions for addressing transportation infrastructure challenges and facilitating responsible development.

Cynthia is a graduate student studying Geographic Information Systems (GIS) & Geoinformatics at Colorado School of Mines. Her academic and professional interests lie at the intersection of geospatial analysis and archaeological site research and identification. She balances graduate studies with her job as a GIS Analyst for an environmental design firm, Logan Simpson Design, Inc., where she works on the cultural resources team to identify and map archaeological sites throughout the Mountain West. Cynthia is attending Mines to learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret aerial 3-D LiDAR data to detect subsurface archaeological features, especially those that may be obscured by dense vegetation or inaccessible by foot. In particular, she is interested in the geographic distribution of Spanish colonial fortifications throughout North America and the Pacific as a lens through which to better understand the reach and impact of the Spanish Empire on the western hemisphere during the Early Modern Period (1400s-1700s). She is grateful to GIS Colorado for the scholarship opportunity and excited to get more involved with the local GIS community!