NRA Scholarships Empowering Young Women To Blaze Trails in Conservation

The National Rifle Association’s Women’s Policies Committee has established the Women’s Wildlife Management/Conservation Scholarship, which is administered by The NRA Foundation!

This scholarship, made possible through donations from the women of the NRA, is a renewable, one-year $5,000 scholarship available to college juniors and seniors majoring in wildlife management or conservation.

The 2018 recipient of the scholarship, Emily Tripp, is entering her senior year at Maine’s Unity College. Emily recently checked in with NRA to explain how receiving the scholarship made not only a positive impact on her education and professional ambitions, but helped her give back to her community and environment by promoting conservation efforts, educating the public and outreach to youth about wildlife and outdoor opportunities.

I wanted to give you an update about how much has happened since I was awarded the NRA Women's Wildlife Management and Conservation Scholarship. My summer is ending shortly and I will be headed back to Unity College the end of August, [where] I will be going into my senior year. I have worked as a Deputy Game Warden for the Maine Warden Service this summer in Southern Maine. My district has been Sebago Lake, the second biggest lake in the state of Maine. I'm the only Deputy assigned to the lake. I patrol in a 22-foot Boston Whaler with a 250 [horsepower] Yamaha. The lake can get quite dangerous and reach nearly 400 [feet] deep. 

So far I have caught people for fishing without a fishing license, criminal trespass, [watercraft] operating at greater than headway speed, and many other safety regulation [violations]. I also have helped educate the public and kids about boating safety and responsible wildlife management. I have been able to help people understand why our fishing laws help us manage our fish populations.

I volunteered at a camp called Camp Postcard where kids who have had traumatic experiences spend time with law enforcement officers from all over the state. I've wrangled many animals including turkeys, groundhogs and bats. I spent time training at the gun range and will soon do water survival training at a local pool. I've had the privilege of working with many Game Wardens and other officers across many agencies. I look forward to applying for a full-time position as soon as the opportunity arises.         

There are so many things I have done this summer, it’s hard to try and sum it up in a couple of sentences. I can confidently say that this summer has been challenging, but has only helped me get closer to my goal of becoming a full-time Maine Game Warden. 

The 2019 Women’s Wildlife Management/Conservation Scholarship application is now open! The deadline for applications is Nov. 1, 2018, and the NRA Women’s Policy Committee makes the award decision in January. Applicants must be enrolled in a college or university in full-time status in either their junior or senior year, majoring in wildlife management or conservation, and must possess a minimum grade point average of 3.0. To submit your application, click here. 

Contributions in support of this incredible scholarship are welcome, and can be made by mail to: 

The NRA Foundation
C/O Ruthann Sprague
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA 22030