SAN JOSE, Calif. – California Water Service Group announced it has officially opened its annual College Scholarship Program.

Eligible students residing in areas served by the utility’s California, Hawaii, and Washington subsidiaries may now apply online for one of the scholarships under the $60,000 program, which provides two $10,000 grand-prize awards and additional, smaller awards for college and higher-education expenses.

“Through the California Water Service Group Scholarship Program, we hope to support the next generation of leaders in the communities we serve,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, president and chief executive officer. “As they embark upon the next stage of their lives, we want to help young scholars who are bright, hard-working, and ambitious – those who share our commitment to making good things happen in their communities.”

To apply to the 2019 College Scholarship Program, students must be pursuing a degree in higher education 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. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement, community service, and financial need.

The annual scholarships are part of the group’s stockholder-funded philanthropic giving program and are not paid for by customers’ rates.

The program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. To date, the group has provided $300,000 in scholarships to students through the program.

To learn more about the scholarship program or to apply, California students can visit www.calwater.com/scholarship . Hawaii students may visit www.hawaiiwaterservice.com/scholarship and Washington students should go to www.wawater.com/scholarship.

The application period for the sixth annual program will close at 1 p.m. PT on Monday, June 17.

Winners will be announced in August.