The Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Willard T. Johns Memorial Scholarship Awards.
Dana Arnold, Cranberry Twp., Pa., is a junior at Penn State Main Campus, majoring Wildlife and Fisheries Science, with a minor in Forest Ecosystems. Her career goals included working in wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, wildlife biology and endangered species protection.
Elijah DePaulis, York Springs, Pa., is a junior, at Penn State Main Campus. He has an associate’s degree in Wildlife Technology from Penn State – DuBois and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Forest Ecosystem Management at Penn State’s Main campus. His career goals include a position in public land management or natural resource management, with an eye toward education about the outdoors and advocacy regarding wildlife and other natural resources.
Nicole Guise, Spring Grove., Pa., is a junior at Penn State’s main campus is majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education, with minors in Environmental Resource Management and International Agriculture. Her goals include becoming a high school agricultural science teacher, inspire students to pursue careers where they can protect the natural resources, feed our growing population, defend pollinators and reap the benefits the agriculture industry has to offer.
Jenna Yetsko, Portage, Pa., is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh – Johnstown, where she is majoring in Environmental Studies, Geography, and obtaining a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Her goals include working on several environmental issues including pollution, global warming, waste disposal and climate change in order to “make the world and environment a better and healthier place.”
“This year’s scholarship recipients represent the future management of our natural resources. They are strong academically and exhibit the sharp communication skills that inspired Will Johns to establish the scholarship fund,” said scholarship chair Jeff Woleslagle.
The POWA-Willard T. Johns Scholarship annually recognizes up to four outstanding undergraduate students at Penn State Main Campus and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown who aspire to careers in outdoor communications.
The scholarship is named for Will Johns, a charter member and past president of POWA, a professional organization of writers, photographers, artists, broadcasters and bloggers dedicated to informing Pennsylvanians about the wise use and management of natural resources and outdoor recreation.
Johns, a college-trained wildlife conservationist, served as editor of Pennsylvania Game News and then as an education specialist for the National Wildlife Federation before assuming his post with the Pennsylvania Fish Commission in 1968.
For more information about the scholarship, awarded annually, contact POWA at info@paoutdoorwriters.com.
