News release
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, in partnership with the Association of California Water Agencies, announced that the 2025 Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach Scholarship has been awarded to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student Jade Meichtry.
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 proud to partner with ACWA and fund the Gladbach Scholarship to carry on the work Jerry started and help develop the next generation of California’s water leaders,” SCV Water Board President Maria Gutzeit said in a news release. “We congratulate Jade on earning this scholarship and we look forward to tracking her rise in the industry.”
Meichtry, from San Luis Obispo County, is a bioresource and agricultural engineering (BRAE) student at Cal Poly and is a passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture, water resource management and community empowerment, the release said.
A mother of five children, ages 14-20, she is also an avid community volunteer and has served on multiple advisory boards, including for organizations supporting student-parents, veterans and women in education, the release said.
Upon earning her degree, Meichtry’s goal is to design innovative and resilient water systems that help California’s farmers adapt to water scarcity while protecting the environment and supporting rural communities – a mission that benefits all California residents, the release said.
“As a first-generation college student studying bioresource and agricultural engineering, my dream is to design innovative water systems that protect our resources while sustaining local farms,” Meichtry said in the release. “The Edward G. ‘Jerry’ Gladbach Scholarship empowers me to continue this work to bring sustainable change to California’s agricultural future.”
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, visit ACWA’s scholarships page at www.acwa.com/about/scholarships.
