UW-Stevens Point Students Receive Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation National Wildlife Leadership Awards

UW-Stevens Point Students Receive Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation National Wildlife Leadership Awards

UW-Stevens Point students were awarded four of twelve national Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) Wildlife Leadership Awards. These prestigious scholarships were established in 1991 to recognize, encourage, and promote leadership among future wildlife management professionals. Presented to undergraduate wildlife students in their junior year, they include a $5000 scholarship and a one-year membership to the RMEF. Congratulations to Samuel Andres, Brilyn Brecka, Danni Brosend, and Hayden Walkush.

Samuel Andres

Sam’s passion for wildlife and conservation burgeoned from the hunting knowledge his father and grandfather passed down. Sam wants to continue working outdoors in the field with large mammals as a wildlife research biologist. His goal is to improve our understanding of wildlife behavior so managers can better sustain populations.

Brilyn Brecka

Growing up, Brilyn thought her fisheries biologist father had the coolest job. She has wanted to be a wildlife biologist since sixth grade. She hopes her career will help protect not just wildlife habitat but public access as well.

Danni Brosend

Long before she dreamed of becoming a wildlife professor Danni sowed the seeds of her passion for the outdoors and its creatures. As a teenager she worked at the Severson Dells Nature Center in her hometown of Rockford, Ill. Her time spent educating children was a precursor to her goal of mentoring future wildlife ecologists.

Hayden Walkush

Hayden spent his falls chasing whitetails, summers casting to largemouth bass, and his springs banding birds at the Waupaca Biological Field Station. He is currently an undergraduate research fellow with Boone and Crockett.