Wildlife Leadership Awards

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The mission of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat. Part of that mission includes education. We realize the importance of education to the future of wildlife: today's informed public will leave a legacy of habitat for tomorrow's wildlife.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's Wildlife Leadership Awards program was established in 1991 to "recognize, encourage and promote leadership among future wildlife management professionals." One of these awards is the Gerald L. (Jerry) Turpin Wildlife Leadership Award. The Turpin family established this scholarship in memory of Gerald L. (Jerry) Turpin (1977-2001).

The Elk Foundation’s Wildlife Leadership Awards will be presented to undergraduate wildlife students. Each award carries a $2,000 scholarship, and a one-year membership to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Qualifications
By the completion of the spring semester/quarter, applicants must:

Be an undergraduate in a wildlife related natural resource program, in a four-year college/university in the United States or Canada;
Have at least a junior standing (completed a minimum of 56 semester hours or 108 quarter hours);
Have at least one semester or two quarters remaining in their degree program;
Be scheduled to be enrolled as a full-time student for the following fall semester/quarter.

Previous recipients of the Elk Foundation’s Wildlife Leadership Awards are ineligible.

Application Deadline
Your application must be postmarked no later than March 1.

Selection Process
Each application will be screened by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Scholarship Committee, which will make the final decision regarding the selection of recipients. Wildlife Leadership Award recipients will be announced in April, and scholarships will be awarded at the beginning of the fall semester/quarter.

Application Procedures You can apply for this scholarship in 2 ways: 1) Download and complete the Scholarship Application Form Complete the student section of the form. Sign the Release and Certification paragraph. Give the last page to your Department Head or Chairperson complete. Get two letters of recommendation from department faculty. Encourage faculty to stress your leadership qualities. Letters of recommendation are worth 10 points in the scoring system. Mail the entire application form (including Department Chair section and two letters of recommendation) directly to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Your application must be postmarked no later than March 1. 2) Complete online application below Complete the online application. WARNING: Partially completed online forms cannot be saved and opened later! Compose your essays in another word processing document and transfer them to the online form when you are ready to submit the final application. Download the Student & Department Chair Signature Page. Sign the top portion. Give the Student & Department Chair Signature Page to your Department Head or Chairperson complete. Get two letters of recommendation from department faculty. Encourage faculty to stress your leadership qualities. Letters of recommendation are worth 10 points in the scoring system. Option 1: Mail the completed Student & Department Chair Signature Page and the two letters of recommendation to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Your Department Chairs and professors can mail forms and letters directly to the Elk Foundation. Option 2: Make PDF files of the signed Student & Department Chair Signature Page and the letters of recommendation and email the PDF files to the address below. Signatures should be written, not typed.
Please mail, fax or e-mail PDF files of this application to: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Wildlife Leadership Awards P. O. Box 8249 Missoula, MT 59807-8249 Attention: Becky Bennett 406-523-4555 (phone) 406-523-4550 (fax) bbennett@rmef.org

Undergraduate Scholorship Application *( required)**
Date*
Applicant
First Name*
Middle Initial*
Last Name*
School Year Address
Address*
City*
State/Province*
Zip Code*
Daytime Phone*
Evening Phone*
E-mail*
Permanenet Home Address
Address*
City*
State/Province*
Zip Code*
Phone*
Current University Attending
Name*
State/Province*
Dates Attended*
Expected Date of Graduation*
Area of Study or Major*
Other Universities Attended
Name
Dates Attended

Name
Dates Attended

Name
Dates Attended

Hobbies and Leisure Activities* (5 points): In 100 words or less, list your hobbies and leisure activities.


Leadership Activities* (35 points): In 500 words or less, describe your LEADERSHIP activities and accomplishments as they relate to wildlife or natural resources. List organization, dates, offices held, committee chairs, or other examples of leadership in wildlife and conservation organizations, professional associations, as well as community and university groups and activities.


Employment Experience* (5 points): In 100 words or less, list any wildlife related work experience you have had to date, include length of employment.


Essay* (25 points) In 250 words or less, describe the historical, present and future role of hunting in conservation.


Critical Conservation Issues* (20 points): In 300 words or less, identify what you believe to be the most important conservation issues facing North America during the next ten years, and how they will impact future wildlife management activities.


Personal Statement* (10 points): In 100 words or less, write a statement directed to the Elk Foundation Scholarship Committee stating how the receipt of this scholarship will benefit you in achieving your career goals.

University newspaper
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Hometown newspaper
Name
Address
City, State, Zip

Release and Certification I hereby give permission to use the information provided on this application for recognition purposes if selected. I also give permission to release information concerning my academic progress to donors of the scholarship I may receive. I understand that I must be registered as a full-time wildlife student next fall semester/quarter to be eligible to receive an Elk Foundation scholarship. To the best of my knowledge, the information provided in the application is true and correct.

Student's Name*
Date*