What is the Water in the West Program?

A high-impact learning experience that was offered for the first time in the spring of 2023.This program is a deep dive into learning about water issues first-hand through experts and experience. The program satisfies requirements for honors students, natural and environmental science majors, and geology majors. The program is offered during the first spring term and includes one week of online coursework before and after a 3-week trip to the southwestern United States (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico).

In 2023 GV Magazine featured an article about the program with more details.  You can find it here

Ready to Apply?

If you are ready to apply for the program you can complete your application and submit your $300 deposit HERE (https://www.gvsu.edu/wiwp/cms-form-edit.htm?formId=80758CBC-DDDC-77AF-50CC5AAD74E789D6)

A PDF version of the application questions can be found at this link.

Information Night Slides

Here is a link to the Slides shared during the October 8 Information Night.

You can use this Link to access a zoom recording of the meeting.

Let us know you are interested in the 2026 Program

Follow this link to let us know you are interested in the 2026 Program

What credit can I get for participating in the water in the west program?

List of possible course credits that could be granted. Maximum of 6 credits per student.  All students regardless of major or status as a member of the honors college will sign up for two honors courses HNR280-1 and HNR280-2.  These credits will then be applied whatever requirements are most beneficial to the student.

Geology students can also petition the geology department that the credits count for other geology courses such as GEO 220 - Earth Surface Materials and Systems or GEO 320 - Geomorphology

ENS majors can get credit for up two of the following categories: Triple Bottom Line Overview – Physical and Life Sciences.  The Focus Area of Water Resources within the Social and Cultural; Physical and Life Science; or Political and Economic Perspectives.   ENS minors can also get credit for Physical and Life Science Perspectives.

¹Frederik Meijer Honors College (FMHC)
²College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)

Who leads the program?

Both instructors have PhDs in a water-related field with Wampler’s Ph.D. in fluvial geomorphology (surface water) and Riemersma’s Ph.D. in hydrogeology (groundwater). Wampler has successfully led study abroad trips to Haiti and Ghana since 2015 and both Wampler and Riemersma have led together multi-day field trips for geology students in the Pacific Northwest on several occasions and have traveled extensively in the southwestern United States.