Sul Ross State University is establishing an endowed graduate fellowship in groundwater research with $500,000 from Google.org, bringing total endowed support for its Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water to $3 million.
The Endowed Fellowship in Groundwater Research will provide an annual stipend for a graduate student working with Sul Ross faculty on projects important to Far West Texas. The university expects to select the first fellow in 2027.
The Sul Ross State University Foundation will invest the gift, with annual distributions supporting the fellowship. The first distribution is anticipated in 2027.
The funding comes less than a year after the institute launched in January 2026. Its researchers study where groundwater originates, how it moves and how aquifers connect to springs and surface water across the region.
“Groundwater is the lifeblood of Far West Texas, and there is still so much we need to understand about these complex systems,” Sul Ross President Carlos Hernandez said.
Hernandez said the fellowship will allow graduate students to contribute to that research while preparing for careers in water science and management.
“This investment gives our graduate students the opportunity to help answer important questions while preparing for careers in a field where their expertise is urgently needed,” he said.
The gift adds to support from The Meadows Foundation, which announced a $2.75 million commitment in January. That commitment included $2.5 million to establish an endowment and $250,000 in matching operational support over five years.
Rick Stephens, chair of the Sul Ross State University Foundation board, said the new endowment will provide lasting support for students and research.
“This support is an investment that will keep giving for generations,” Stephens said.
The Meadows Research Institute grew out of decades of water research at Sul Ross and was developed with support from the university’s Borderlands Research Institute.
Based in Alpine, the water institute combines applied research, education and technical assistance to address water challenges in the Trans-Pecos. Its work connects scientists, students, landowners and communities to improve understanding and management of desert water systems.
