SAN JOSE, Calif., July 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its commitment to investing in the communities it serves, California Water Service Group (Group) (NYSE: CWT) has awarded $80,000 in scholarships to students living in its California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Washington service areas for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Out of more than 300 applicants, winners were selected based on outstanding academic achievement, community service, and financial need. To date, Group has awarded $600,000 in scholarships to students through its nine-year-old annual college scholarship program.

Four grand-prize recipients were each awarded $10,000 scholarships:

• Bradley B., of Redondo Beach, Calif., will attend Yale University and study molecular biophysics and biochemistry.
• Alexander F., of Bakersfield, Calif., will study human rights and dance at Columbia University.
• Esteban G., from Los Angeles, Calif., will attend Princeton University and study music and biomedical engineering.
• Megan S., of Visalia, Calif., will attend the University of California, Los Angeles to study physiological science.

Eight additional winners received $5,000 each:

• Ye'ela B., from Los Altos, Calif., will study design at the University of California, Davis.
• WeiHuan C., from Stockton, Calif., attends Stanford University and is majoring in human biology.
• Anna G., from Chico, Calif., will attend Lewis and Clark College for environmental studies.
• Finn M., of Lahaina, Hawaii, will attend the University of Colorado, Boulder and study architecture.
• Charley N., from Bakersfield, Calif., will attend the University of California, Los Angeles and major in political science and business economics.
• Elizabeth R., from Belen, N.M., attends the University of New Mexico and studies business administration and organizational leadership.
• Regan S., of Chico, Calif., is majoring in biochemistry at Earlham College.
• Ashton T., of Olalla, Wash., will attend Southern Utah University to study aviation.

"Every year, we are increasingly impressed by the quality of our scholarship applicants and their aspirations to make the world a better place through their commitment to academia, public policy, health, engineering, and more,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, President and Chief Executive Officer. “It is a privilege to help the young people in our service areas obtain a higher education as part of our promise to provide quality, service, and value, and we look forward to seeing their accomplishments in the years ahead.”

The next scholarship cycle will open in the spring of 2023 for students entering or continuing higher education in the fall of 2023. To be eligible for a scholarship, students must live in one of Group’s service areas and plan to enroll in a full-time, undergraduate study program at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the upcoming academic year. To learn more about the program, please visit the scholarship information webpage at learnmore.scholarsapply.org/calwaterscholarships. 

The scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Scholarships are funded by California Water Service Group’s stockholders, not ratepayers, as part of Group’s philanthropic giving program. 

About California Water Service Group
California Water Service Group is the parent company of California Water Service, Hawaii Water Service, New Mexico Water Service, Washington Water Service, and Texas Water Service, a utility holding company. Together, these companies provide regulated and non-regulated water service to more than 2 million people in California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Texas, and Hawaii. California Water Service Group’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CWT.” Additional information is available online at www.calwatergroup.com.

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310-257-1434

California Water Service Group