Minimum Requirements
Applicants for the CalGeo Scholarship Program must meet the following eligibility requirements:
  1. Enrollment
    • Enrolled in an undergraduate engineering or geological program and scheduled to enter their sophomore, junior, senior, or fifth year in a California undergraduate program in the fall of 2026. (Up to three awards for $3,000 each available); OR
    • Enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate engineering or geological program and scheduled to enter a California graduate program in the fall of 2026. (Up to three awards for $3,000 each available); AND
    • All award recipients need to submit proof of enrollment prior to receiving funds.
  2. Currently pursuing a career as a geoprofessional.

Additional Conditions
  • No student may receive more than two awards from CalGeo’s scholarship fund over their lifetime. Previous scholarship recipients must reapply to be eligible for a second award.
  • All recipients must remain students at least half-enrolled, in good standing at a California university or college during the year for which the award is received.
Application Requirements
To qualify as an applicant for the CalGeo Scholarship Program, a student must provide the following:
  1. A completed application, including responses to short essay questions, must be submitted by December 31, 2025.
  2. A school transcript, which can be emailed to Sidney Bowen: sid@calgeo.org, must be submitted by December 31, 2025. The transcript must include Fall Semester 2025 or Fall Quarter 2025 grades. (NOTE: If transcripts are delayed beyond December 31, they must be submitted immediately when the school makes them available.)
Applications should be as complete as possible. Each portion of the application has a specific point value. Judges will score each section separately. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Responses to the short answer essay questions should be typed or neatly printed. Points may be lost for poor grammar, incorrect spelling, illegibility, lack of neatness, or lack of originality. Please proofread carefully.
SCORING — 100 Points Total
Transcripts: 10 points
Transcripts must be submitted via email to Sidney Bowen: sid@calgeo.org through the electronic transcript process. Transcripts must include Fall Semester 2025 or Fall Quarter 2025 grades. Unofficial or web-downloaded free versions will be accepted.

Cumulative Grade Point Average: 15 points
Total cumulative grade point average should be provided on a 4.0 scale.

Financial Need: 15 points
CalGeo will review your financial need as a component of this application.

Employment History: 10 points
Work experience will be limited to the last three years prior to the date of the application (five years for current geoprofessionals). List your most recent work experience first and include any jobs held during high school if within the three-year period.

Indicate the year in school during which you held a particular position. Indicate if your work experience was in the form of work-study, co-op, or practicum. Clearly identify the nature of the business of the listed employers; in particular, consultant or contractor. Be complete and accurate. List additional experience on a separate sheet and attach if necessary. The more complete the listing of your experience, the higher your potential score.

Short Answer Essay Questions: 50 points
Maximum word count of 300 words per question. Each question is worth 10 points for a total of 50 points. Usually, the more detail you provide, the higher your score will be.

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* 1. General Information

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* 2. If you win a scholarship, will you be able to attend CalGeo's Annual Conference on April 8-10, 2026, at JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert? Winners will be awarded a $500 travel stipend for Conference.
Your answer to this question will not affect your chances of being awarded a scholarship.

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* 3. 2026-2027 University Information
Note what your status will be in Fall 2026 and the university at which you will be enrolled.

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* 4. Current / Most Recent University Information

Transcripts (10 Points)
List your most recent to least recent academic history. Do not list your current enrollment here as this has already been handled above.

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* 5. Previous College/University

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* 6. Previous College/University

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* 7. Previous College/University

Grade Point Average (15 Points)

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* 8. Current / Most Recent Grade Point Average (GPA) on a Four-Point Scale

Financial Need (15 Points)

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* 9. Please check the box which best describes the combined adjusted gross income (AGI) of your parent(s) or guardian(s) who help support your education. If you self-finance your education, please select your own AGI.

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* 10. Including yourself, how many dependents of your parent(s) or guardian(s) who support your education will be attending a college or university next year? If you self-finance, list this number for yourself.

Employment History (10 Points)
Use as many sections below as needed, up to five positions. List most recent to least recent history. List all work history that ended on or after January 1, 2023.

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* 11. Employment

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* 12. Employment

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* 13. Employment

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* 14. Employment

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* 15. Employment

Short Answer Essay Questions (50 Points - 10 Points Each)
Responses should be no longer than 300 words per question. We recommend typing your response in a separate document and then pasting it here.

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* 16. Describe your involvement in on-campus clubs, especially the student CalGeo and/or ASCE chapter, if applicable. Describe any leadership roles you have held including details of the duties performed. If you have not held an officer position, describe the events, meetings and/or volunteer opportunities you have participated in as an active member.

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* 17. Describe your coursework related to geotechnical engineering and/or geology, any previous jobs you have had, and how these experiences have helped prepare you to be a geoprofessional. If no geotechnical or geological coursework has been completed, describe your other engineering coursework.

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* 18. Describe how a $3,000 scholarship would assist you with your education.

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* 19. Describe any other activity or involvement on campus or in the community. Include any leadership roles you may have held in relation to these activities.

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* 20. Describe why you are interested in becoming a geoprofessional.

PERMISSION TO RELEASE OR VALIDATE INFORMATION

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* 21. Signature
By digitally signing this application with my full digital signature below, I authorize CalGeo to confirm and/or release any information included on this application. In digitally signing this application, I understand that my full digital signature has the same effect as a manually written signature.

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* 22. Date

Date

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