WNP scholarships
Western National Parks (WNP) seeks to reach underrepresented youth and communities and provide them access to the country’s national parks through workforce development and personal experience, making parks relevant for all. The Ernest Quintana and Marty Sterkel Education Scholarship supports young adults with a professional interest in public lands and national parks, promoting a diverse community and workforce for the future.
Ernest Quintana
Ernest Quintana and Marty Sterkel Education Scholarship
The fiscal year 2025 scholarship application cycle is now closed. The next cycle will open in late summer/early fall 2025. The information available here serves as a resource to help you familiarize yourself with the application process.
Application
- To properly prepare your scholarship application, download the application packet to review a copy of the form.
- The information supplied is limited to the space provided and submitted on the electronic form.
- A letter of recommendation for a professional reference is a required upload.
- File must be a PDF.
- Before uploading, name the file as follows: your firstname.lastname.qs | Example: john.smith.qs
Award
Two (2) scholarships in the amount of $2,500 each, will be awarded.
Eligibility
The award is open to applicants whose intended use of the scholarship and their own career goals will increase diversity in the workforce of the National Park Service, similar government agencies, or nonprofit heritage (cultural or natural) conservation organizations.
Qualified Use of Funds
This scholarship assists with college tuition, internships, or other special study opportunities relevant to park management or conservation.
Recipient Requirements
- Scholarship recipients are required to submit a final report to WNP within 60 days of the completion date stated in the application.
- Recipients will receive 95 percent of the scholarship award in advance, with the remaining 5 percent paid upon fulfillment of the final report requirement.
- Failure to meet the final report requirement within the allocated time frame will result in a forfeiture of all unpaid funds.
If you would like to review a sample of the recipient final report, download the application packet.
Selection and Notification
- Criteria for this program has been established by Western National Parks.
- Submissions will be reviewed and scored by a committee comprising WNP board members and/or the WNP executive leadership team.
- Recipients will be notified the week of February 10, 2025.
WNP fully supports diversity, equality, and inclusion. The selection process respects all individuals and ensures equal opportunity for all applications.
Submission Process
- All submissions must be completed through the WNP web portal.
- Applications received in any other format will not be accepted.
- If you do not have access to a computer and would like to submit an application, contact us.
Timeline
- Submissions open on October 1, 2024.
- Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2024, end of day.
Pepe Marcos-Iga at Tucson Festival of Books
Pepe Marcos-Iga Leadership Scholarship
This opportunity is only available to active WNP staff.
Applications for fiscal year 2025 will be accepted from October 1, 2024 until September 30, 2025, or until the allocated funding is exhausted.
Application
- To properly prepare your scholarship application, refer to the application packet for a copy of the electronic form.
- The information supplied is limited to the space provided and submitted on the electronic form.
- A letter of recommendation from a WNP manager or executive leader is a required upload.
- File must be a PDF
- Before uploading, name the file as follows: your firstname.lastname.pepe | Example: john.smith.pepe
Award
- Multiple scholarship awards are possible.
- Funding amount will vary depending on the program or certification being pursued. Therefore, there is no limit on the amount of requested funding.
Eligibility
Applicants must be employed by Western National Parks as a full or part-time team member at the time of application and award notification.
Qualified Use of Scholarship Funds
The scholarship can be used for leadership or professional development training or to support an experience, such as a job, trade, or other endeavors of inquiry, study, or another form of engagement that develops skills, knowledge, or experience relevant to the missions of WNP and the National Park Service.
Recipient Requirements
- Scholarship recipients are required to submit a final report to WNP within 60 days of the completion date stated in the application. Review the recipient final report sample in the application packet.
- Recipients will receive 95 percent of the scholarship award in advance, with the remaining 5 percent paid upon fulfillment of the final report requirement.
- Failure to meet the final report requirement within the allocated time frame will result in a forfeiture of all unpaid funds.
Selection and Notification Process
- Criteria for this program has been established by Western National Parks.
- Submissions will be reviewed in the order received and scored by an internal committee of senior leaders and directors.
- Applicants will be notified of the funding decision within 20-days from the date of submission.
Submission Process
- All submissions must be completed through the WNP web portal.
- Applications received in any other format will not be accepted.
- If you do not have access to a computer and would like to submit an application, contact us.
WNP fully supports diversity, equality, and inclusion. The selection process respects all individuals and gives all applicants equal opportunity.
Timeline
Submissions for the 2025 fiscal year funding cycle will be accepted from October 1, 2024 until September 30, 2025 or until the allocated funding is exhausted.
