Undergraduate Awards & Scholarships

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife's undergraduate awards and scholarships are highly competitive and typically go to students who are academically strong, active in the department, and engaged within the profession.

Current Student Scholarships

Students who have been on the MSU campus for at least one semester are eligible to apply. An annual call for scholarship applications with eligibility requirements for each award will be e-mailed to students in the Fall semester. FW scholarships use a shared application unless otherwise noted below. Recipients will be announced during the Spring semester and are expected to attend the annual Fisheries and Wildlife Awards Banquet in April.

Anglers of the Au Sable Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000). This scholarship is sponsored by the Anglers of the Au Sable (AAS). AAS is a non-profit fishing club whose purpose is to teach, inform, and guide the public to respect and appreciate the Great Lakes, rivers and land around us, and to promote and protect the fisheries resources therein. This scholarship is awarded to a Senior Fisheries and Wildlife major with a demonstrated interest in freshwater fish biology, who best adheres to the principles of the Anglers of the Au Sable (preserve, protect and enhance the Au Sable River System for future generations of fly fishers.)

Rebecca Humphries Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000). This scholarship recognizes and facilitates students to become future leaders in conservation. The award is named in honor of Rebecca Humphries, an FW alum who became the first female director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) in 2004 and currently serves on the Michigan Natural Resources Commission. The scholarship is awarded to a Fisheries and Wildlife major with demonstrated leadership experience, and involvement in student organizations or external groups that focus on wildlife conservation and/or societal wellbeing.

Niles R. Kevern Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000). This scholarship is awarded to a Fisheries and Wildlife major who has demonstrated strong academic achievement, dedication to the mission of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and the potential to be successful in their profession. The award is named in honor of former Fisheries and Wildlife chair Dr. Niles Kevern, who was committed to fostering student engagement and experiential learning.

Michigan Charter Boat Association Denny Grinold Scholarship (2 @ $2,000). This scholarship is intended to encourage students who have demonstrated the capacity to achieve educational and professional goals, the motivation to achieve these goals, and the initiative to seek opportunities to further their progress. It is awarded to students interested in fishing issues, especially dealing with Great Lakes and sports fishing.

International Wildlife Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000). The purpose of this award is to recognize a student who has demonstrated a commitment and passion to global issues in wildlife conservation. Michigan State University and the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife are strongly committed to supporting our students as global citizens. This award recognizes a student who has shown a dedication to issues of global importance in wildlife conservation. Students who have participated in a Study Abroad or other international experiences will be given preference for this award.

Jeffery D. Rupert Leadership Excellence Award ($1,000). This scholarship was established by FW alumnus Jeffery Rupert to recognize a Fisheries and Wildlife major who has exhibited extraordinary leadership abilities both in and outside the department, has been involved in professional societies as a member of the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club and/or a student member of the American Fisheries Society or The Wildlife Society, and has demonstrated scholastic excellence and a high potential for success in the fisheries and wildlife field.

Peter I. Tack Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000). This scholarship was established to provide support and encouragement to undergraduate students in the fisheries and wildlife major who have demonstrated the capacity to achieve educational and professional goals, the motivation to achieve these goals, and the initiative to seek opportunities to further their progress. It was established by Dr. Peter Tack (1911-2004), inaugural chair of MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, together with his wife Elizabeth.

Merrill "Pete" Petoskey Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000). This scholarship is awarded to a student with a Fisheries and Wildlife major who has demonstrated financial need, dedication to the mission of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and evidence of leadership abilities. The scholarship was named for Pete Petoskey, an MSU alumnus and former Director of Wildlife Management for the U.S. Forest Service who devoted his personal and professional life to conservation and a passion for stewardship of our natural resources.

William "Bill" Porter Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000). This scholarship was established to honor the distinguished career of the late Dr. William (“Bill”) Porter, who served as the Boone and Crockett Club Professor at MSU from 2010 until his passing in 2020. The scholarship recognizes an undergraduate student who demonstrates a strong commitment to wildlife conservation and has a passion for communicating and leading: traits that personified Dr. Porter.

Riley-Gregory Education Abroad Scholarship ($3,000). This scholarship was established by FW Emeritus Professor Shawn Riley and his late wife Shari Gregory to provide funding for MSU Fisheries and Wildlife majors to study abroad, with preference given to students with a demonstrated financial need who have not previously traveled outside the U.S. A separate application for this award is e-mailed to eligible students during fall semester.

Current Student Grants

Heather Catlin-Hicks Conference Travel Grant ($2,000). This grant is awarded to a Fisheries and Wildlife major with a demonstrated financial need. The grant can be used to cover expenses to attend a regional or national fisheries and wildlife conference of the student's choice, or to participate in an internship opportunity that requires travel. It was established in memory of Heather Catlin Hicks, an FW alumna who passed away from breast cancer in 2008. A separate application for this award is e-mailed to eligible students during fall semester.

Current Student Awards

Fisheries and Wildlife Faculty Outstanding Senior ($2,000). This award goes to the senior in Fisheries and Wildlife who has demonstrated high scholastic achievement and has contributed to the goals of the University, the Department, and to the fisheries and wildlife profession. Students considered for this award are nominated and voted on by the Fisheries and Wildlife faculty.

College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Wildlife