Established in August 2015, the President’s Outdoor Scholars Program at the University of Montevallo serves to offer college scholarships to students with a passion for wildlife and conservation. Unique to Alabama, the program provides an opportunity to earn a college degree while also taking an active role in preserving our state’s natural resources.
Created by Dr. John W. Stewart, President of the University of Montevallo, the program gives outdoor minded-students a way to stay involved in that passion while in college and provide insight into future employment opportunities within the outdoor industry, with an emphasis on conservation and game management.
The UM President’s Outdoor Scholars Program rewards current and future students scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per student per year, for four years, as long as the student maintains a 2.5 GPA.
The program serves to provide scholarships for non-traditional students as well as first-generation college students. While traditional scholarships are often awarded for academic and athletic activities, the President’s Outdoor Scholars Program provides assistance for students with a passion for the outdoors that may not qualify for traditional scholarships.
In their first year, the program provided eight students with over $20,500 in scholarships and also funded several experiential learning opportunities, including a redfish fishing trip in Louisiana and a quail hunt at Soggy Bottom Lodge in Alabama.
The second year brought a total of 22 students into the program and awarded $43,000 in scholarships. There have been many exciting trips and learning opportunities which included hunting and fishing trips to Venice and Monroe Louisiana, along with bass fishing, quail hunting and deer hunting in the great state of Alabama.
Scholarships for the program are available through the UM Foundation for students who have distinguished accomplishment in outdoor sports and demonstrated a personal commitment to conservation.