The School of Natural Resources and Environment today announced the 2012-14 Michigan cohort of Wyss Conservation Scholars. The Wyss Foundation supports two students each year at four different universities nationwide to recognize future leaders in nonprofit and public sector conservation, with a focus on the Western United States.

“While it might seem odd that Michigan was selected to host scholars focused on the American West, our selection recognizes the incredible network of Michigan alumni working in leadership positions in NGOs and government in places like Denver, Boulder and Bozeman, along with Washington, D.C.-based congressional and NGO staff who focus on Western lands issues,” said Steve L. Yaffee, an SNRE professor and administrator of the Wyss program at SNRE. “After five years of hosting scholars (10 students so far), SNRE’s funding was renewed this past summer to enable us to support five more cohorts.”

The 2012-14 Wyss Scholars for the Conservation of the American West are:

Liz Munn, a Behavior, Education and Communication and Environmental Policy and Planning student, with interests in land conservation and management with an emphasis on water resources and community engagement. Born and raised in California, Liz received her B.A. in geology and theater from Whitman College in eastern Washington in 2003. After freelance work in technical theater in New York City, she worked for five year as a program coordinator for Naturalists at Large, leading outdoor environmental education trips in Arizona and California. Liz also worked as a site director and teacher for Aim High, a California program focused on underserved middle-school students.

Frank Sturges, an Environmental Policy and Planning student pursuing a dual degree with the Ford School of Public Policy, with interests in public land management and policy.  A native of North Carolina, Frank received his B.A. in political science and philosophy from the University of North Carolina.  He worked for three years as a paralegal for the U.S. Department of Justice, and led seasonal conservation crews working on national forests in California, Wyoming and Utah through a partnership with the Boy Scouts of America.  Before joining SNRE, he worked as a traveling trainer on conservation and stewardship at the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, based in Boulder, Colo.