Florida Student Receives AWWA Woodard & Curran Scholarship

University of Central Florida (UCF) student Paula Campesino is the 2022 recipient of the Woodard & Curran Scholarship through the AWWA scholarship program.

She received her bachelor of science and master of science in environmental engineering from UCF and plans to receive her Ph.D. from the university in May 2023.

As a graduate research assistant for Dr. Steven Duranceau’s water quality engineering research group, Campesino manages six undergraduate students and is one of the “built-in leaders” for students in the masters and Ph.D. programs. She would like to be an advocate and motivator for women and minority engineers in the water/wastewater industry.

Campesino says she has found few Hispanic female role models in her chosen career of engineering and is grateful for the scholarship from Woodard & Curran. “This support allows me to serve as a role model for future graduate students who may not see themselves represented in typical academic science, technology, engineering, and math groups and may be stressed with similar cultural dilemmas that I have faced.”

After graduation she plans to find a position at a local engineering firm where she can get more experience working on all kinds of projects, even those not necessarily focused on potable water.

The AWWA Water Equation manages the scholarship program, which includes 28 academic scholarships for students pursuing a career in the water community. Scholarship applications are available from Sept. 1 to Dec. 21, 2022, on the Water Equation website at www.awwa.org. S

Rob Little (left), with Woodard & Curran, presents a check to Paula Campesino.

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