We empower students to foster community transitions to ecologically resilient, economically sustainable and socially-just energy, food, water and land-use systems. Our students have monitored forests on snowshoes, managed a campus organic farm, addressed climate change and collaborated with diverse global communities.
Tackling the environmental challenges of the twenty-first century.
The most serious environmental problems of our time have the potential to change the course of life as we know it. Issues like global warming, toxic waste, water and air pollution and diminishing energy supplies threaten our future–if we don’t have the leadership and expertise to counteract it.
The Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability offers a truly experiential and personalized education that focuses on interdisciplinary learning, global networks of place-based change, cultural inclusivity and cross-boundary environmental stewardship. We cultivate the environmental leaders that our natural world needs.
Focused on the future
Master of Science in Ecology student, Courtney King, gazes through a telescope at bighorn sheep during her Wildlife Techniques Class.
Clark SES Network
Connecting people and organizations worldwide.
Master in Environment Management (MEM) students have completed over 80,000 hours of projects serving community organizations across Colorado, the American West, and as far as Kenya, the Himalayas and Costa Rica. Together, faculty researchers, student project leaders and thought leaders come together at Western Colorado University to tackle the most pressing environmental issues of our time.
Sustaining growth
MEM students, Cassidy Cichowicz and Aubrey Schoff, visit Castle Valley, Utah to connect with local stakeholders and learn about sustainable food and energy practices.
Giving
Help students cultivate their future.
How can students from a small liberal arts university in the heart of the Rockies find ways to combat global climate change? How can generations of students dedicate their talent, vision and energy to help build socially and ecologically resilient communities internationally? These are the questions that inspired us to launch the Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability. We invite you to help support our mission by donating to our capital campaign that provides scholarships for MEM students.
Learn MoreScholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities*. This platform houses over 300+ school-specific and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Access to apply for scholarships through the portal is open through April 1.
Check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
*Please note these opportunities are only open to undergraduate students. Graduate students are encouraged to consider our program fellowship opportunities.
Find your scholarships!Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities*. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Access to apply for scholarships through the portal is open through April 1.
Check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
*Please note these opportunities are only open to undergraduate students. Graduate students are encouraged to consider our program fellowship opportunities.
Find your scholarships!Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 1 for 2023. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability
Dean
John C. Hausdoerffer, Ph.D.Dean, Clark Family School of Environment & Sustainability
Program Facilitator
Lindsay DolezalProgram Facilitator - Clark Family School
Campus Location
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81230
