Walter Scott, Jr.: A Legacy of Impact
On September 25, 2021, Colorado State University lost a giant in the Ram community — Walter Scott, Jr. Through his unrelenting support and philanthropy to his alma mater, Mr. Scott helped propel CSU to new heights. While he may be gone, his legacy continues through the students and faculty at the engineering college that bears his name.
A message from Dean David McLean to the college community, September 25, 2021
Dear WSCOE community,
I have some very sad news to share. Our friend, alumnus and long-time benefactor, Walter Scott, Jr., who reshaped the future of our college, has passed away. Walter’s big heart and legacy have touched everyone in this college. Faculty, staff and students have benefited from his transformational gifts to scholarships, graduate assistantships, research programs and the beautiful Scott Bioengineering Building. His devotion to student success started with his first scholarship in 1983, and it continues today with over 80 Scott Scholars from around the country and the state. His generosity and encouragement have helped so many recognize their potential without financial worry. As one student told us recently, “I am incredibly grateful to the Scott Foundation as it has provided me with the opportunity to chase and achieve my goals of becoming an engineer. I am now two years into my undergrad, and I cannot wait for the next two thanks to this amazing opportunity.”
More information will be forthcoming in Source. Please join me in keeping Walter and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
David McLean, Dean
Read more about Walter Scott, Jr.'s impact on our community.
Play Video
Walter Scott, Jr.’s impacts on Colorado State University will be felt for generations to come. Learn more about his early life, career successes and how he came to be CSU’s largest benefactor.
The $53.3 million commitment from 1953 alumnus Walter Scott, Jr. is the largest gift in the history of Colorado State University.
Meet four of the graduating Scott Scholars
Read how the Walter Scott, Jr. Scholarship made a difference for them.
Undergraduate Student Support
“As we get older, I think it’s natural to think about the generations that will follow. And in a technological age, it’s important that our top students have the opportunity to study at strong research universities.”
– Walter Scott, Jr.
Scott Scholarships
“I absolutely am honored to have received the Walter Scott, Jr. Undergraduate Scholarship. It’s the reason I’m going to college. It’s taken a burden off my parents’ shoulders, and it means they raised a kid who’s excelled so much that someone wants to pay their college tuition, which is incredible.”
Juan Venegas
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Scott Undergraduate Research Experience
“The SURE experience gave me confidence in what I’m doing and what I’m pursuing. The project really helped me realize that mechanical engineering is what I’m interested in and what I want to do.”
Heaven Smith
Mechanical Engineering
Research Initiatives
As a land-grant university, Colorado State University has a core mission for public engagement and service that contributes to the economic and societal progress of our state and nation. The integration of education and research creating knowledge for the public good is an overarching goal for the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering.
Graduate Fellowships
Up to 30 outstanding first-year graduate students are selected each academic year to receive Walter Scott, Jr. Graduate Fellowships.
These awards recognize prior academic accomplishments and research excellence, as well as the potential to enhance the College’s research programs.
2018-19 Recipients
Name
Department
Mehrnaz Ahmadi
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Wes Anderson
Mechanical Engineering
Thomas Andreano
Mechanical Engineering
Erik Brodin
Mechanical Engineering
Julieta Juncosa Calahorrano
Atmospheric Science
Sam Colosimo
Mechanical Engineering
Xuewei Du
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Luke Flores
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jace Furley
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Pardis Hosseini Ghasemabadian
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Christopher Hurst
Mechanical Engineering
Alec Jones
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Samantha Kaonis
Mechanical Engineering
Cameron Key
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Drew Koeritzer
Atmospheric Science
Matthew Lang
Atmospheric Science
Adam Morrone
Mechanical Engineering
Shashika Muramudalige
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Jeremiah Piersante
Atmospheric Science
Marquette Rocque
Atmospheric Science
Renish Thomas
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Jaron Thompson
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Spencer Thomas Whyte
Chemical and Biological Engineering
2017-18 Recipients
Name
Department
Kevin Barry
Atmospheric Science
Zachary Bruick
Atmospheric Science
Peter Chen
Mechanical Engineering
Carsten Dietvorst
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Omar Nofal
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Anik Faisal
Mechanical Engineering
Justin Gangwish
Biomedical Engineering
Shijian Gao
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mason Garfield
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Sohaib Habiballa
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Erin Johnson
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jhordanne Jones
Atmospheric Science
Marissa Karpack
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Vanesa Lopez Ambrosio
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Kirsten Mayer
Atmospheric Science
Alexander Meadows
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Kathryn Moore
Atmospheric Science
Adam Moreau
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Chaehyeon Nam
Atmospheric Science
Matthew Pauly
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Alec Richardson
Biomedical Engineering
Seth Siefken
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jiefeng Sun
Mechanical Engineering
Sean Walters
Mechanical Engineering
Dafu Wang
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Shumei Yin
Mechanical Engineering
“The Scott Fellowship played a large
role in finalizing my decision to attend CSU for my graduate studies. I am so thankful for the educational opportunity this University has made available to me, and I am incredibly excited to begin contributing to the fantastic research that is occurring here.”
Cameron Coleal
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Scott Presidential Chairs
“The Scott Chairs will contribute significantly to the excellence of our research in engineering and across CSU, and I look forward to seeing the impact they will make as they disseminate knowledge to our local and global communities.”
– Alan Rudolph, Vice President for Research, Colorado State University
CSU and NCAR Explorer Series presents: Climate change expert panel discussion
Featuring our Scott Presidential Chairs, Colorado State University, in collaboration with the NCAR Explorer Series, presents an insightful expert panel discussion on our climate related to health and air quality. Hosted by the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering, on March 3, 2020, in collaboration with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, and the National Science Foundation.
Areas of Excellence
The Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering is known for discovery leading to solutions to global challenges in water, health, energy, and the environment. The true goal of research is to discover technologies, standards, methods, products, and processes that improve the world we live in.
CSU has a rich legacy of excellence in water research, dating back to the earliest days of the University. Today, engineering faculty working in hydrology, hydraulics, water resources, and water infrastructure and management are continuing and expanding upon this legacy, helping us maintain a national and international prominence in this societally critical area.
Access to clean, reliable, and abundant energy is central to every major challenge the world faces today. Developing innovative solutions to global energy problems, our faculty conduct research in clean technology, renewable energy sources, next-generation photovoltaics, CO2 capture, and advanced power grid technologies.
Partnering with other CSU researchers, our faculty are making contributions to the improvement of human, animal, and environmental health. Our research includes development of new diagnostic tools and biomedical devices, tissue engineering, innovative pharmaceutical production processes, and human health impacts of degraded air and water quality.
Our programs in atmospheric science and environmental engineering and science are ranked among the top in the world. Focus areas include hurricanes and severe weather, environmental monitoring using radar and satellite technologies, emissions and transport of pollutants, global carbon and nitrogen cycles, and water sustainability.
Impact
“We are humbled and incredibly grateful for this remarkable gift from Walter Scott… Walter has been a passionate and generous supporter of CSU since he graduated more than 60 years ago, and this gift is truly transformational. It will allow the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering to attract and support the finest faculty and students for years to come.”
– Tony Frank, current Colorado State University System Chancellor and former President of the Fort Collins Campus
Walter Scott, Jr. Gift Impact Reports
Each year, the college produces a report detailing the impact that Walter Scott, Jr.'s has made over the course of the previous year.
Download PDF files below
Suzanne and Walter Scott, Jr. Bioengineering Building
The Suzanne and Walter Scott, Jr. Bioengineering Building is the cornerstone of Colorado State University's Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering. The state of the art, LEED-certified building houses research labs, classes, faculty, and staff.
“The Scott Bioengineering Building, equipped with innovative laboratories and classrooms, enables us to better educate our students and conduct cutting-edge research to help solve global challenges in the areas of water, health, energy, and the environment. We are extremely grateful to Suzanne and Walter Scott, Jr. for making this incredible resource a reality.”
David McLean
Professor and Dean, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering