Congratulations to Christopher Alvarado and Claudia Anderson for being named the winners of the 2025 Kirt Brooks Memorial Water Environment Scholarship. Both aim to make an impact in the water sector. The scholarship supports students in or interested in the water industry who are CWEA members or sponsored by one. It helps students pursue careers in water by providing funds to offset tuition costs.
Christopher Alvarado is currently studying civil-environmental engineering at California Polytechnic University, Pomona, while Anderson works as an environmental compliance officer at the West County Wastewater Resource and Recovery Treatment facility in Richmond.
“Student expenses go up every year,” Alvarado said.
Now he won’t have to worry about getting a student loan to cover the costs of his senior year. He also appreciates the recognition gained by receiving the scholarship.
“I was so happy to be notified that I had received it,” he says. “It was pretty cool.”
Christopher is preparing for his career in water environment by interning this summer at PACE, a civil and environmental firm in Fountain Valley. His work focuses on municipal water and wastewater applications.
He is also involved in a student project designing a wastewater treatment and water recycling facility for the campus. He says it’s based on a similar student project at the University of Texas at Austin.
Christopher has been a member of the CWEA for about a year and says he gets a lot out of the organization, including exposure to scholarship opportunities, networking with other students, and learning about other opportunities through the CWEA magazine.
He is excited about pursuing a career in engineering and consulting after he graduates, aiming to earn a senior position in the field.
“I’m passionate about it,” he says of the profession. “It’s the kind of work I want to do.”
Christopher encourages other students to get involved in CWEA and apply for scholarships.
“If you think a lot of other students are applying, you might be surprised,” he says. “You could be selected.”
Claudia Anderson also encourages others to “go for it.” She plans to use the scholarship to help cover tuition costs while pursuing a degree in water and wastewater technology at Solano Community College in Fairfield.
“And it’s not just the money,” she says of the award. “It’s also the acknowledgement by the CWEA and scholarship supporters that they want people to go into the clean water and sustainable waste management profession.”
While Claudia’s job as an environmental compliance inspector at West County Wastewater keeps her busy, she is also the mother of three daughters and helps care for her mom while attending school part-time.
Her current position is just one step on a ladder she’s been climbing and has plans to go even higher.
“I started out in the public sector working for the state in the immunization records department, helping to triage vaccines during the 2009 global H1N1 pandemic, and then joined West County Wastewater as a secretary in 2013,” she says.
She moved up to an administrative assistant and then to the environmental compliance inspector position two years ago, with the support and development assistance from executive leaders and peers within her organization. Last spring, she earned her water and wastewater technology certification. Her long-term goals are to earn her degree as well as her ECI Grade 2 Certification through CWEA and become a senior environmental compliance inspector.
She says her CWEA membership “opens doors” for her and helps her learn more and develop professionally. People she’s met through the association have helped her build confidence and encouraged her to aim high in the clean water profession.
“What we do is amazing and very rewarding,” she says. “It gives me a good feeling that I’m helping protect a valuable resource for our community and future generations.”
The scholarship honors the memory of Kirt Brooks, who for over 30 years shared his time, creativity, and wisdom with the Association. His vision focused on enhancing the technical qualifications of operators and maintenance personnel, understanding that this would benefit everyone. You can support students by donating through the CWEA website at kbs.cwea.org. Applications for the 2026-27 academic year are now being accepted. Deadline to apply is January 12.
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