The University of Montevallo President’s Outdoor Scholars Program was recently awarded the Conservation Educator of the Year Award at the 2017 Alabama Wildlife Federation Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards banquet.
The Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) held the banquet, co-sponsored by Alabama Power Company and PowerSouth Energy on Friday, Aug. 4 at The Marriott Legends at Capitol Hill in Prattville. Governor Kay Ivey provided opening remarks and assisted with the presentation of the awards.
The AWF Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards (GCAA) are the most respected conservation honors in the state of Alabama. Over the past 40 years, AWF has presented these awards to individuals and organizations that make great contributions to the conservation of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources.
Established in 2015, The President’s Outdoor Scholars Program at the University of Montevallo, is unique to Alabama, and focuses on students who are good stewards of our natural resources, while promoting promising careers associated with the outdoors and our natural resources.
The innovative program provides opportunities and encourages students to take part in hands-on hunting, angling, and a wide variety of outdoor activities as part of their education. Through their first-hand interactions, the programs aim to ensure future leaders share the same conservation message.
The President’s Outdoor Scholars Program also allows students to participate in outdoor-related seminars on management, marketing, game and fish laws, as well as the new Game Check system.
In their second year, the program provided 22 students with more than $43,000 in scholarships and other related learning opportunities. This fiscal year, the number of students involved in the program has almost doubled. The program is reaching new heights while providing assistance to students with a passion for the outdoors and a commitment to conservation.
Additional sponsors for the banquet included Ralph and Catherine Martin, Stifel, Lee Thuston, Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Talladega Superspeedway, Josh & Mary Virginia Mandell, First South Farm Credit, CDG Engineers & Associates, Manufacture Alabama, Lake Martin Resource Association, Russell Lands, Consolidated Construction Co., Canfor Southern Pine, and David & Kelly Thomas. The Westervelt Company and Hammer Construction sponsored the social event prior to the banquet. Alabama Gulf Seafood was sponsored by the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission.