Commissioners' Engineering Scholarship Program

WSSC Water offers annual scholarships to college students majoring in engineering fields that are vital to the work of WSSC Water.

Get on the mailing list!

About the Scholarship

WSSC Water offers annual scholarships to college students majoring in engineering fields vital to its mission. Named in honor of former Commissioners Joyce Starks and Gene W. Counihan, the goal of the scholarship program is to provide financial assistance to students from WSSC Water’s service district in furtherance of their engineering studies and encourage applicants/winners to consider careers in the water and water resource recovery industry; preferably, at WSSC Water.

Two scholarships for $2,000 each may be awarded: one to a Prince George’s County resident and one to a Montgomery County resident. Winners are eligible for additional awards of $2,000 each year for up to four consecutive years as long as they meet residency and grade point average requirements. Winners also receive priority consideration for paid summer internship opportunities at WSSC Water.

Eligibility

To qualify, students must:

complete an application by Saturday, February 15, 2025;
provide proof of permanent residency in WSSC Water’s service district; and
be enrolled* full-time in a degree program at an accredited college or university that leads to an engineering degree in one of the following areas: Civil Engineering (i.e., Environmental, Sanitary, Structural, Geotechnical, Water Resources, Fire Protection, Transportation, Project Management, Construction Management); Electrical Engineering; Material Science and Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering or Computer Science/Engineering. *High school seniors who have been accepted into such a program are eligible; proof of acceptance/enrollment must accompany application materials.

2025 Application Process

The following steps must all be completed to apply for the scholarship.

Essay (see topics below) between 500 to 1,000 words.
Video Introduction/Infomercial. Tell us who you are and why you’re the best candidate for the scholarship. Video should be no longer than five minutes.
Official Transcript (high school seniors must submit their official high school transcript along with proof of acceptance/enrollment into a qualifying engineering program).
Two Reference Letters.
Proof of Permanent Residency in WSSC Water Service District. Acceptable forms of documentation: Copy of driver’s license, voter registration card or other government-issued ID, reflecting your permanent residency in either Prince George’s or Montgomery County, Maryland.

2025 Essay Topics

Students are to pick one of the three following topics for a 500- to 1,000-word essay:

The water sector faces mounting pressures to fix infrastructure without increasing customer costs. Innovation and technology will be vital in dealing with scarcity and safety, water efficiency, utility operations, monitoring and treatment and data and analytics. How can utilities test and adopt promising new technologies without passing the cost to customers or creating unintended risks or consequences for the utility?
When planning future service provision, it is crucial to ensure equal access to adequate and affordable water for all users, especially marginalized communities. Persons with disabilities, for example, may have underlying health conditions that make them particularly vulnerable when there is inadequate or unaffordable access to water. Discuss the relationship between natural resources and service provision and how WSSC Water can promote social inclusion while maintaining the economic efficiency necessary to maintain its water systems now and in the future.
Explore the environmental impact of PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) and propose innovative solutions for sustainable water management. Address one of the following:

A. How can individuals, communities or businesses contribute to minimizing the presence of PFAS in water sources and promote environmental stewardship?

B. How can utilities stay ahead of and ensure they meet the requirements for PFAS and emerging chemicals in drinking water and wastewater?

Submission Deadline: Saturday, February 15, 2025.

The online application opened on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Click here to access the online application. You may also submit your application package by U.S. Mail to: Julianne Montes de Oca, Corporate Secretary, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, 14501 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, MD 20707. Mailed applications must be postmarked by Saturday, February 15, 2025. For mailed applications, please submit the video on a flash drive.

Note: If you cannot upload your transcript or letters of recommendation, please have your school or recommender send the letters by mail to the Corporate Secretary at the above-listed address or by email to julianne.montesdeoca@wsscwater.com.