and I would like to thank VOC for their generous contribution in order to further my education at Colorado School of Mines this fall. Throughout my time living in rural Durango, Colorado, I have worked for a compost company, surveyed natural habitats, and participated in homeless camp cleanups. Through my experiences, I have noticed first-hand the increasing need for public participation in outdoor stewardship activities. And, with my passion for sustainability, I am excited to pursue an Environmental Engineering degree focused in renewable energy studies. Without the Grossman Scholarship, I would not have chosen to attend the top engineering school in Colorado. VOC has supported my decision to further my education in a setting with the caliber of knowledge about environmental studies I want to be a part of. 

Living in Durango for 18 years has prompted me to become an outdoorsman. I regularly engage in various activities from white water rafting to trail running to mushroom hunting. I thoroughly enjoy spending time relaxing by the river or scaling fourteeners for fun. However, I find the most fulfillment in the outdoors when I give back to the earth in the simplest ways by planting trees, picking up litter, and teaching others how to leave no trace. Learning about soil restoration and small-scale crop production through my time working at Table to Farm Compost Company, I have expanded my knowledge to cultivate my own fruits and vegetables in sustainable ways. Thereafter, I convinced my family to buy local crops when possible, minimize meat consumption, and conserve energy in our household. 

My intended focus of study in renewable energy stemmed from my work this summer as a land surveyor for natural gas companies in southwest Colorado. After working alongside a team of engineers, plotting land throughout the county for future construction of gas pipelines, wellheads, and extended gas pads, I realized how large the negative impact of commercial fossil fuel extraction/production really is. Due to the current consumer demand for gas, and the need for domestic production, gas companies across the nation are drilling in more remote locations with more new wellheads than during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of low demand for gas. Consequently, a larger portion of forests and natural habitats are being overtaken for fracking, construction of compression stations and pipelines. Plus, the rising demand for gas continues to push annual CO2 emissions above the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposed emission reduction goals. 

I have witnessed the inevitable environmental destruction from fossil fuel extraction, despite efforts to limit emissions by banning venting and flaring, piping CO2 into underground chambers, and improved fuel refining methods. So, my mission through an environmental engineering degree is to develop more affordable, efficient, and effective ways to harness free energy from the sun, wind, water, and other natural resources that take up less land and emit little to no greenhouse gasses. I am proud to say that I am a Grossman scholar because I am part of a group of people who care about furthering their education for the purpose of giving back to the environment and finding solutions to climate change. I am truly thankful for the funding and support from Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, which will motivate me to meet my career goals with a degree from CO School of Mines and meanwhile teach others how to care for the beautiful land we live on.



Lia is one of six students to receive VOC's Grossman Scholarship for the 2022-23 school year. VOC offers two $10,000 and four $5,000 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.

Applications for the 2023-24 school year will open in October 2022.