The Wyss Scholars Program for the Conservation of the American West

The Wyss Foundation is a private, charitable foundation dedicated to land conservation in the Intermountain West.í‚   The Wyss Scholars Program seeks to identify and nurture a new generation of leaders on western land conservation issues by providing financial support to students who are enrolled in the University of Michiganí¢â‚¬â„¢s School of Natural Resources and Environment, and who are committed to careers as practicing conservationists of western land, either with a federal or state land management agency or a non-profit conservation group working in the region.í‚   A first objective is to provide the Scholar with a Masters degree from SNRE.í‚   The program will also support dual degree students who are pursuing a joint degree with SNRE.í‚  

Wyss Scholars will learn the latest in progressive conservation science and land management, which they will take to careers at western land management agencies and non-profit conservation groups active in the Intermountain West.í‚   For the purposes of the Program, Intermountain West includes the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and eastern Oregon.í‚   It is expected that students will be seeking careers in conservation in these states or in Washington, D.C. dealing with policy affecting these states.í‚   Qualifying employment includes: the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service; the state wildlife, parks, natural resource, land or water departments of the above states; or a nonprofit organization with a mission to further land conservation in the states listed above.

Two Wyss Scholars will be selected at SNRE on the basis of their leadership potential, commitment to furthering land conservation in the Intermountain West, commitment to pursuing a career as a practicing nonprofit or public-sector conservationist, financial need and academic strength.

Application Procedure:

All matriculated masterí¢â‚¬â„¢s degree candidates who entered SNRE during Fall 2009 and who will return Fall 2010 may submit applications.

The following items must be completed and submitted as separate e-mail attachmentsí‚  to Diana Woodworth,í‚   dianaw@umich.edu:

• An essay (500 word limit) detailing your past, present, and future commitment to the field of U.S. Intermountain Western Conservation and how becoming a Wyss Scholar will enhance your career development in the conservation field
• A ríƒ ©sumíƒ © (1-2 pages maximum)
• An outline of your remaining general course of study and summer 2009 internship possibilities you are exploring (maximum of one page)
• A letter of recommendation concerning you as a future conservation leader. You may refer us to a specific recommendation used for SNRE admission or submit a more recent letter.í‚   An e-mail recommendation can be sent to dianaw@umich.edu but we also want a hard copy signed by the author
• OAP will add a copy of your transcripts.

Application Due Date:í‚  Friday, 6 November 2009

Awards will include the following:

• Tuition assistance for the second semester of the first year and both terms of the second year.í‚   The award will be up to half of the tuition for three terms depending on need
• Stipend ($5,000) for a summer internship with a nonprofit or public-sector conservation organization dedicated to the Intermountain West
• Travel costs to an annual visit of Scholars with the Board of the Wyss Foundation.
• For Scholars who work for a non-profit organization or governmental agency devoted to furthering land conservation in the Intermountain West after graduation, a post-graduation award, payable in three installments over 30 months, and intended for use by the student to repay federal student loans incurred while obtaining the SNRE degree
• Membership in the Wyss Scholars network (students and alumni from University of Michigan, Yale, University of Montana, and Northern Arizona University)

For further information, please feel free to contact Diana Woodworth (dianaw@umich.edu) or Steve Yaffee (yaffee@umich.edu).