The reason behind the foundation of the Leopold Education program goes way back to 1988. The Foundation of Leopold Education program happened because Land uses council 16, which comprised eight soil and water conservation districts in the Northern part of Illinois, was set up.
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The goal of the Leopold Education Program
The main aim of this program is to raise awareness about the pressure exerted on the environment and land ethics. Towards the sanctity of this noble cause, a handbook was developed with the name Leopold’s A sand Count Almanac, and it is used in various schools and teacher workshops.
In 1994, this program went big and was released nationwide. Later on, it was purchased by Pheasants forever, and from there, the fund for educating students started. This scholarship was strictly based on the students who are pursuing education in the natural resources field.
More about Leopold
Aldo Leopold started his journey to study the field of ecology and forestry, and he set up this field with great leadership skills. He was also into wildlife management and studying environmental challenges. He published A Sand Count Almanac in 1949, which has a chapter that talks about land ethics and later on which became the basis of this scholarship program.
The basis of the scholarship program
The Leopold Education Project scholarship program aims to help those students who are in post-high school in their education field. As we already know, the basics of the study should be the environment or natural resources if you are looking to get this scholarship.
The scholarship is awarded to those applicants who have successfully enrolled in a full-time two or four-year community college, college, or university. The college or university you will be joining should also be accredited.
Selection criteria for the students enrolling in the Leopold Education Scholarship Program
- To get this scholarship, the student must be willing to study the environment or natural resources. The basis of this scholarship idolises the work of Aldo Leopold for the environment, ecology, and wildlife. Hence, they want to carry forward the same ideology and seek these same qualities by awarding educational assistance to those students who are planning to do the same study.
- Like other scholarships, they will check the academic record of the student to get this scholarship. You need to demonstrate a commitment to natural resource conservation activities. You need to set your career goals, which must be around the subject and basis of this scholarship. You can be a part of a community which is in environment and natural resources conservation and actively work for them.
- To get this scholarship, you can be recommended by a counselor, advisor, instructor or employer.
- The final decision for awarding the scholarship is made by a panel of judges comprising three individuals who are actively associated with Land Use Council 16. The decision made by them would be final.
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Eligibility or some prerequisites for getting Leopold Education Scholarship
- As this scholarship is strictly based on the natives of Illinois counties, for that you must be a resident of Boone, Cook, DeKalb, Kane, Lake, Will, McHenry, DuPage, and Winnebago.
- You must be a high school senior or a high school graduate who has done a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or diploma.
- As mentioned earlier, almost all the scholarship programs that run in the States are based on your academic performance. To get this scholarship, you need to do well with your grades and maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.
- The most important criterion to get this scholarship is that the student should be currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a full-time course from an accredited college or university for two or four years.
- The field of study must include natural resource fields such as fish or wildlife biology, conservation or management, air quality, botany, forestry, ecology, soils, pollution control, or water quality.
- You will be notified in that case if you are not successful in getting the scholarship.
Necessary document to be submitted along with your application form
Apart from filling out the application form and submitting it to the Leopold Education Project Scholarship Program administrator, you also have to submit other documents. You can easily apply for a scholarship.
- Once you fill out your application, be ready with your official transcripts.
- You also need to provide three letters of recommendation, which you can get from a counselor, advisor, instructor, or employer who can assess the applicant’s scholarship.
- You also need to provide your career goals and aspirations that will include why you are interested in pursuing your career in natural resources, what Leopold’s land ethics mean to you, and your career dream as what you want to achieve once you complete your education. All this must be typed and double-spaced in a maximum of two pages.
Award amount and application deadline
The deadline to submit all the documents required for this scholarship is February 15, 2024. The scholarship amount for the Leopold Education Project Scholarship program is up to $1000.