The Texas Wildlife Association Foundation (TWAF) and the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc. (SALE) have joined forces to offer four $10,000 Natural Resource-Excellence in Education Scholarships in the fall of 2009. The scholarships will be awarded to four freshmen at Texas universities who are majoring in a natural resource-related field such as agricultural science, wildlife science, forestry, range science, etc.

Completed applications are due by September 14, 2009, and an application can be obtained at www.texas-wildlife.org.

“As our population has grown, the strain on our natural resources has grown proportionately,” said TWAF President Charles Davidson. “Our future depends on our ability to manage our natural resources wisely, balancing the needs of man and nature. It just makes sense to identify our future leaders and support them while they are getting their educations. We all will benefit from their expertise in the years to come.”

This is the third year time that TWAF and SALE have teamed up to offer scholarships to future natural resource professionals. The program was expanded two years ago because of the overwhelming response and need.

“Last year, we were gratified by not only the number of applications, but by the high quality,” Davidson said. “There are a lot of talented young people who are committed to caring for our natural resources. TWAF and SALE are dedicated to supporting their efforts."

To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must be:

• A Texas resident;

• A graduate of a Texas high school;

• Enrolled in a Texas accredited college or university with a natural resource/agricultural degree program;

• Classified as a “Freshman” or in first year after high school in the accredited program;

• Majoring in a natural resource related field such as agricultural science, wildlife science, forestry, range science, etc.;

• A citizen of the United States and provide a valid social security number if chosen

Students must also maintain 12 hours per semester and a minimum 2.0 GPA per semester and 2.5 cumulative GPA.

The scholarships are awarded based on overall quality and on essay responses to a series of natural resource questions.

Texas Wildlife Association Foundation (TWAF) and Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) Background

The Texas Wildlife Association Foundation (TWAF), formed in 1991, is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, dedicated to providing science-based educational programs about wildlife and habitat conservation to all Texans. TWAF’s educational programs focus on the youth of today so they will become responsible citizens of tomorrow. Our sister organization, Texas Wildlife Association, has been conducting education for the past 16 years. TWAF collaborates with like-minded organizations, such as the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA), to facilitate agricultural and natural resource education initiatives, which include TWA’s Conservation Legacy and Hunting Heritage Programs. The Hunting Heritage division consists of the Texas Youth Hunting Program, the Texas Big Game Awards and college scholarships. The Conservation Legacy program encompasses three major components: Conservation Initiatives, Adult Conservation Education, and Youth Conservation Education.