Scholarships
2024 Professional Development Scholarships
Professional Development Scholarships help you continue your professional and personal growth. This opportunity is available to CPRA members exclusively.
Applications for 2024 Scholarships will be accepted from March 15th-April 22nd.
Section Scholarships
Each CPRA Section provides one $650 Section Scholarship annually. These scholarship funds may be used to cover professional development expenses related to the recipient's work in the Parks & Recreation field. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be actively involved in the Section and be a CPRA member in good standing. These scholarships can be used both for CPRA events and non-CPRA training. These scholarship funds may be used to cover professional development expenses related to the applicants work in the Parks & Recreation field. Ten scholarships are available for funding up to $650 each.
Gallup-Darrow-Chester Scholarship
The Gallup-Darrow-Chester Scholarship was established to honor the memory of Virginia Seth Gallup, (1899-1995) grandmother of the originator of this fund, Catherine Virginia Darrow and her husband, William Spencer Chester, who currently reside in Evergreen, Colorado. This Fund is authorized to recognize this extraordinary woman who earned her college degree in the 1920’s at a time when it was rare for women to attend college. Virginia Seth Gallup believed in the power of a college education to the extent that she provided the funds for all of her seven grandchildren to attend college. After graduating from Glocester College with a degree in Public Administration, Virginia Seth Gallup raised a family and served as superintendent of the Talbot County Schools in the State of Maryland. To be eligible for a Gallup-Darrow-Chester Scholarship an applicant must be a member in good standing of CPRA at the time of application and be currently employed in a professional parks and recreation position. Please note that priority for the Gallup-Darrow-Chester scholarship funding will be given to members who are currently serving / have served CPRA via committees, section involvement or board appointment. Funding is available for up to $1,500.
MSU Denver Scholarship
The MSU Denver New Certification Scholarship is for Metropolitan State University of Denver senior students on internship or alumni from the Recreation Professions (formerly Leisure Studies) Program. The goal of this scholarship is to help MSU alumni gain new certifications and in turn advance in their careers. Scholarships of up to $500 will be awarded bi-annually through the dedicated MSU Denver New Certification Scholarship Fund to a Colorado Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) Ally, Professional or Student member. Scholarship funds must be put towards new certification within the recreation profession.
Are you interested in supporting CPRA Scholarships for Professional Development? Please consider donating and let us know if there is a particular scholarship program you prefer to support!