2006 FWF Scholarship at the University of Florida,
Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation
John Berg, Kelley Andersen, Nikki Benoit, George Tanner, John Arnett, Scarlett West, Travis Blunden and Mel Sundquist at the presentation of the awards for 2006.
The FWF Scholarship program focuses on students in the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (WEC) who plan to pursue a career related to fish and wildlife/natural resource management or research upon graduation. The second annual Florida Wildlife Federation Scholarships were awarded to students in UF's WEC Department on April 28, 2006 at the annual Departmental end-of-year picnic. The Federation awarded two $500 scholarships and five $250 scholarships to students this year. The Selection Committee was comprised of Dr. Mel Sunquist (chair of the departmental scholarship committee), Dr. George Tanner (Acting Chair of the department), Ms. Claire Williams (coordinator, departmental academic support services), and Manley Fuller, President of the Florida Wildlife Federation.
John E. Arnett and Kelley Anderson were recipients of the $500 scholarships. John Arnett is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science degree with an emphasis on quantitative analysis. His thesis research focuses on the spatial and temporal effects of forest thinning and prescribed burning on pineland bird communities. Kelley Anderson, an undergraduate student studying marine conservation biology, plans to obtain a Master's degree in biological oceanography and will work in coral reef conservation upon graduation.
The five $250 Scholarship winners for 2006 included Travis Blunden, a former park ranger studying for a Master's degree in wildlife biology; Aundria West, formerly a volunteer in bird rehabilitation, who plans to attend UF's College of Veterinary Medicine; Scarlett Howell who is working on a Master's degree in wildlife biology with a strong focus on bird conservation; Jon Berg who is obtaining a Master's degree in Forest Resources and Conservation with an emphasis on environmental education; and Nikki Benoit, a senior in the WEC Department who plans to study environmental law after graduation.
The FWF Scholarship Program was initiated by Tim O'Brien, the Federation's first Eagle Club member, who hopes to motivate other Federation members and WEC alums to donate to the scholarship endowment fund in order to increase the size of the awards given annually. Mr. O'Brien was quite clear that his intent was to provide scholarships for students specifically in the University of Florida's Wildlife Ecology and Conservation program, the only curriculum of its type at a State University in Florida. The establishment of endowed scholarships for future WEC students is very important to both the Florida Wildlife Federation and the Department.
Those interested in contributing to the scholarship endowment should contact Diane Hines at the Florida Wildlife Federation Office: (850) 656-7113, or send their check made out to "FWF Scholarship Endowment Fund" to the Florida Wildlife Federation, [Attn. Diane ], P. O. Box 6870, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6870. Online donations can be can be made through our Donations page. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.
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