Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge 2024 Scholarship Application
The Friends of the Prairie Learning Center and Walnut Creek National Wildlife Refuge was founded in 1993 by a small group of individuals committed to supporting and facilitating programming and educational opportunities at the newly established Walnut Creek National Wildlife Refuge just outside of Prairie City, Iowa. Later renamed the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (NSNWR), the Friends group has grown to include almost 300 members, who provide financial resources and volunteer hours to support NSNWR routine operations, special events, and improvements.
The Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Board of Directors has established a scholarship to support young people in local communities with an interest and drive to study and begin careers in a natural resource field. The “Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Scholarship” supports one graduating high school senior with $1,000 per year for tuition, books, and other college educational expenses. The Friends group hopes that this scholarship will help launch the career of a young conservationist embarking upon a course of study in an environmental conservation, natural resource management, environmental science, or related field.
Students may renew the scholarship for up to three additional years, if they continue to meet the renewal requirements outlined below. An annual submission of college transcripts to the Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Scholarship Committee will be required for renewal.
Eligibility Requirements:
Be a graduating senior from one of these area high schools:
Bondurant-Farrar Community School District
Colfax-Mingo Community School District
Newton Community School District
PCM Community School District
Pella Community School District
Pella Christian
Southeast Polk Community School District
Have a commitment to natural resources and conservation, as demonstrated by submission of a personal statement outlined below.
Demonstrate academic achievement, as shown by a minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Application Materials:
Scholarship Application Form: Click on the button below to open and download a PDF version of the application form. Complete the form or include all the required information in a new document. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Personal Statement: Personal statement should be no more than two pages in length, typed, single spaced, and 12-point font. Statement should address your interest in environmental conservation, environmental education, biological science and/or natural resources as a career choice, your plans to achieve a degree consistent with your career choice, and a brief history that has led you to this career path. Please include if you have been accepted at a school of your choice already, or a list of your top three schools to which you have already applied.
Two Letters of Recommendation: Applications must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation that speak to both the applicant’s scholastic and leadership abilities and promise as a professional in the conservation/natural resource fields. The letters of recommendation should also address the student's leadership in school, extracurricular, and service activities, specifically highlighting any conservation/natural resource activities.
High School Transcripts: Applications must include a copy of your high school transcript.
College Admissions Letter: Applications must include a copy of their college admissions letter if they have been admitted. If selected, you will be required to provide a copy of your admissions letter to the selection committee. (Scholarship distributions will be made directly to the university to which you have been admitted.)
NOTE: Scholarship funds will be awarded contingent upon the recipient being accepted as a full-time student at a fully accredited college or university in a natural resource management or related field.
Annual Renewal Requirements - GPA of 2.5 or higher, cumulative at end of the next two semesters, with a minimum of 14 credit hours per semester. Renewal will be paid at the second semester. Renewal available for three additional years for a total of $1,000/year for four years.
Application Deadline: completed applications must be received by May 15, 2024.
Mail application and all supporting documents to:
Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Attn: Scholarship Committee
PO Box 114
Prairie City, IA 50228
Questions: Contact Sue Tew-Warming at E-mail: Sue@heartlandwellbeinginstitute.org or Phone: 515-210-2073