Research associate positions and graduate assistantship positions are often project dependent so we recommend you review the individual faculty websites. You are also encouraged to contact individual faculty members to let them know you are interested in their program. They would have the most up to date information regarding financial assistance for their projects.
Biological Systems Engineering Scholarships
Biological Systems Engineering Department offers the following scholarships thanks to a wonderful generosity of our Alumni and Friends. These scholarships make a huge difference to our graduate students. The application process for spring 2024 awards will be announced in September 2023. Please contact Joanna Dreger if you have any questions about BSE scholarships.
Arnie and Marta Kegel Fellowship
The Kegel’s interest in the WSU Biological Systems Engineering Graduate Fellowship is in recognition that there has been too much hasty development ignoring the long-range impacts and consequences to the planet’s environment.
The BSE Research Program offers a promising vehicle with potential to explore avenues that will result in new techniques to restore past damages and protect our future environment. Arnie and Marta (Fagnastol) were married in 1954, two years after they met. Despite working full-time, Arnie couldn’t graduate until 1959 because he had to take time off to make enough money for tuition. Although school was a struggle for him at times, academically and financially, Arnie has never regretted that wise decision to be trained as an Agricultural Engineer, he has always valued the solid education he received at WSC.
Two of Arnie’s three daughters even graduated from WSU. Arnie feels that the Agricultural Engineering program proved to be a perfect background for land use design; The combination mixed elements of civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, hydraulics, survey engineering with the agricultural aspects of the soils, waste management, sanitation, cropping, animal husbandry and related natural sciences.
Arnie decided to pursue this career path after being assigned to a job operating a product “receiving station,” on Bainbridge Island. Here he met with suppliers, growers, and consultants and was introduced to scheduling during a summer job at NW Berry Packers in 1951. One of the people he met was a USDA-SCS “Agricultural” Engineer from WSC who consulted growers on design and building of dams, ponds, irrigation systems, wildlife vegetation strips, crop rotations, storm drainage, and erosion control.
The Kegels know firsthand how hard it is to go to school and work. Through their experiences of struggle and later through their successful engineering business, the Kegels learned the true value of a college education. Accordingly, they are returning a bit of their good fortune to those students in need who have the potential to succeed. By establishing this fellowship, Arnie (now deceased) and Marta will help students in need attain their goals and they encourage others to become active physically and financially in supporting higher education and experiencing the joy of impacting students’ lives.
Walter and Vinnie Hinz Endowed Scholarship
Walter W. Hinz graduated from WSU in 1938 with a B.A. in Agricultural Engineering. Walt took many Civil Engineering courses as part of his professional preparation; however, he chose to give back to both areas in establishing this scholarship. As a student, Walt was active in many campus organizations: Associated Engineers, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, Sigma Tau, and College Club of the Student Cooperative Association. Vinnie Hinz (nee Butherus) and Walt met as WSU students and were married in 1940. Walt’s brother, Earl F. Hinz earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from WSU in 1943. Walt’s nephews, Mike, Marvin and David Hinz, as well as Vinnie’s brother, Edward, are also alumni. Walter and Vinnie are deceased.
Alfred D. and Genevieve E. Gallucci Scholarship
A scholarship will be given to a student with a GPA of at least 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale. He/she must have a definite financial need and have declared a major in Agricultural Engineering.
Other Funding Opportunities and Scholarships provided by WSU, CAHNRS and Graduate School
(The application process for the Graduate School’s scholarships is coordinated by our department every January)