UW Students Receive Pulte Family Charitable Foundation Scholarship

Carter Watsabaugh, a junior from Jackson in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, and Taniesha Smith, a senior in the College of Business from Roseville, Calif., are the recipients of Pulte Family Charitable Foundation Student Transformation Scholarships at the University of Wyoming.

Watsabaugh is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in outdoor recreation and tourism management, hospitality business and outdoor leadership. This summer, he will work for Wilderness Adventures in Jackson, where he will guide children in remote field courses.

"I’m incredibly grateful for this scholarship because it allows me to focus on what I love -- learning, exploring and helping others experience the outdoors -- without the added financial stress,” Watsabaugh says. “This support allows me to gain hands-on experience as a trip leader with Wilderness Adventures, guiding kids on backcountry trips and sharing my passion for the outdoors.”

Smith is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management with a hospitality focus. She currently is completing an internship with the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie.

“I am incredibly grateful for being awarded this scholarship, and I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation for its generosity and support,” Smith says. “As I’m a single mother working to complete my bachelor’s degree in business, this scholarship means so much to me. It not only provides financial relief, helping me cover tuition and other academic expenses, but also gives me the confidence to keep striving toward my goals.”

The scholarship comes from the Pulte Gateway to Hospitality Student Transformation Fund, a program created in partnership with the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation and the Jay Kemmerer Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Institute.

The fund is designed to support and encourage UW students to participate in internships in the hospitality and tourism sectors across Wyoming -- internships that many students may not be able to afford without financial assistance.

The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation supports a variety of humanitarian initiatives led by nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. The foundation partners with nearly 200 nonprofits across the U.S. and globally to address the basic human needs of marginalized populations, including socioeconomically disadvantaged youth; the elderly; individuals with physical, emotional and mental disabilities; and those with limited material resources.

The foundation also owns Laramie’s Hilton Garden Inn as part of its “Humanitarian Hotels” initiative, with 100 percent of the net profits from these properties used to fund charitable initiatives worldwide. The hotels also host programs for employees, guests and nonprofits that reflect the foundation’s mission of serving those in need, including collaborative efforts with UW and philanthropic organizations in Albany County.

The Pulte Gateway to Hospitality Student Transformation Fund will award additional scholarships next semester, with applications available through WyoScholarships beginning this September. Students majoring in outdoor recreation and tourism management, minoring in hospitality business or majoring in management with a focus on hospitality are encouraged to apply.

For more information, interested applicants can email Jordan Kobliska, UW Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources senior program coordinator, at jkoblisk@uwyo.edu.