Grossman Scholar Spotlight: Allie Allred

Hi, my name is Allie Allred.

I am from Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I am a fifth-generation in the valley. My family moved here in the 1800s, became cattle ranchers, and developed a deep connection to the land. I am following in that deep devotion of being a good steward to the land. Along with graduating from high school this year, I was involved in a dual-enrollment program and graduated this spring from Colorado Mountain College with two Associate Degrees, with an emphasis in Sustainable Studies. I will be attending Colorado College this fall.

I will be studying biochemistry. I plan to use this degree to develop solutions to global sustainability issues. I hope to combat not just the environmental issues with sustainability, but also the social and economic issues that affect each and every person on this planet. Everything comes back to sustainability. I want to use my skills, passion, and education to improve the world we live in. The contributions I look to make in this world will start on the local level, where I can be involved while in school and work hands-on alongside those already in the fight, then move to making a difference on a global scale. I want to be part of the solution by exploring ways to be more sustainable in how we think on the local scale here in Colorado. I hope to use the science I learn in my biochemistry degree to clean up environmental disasters so that the effects are minimal in the long-term healing of the environment. I want to use this degree to improve my own skills, all while being a public steward, so I can be part of the environmental policies that are developed for improving our world.
 
I have been interested in helping save the environment for as long as I can remember, but I fully committed to being a part of the fight when I was in middle school. For one of my classes, we had to come up with a project that focused on the local watershed. I decided to tell my class about my favorite lake, Sweetwater Lake. Sweetwater is a place I grew up recreating, and is one of the largest natural lakes in Colorado, over 72 acres. A huge part of the land around the lake was private, and it was on the market to be sold. Some interested parties were water bottling companies, while others wanted to develop a golf course community. My class and I came up with the idea of fundraising and working with the groups trying to save the lake and purchase the land, so that it would, in turn, become public land. From there on, I started the ‘Save the Lake’ Club. Through our club, we held countless bake sales, sold t-shirts, researched how land became public land, presented to local conservation groups, and wrote hundreds of letters to community members and organizations. With all our hard work, we started to gain a lot of attention. We were able to raise $550, and an anonymous donor matched our fundraising amount, bringing the total we were able to donate to $1,100. This was just a small contribution towards the $3.5 million needed to purchase the land. The land was purchased by The Conservation Fund, which turned the land over to the US Forest Service. The White River National Forest is working with the State of Colorado to create Colorado’s 43rd State Park, Sweetwater Lake. I want to continue this fight for our natural resources here in Colorado.
 
One of the biggest stressors for becoming a college student is the cost of attending college. Attending Colorado College has been my dream school, but the finances play a huge role in whether or not I was going to be able to attend. This scholarship will not only help lower my stress levels but also help fill the financial gap for attending my dream school. Without the financial burden on my shoulders, I feel more confident in continuing to help the environment and community around me.

Allie is one of six students to receive VOC's Grossman Scholarship for the 2026-27 school year. VOC awards a total of $45,000 in scholarships annually to eligible Colorado residents who have demonstrated a commitment to caring for our environment's natural resources and intend to pursue post-secondary education through an accredited environmental, natural resource, climate, or outdoor industry-related education program in Colorado.