NOW OPEN: 2027 Scholarship Application Cycle
The Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society is now accepting scholarship applications from students pursuing wildlife conservation, management, or research in Oregon. We offer four scholarships designed to support students at various stages of their educational journey.
Eligibilty: we welcome applications from both undergraduate and graduate students who are:
- enrolled at Oregon academic institutions in a degree related to wildlife or natural resources,
- who aspire to a wildlife career in Oregon, and
- who currently live, study, and/or conduct research in Oregon
- If selected, the student commits to attend the upcoming Annual Conference to receive the Scholarship. (The student can communicate any challenges to this in their application.)
- Applicants should currently live, study, conduct research, or within the past year worked in Oregon.
Application deadline: November 1, 2026
New this year, both full and part-time students are eligible to apply. In addition, the ORTWS Board hopes scholarship recipients will be able to attend our 2027 Annual Conference (February 9-11, 2027) and is offering a complimentary conference registration waiver as an added benefit to awardees.
Students who attend the conference may also be eligible for our separate volunteer student lodging program, which provides lodging support in exchange for assisting with conference activities during the event. Please visit our conference page for more information by clicking HERE.
The mission of ORTWS includes Inspiring, empowering, and enabling Oregon's wildlife professionals and students to promote science-based wildlife conservation and management through the participation and leadership of an open and inclusive community of members. We are honored to support your wildlife journey.
Available Scholarships
Undergraduate Opportunities
- Outstanding Undergraduate Student Scholarship: $600 +free ORTWS Annual Conference registration *awarded to a graduate student past their first year of study
- Kathy Johnson Outreach Scholarship: $600 +free ORTWS Annual Conference registration *awarded to an undergraduate student who identifies as a non-traditional student (e.g., older, career changers, parents) or a student who faces barriers tied to class, culture, ethnicity, gender, age, language, race, ability, and/or sexual orientation. Our goal is to assist resilient students who are pursuing their educational and professional goals in the wildlife field despite societal challenges.
Graduate Opportunities
- Outstanding New Graduate Student Scholarship: $1000 +free ORTWS Annual Conference Registration *awarded to a graduate student in their first year of study
- Advanced Graduate Student Scholarship: $1000 +free ORTWS Annual Conference registration *awarded to a graduate student past their first year of study
Thank you for applying for an Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society Scholarship!
2026 Scholarship Recipients
Outstanding Undergraduate Student Scholarship: Bayly Kahle
My name is Bayly Kahle, and I am an undergraduate student in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Science studying at Oregon State University. My current research focuses on characterizing dissolved oxygen within and among beaver ponds. I am incredibly interested in community ecology interactions throughout riparian ecosystems. Previous work in the T3 watershed in Washington introduced me to partnerships with commercial logging and restoration efforts, as well as population sampling for juvenile salmonids. My experience has guided me towards emphasizing science communication through leadership roles as the Vice-president of the OSU Fish and Wildlife club as well as volunteering as a bilingual classroom assistant. I hope to continue promoting science communication through a variety of lenses. As an upcoming graduate I hope to continue towards a career that intersects community ecology with community outreach.
Outstanding New Graduate Student Scholarship: David Pearce
Dave is a PhD student in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University. His dissertation research focuses on understanding the genetic structure, connectivity, and hybridization of deer species across Oregon, and how genetic diversity influences bighorn sheep population viability. This work will inform management objectives and identify populations that may require management action.
Prior to his doctoral research, Dave studied the population genetics of African savanna elephants and Masai giraffes and developed quantitative models to estimate white tailed deer and Northern bobwhite quail abundance. Dave advocates for science-based management, communication, and collaborations as essential tools for the sustainable management and conservation of wildlife and natural systems.
Kathy Johnson Outreach Scholarship: Linnea Gebauer
Linnea Gebauer is a Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences student at Oregon State University. Surveying beaver habitat in southern Oregon was her introduction to the field, as well as her inspiration to transfer to OSU to study wildlife and conservation. Learning about the ecosystem engineering capabilities of beavers further inspired her to study wetland ecosystems and riparian restoration. Linnea also has a background in science communication, particularly through film and video editing. She participated in a year-long volunteer program presenting STEM workshops in elementary classrooms across Los Angeles, and she hopes to continue this science communication and education work to increase accessibility in science and promote conservation efforts. As she completes her undergraduate degree at OSU, Linnea is looking forward to graduate school and a future career studying community ecology in aquatic habitats.
Advanced Graduate Student Scholarship: Lindsay Millward
Lindsay Millward is a PhD candidate in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University. Since joining the Epps Lab in 2020, her research has focused on desert bighorn sheep in the Mojave Desert of southern California, examining how individuals adjust their behavior to cope with extreme temperatures and how diet, water use, and space use shape those responses. This work advances our understanding of bighorn sheep natural history while providing insight into the limits of behavioral flexibility in an increasingly arid desert landscape. Prior to her PhD, Lindsay worked on a range of small mammal community and population ecology projects across the Pacific Northwest, including an ongoing role in a long-term monitoring effort examining how mammals interact with roads through the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project in Washington. In addition to research, she finds joy in teaching and supporting undergraduate students, particularly through mentorship and hands-on learning. After graduating, she hopes to build a career that weaves together research, teaching, and mentorship in service of training the next generation of wildlife scientists.