Presented by Northeast Section, The Wildlife Society

Learn hands-on from professional wildlife biologists during this valuable, immersive experience. PA TWS also sponsors an annual scholarship open to undergraduate students attending Pennsylvania colleges and universities.

 

Dates: May 17–30, 2026

Location: Paul Smith’s College, New York

Contact: nefieldcourse@gmail.com

 

PATWS Northeast Section Student Field Course Scholarship

Why a field course?

The Section views the training and professional development of students in college and university wildlife programs as a vital part of it’s mission. We have detected, through a variety of channels, the sense among our members that there has been a decrease in the amount of field-based learning that colleges and universities can provide students in the current academic environment. Specifically, few schools today can offer a “wildlife field camp” experience to their students. There are a variety of reasons for this, but the net effect is that though most schools do offer various forms of field-based learning through regular courses and labs during their semesters, the type of experiential learning that can take place at a field camp is not required or readily available to most undergraduate students. At a time when many incoming students have not had ready access to the type of outdoor experiences that shaped previous generations of wildlife professionals, the Section members think the field camp experience is more important than ever.

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What types of activities will be offered?

You will be taught by seasoned professionals in each field and will learn first hand what goes on in the day-to-day lives of a wildlife professional.

This course will provide hands-on experience in a variety of skills including:

• Trapping of small mammals

• Telemetry

• Use of chemical immobilization equipment

• Map and compass use

• GPS use

• Wildlife education tools (e.g. Project WILD, Aquatic Project WILD)

• Habitat mapping, bird and herptile surveys

• Discussion sessions on careers and current wildlife conservation and management issues with professional biologists

• Identification of common trees and plants

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Click here to read John McDonald’s article on the field course, which was included in the November/December 2017 issue of The Wildlife Professional.

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Click here for a blog post on the USFWS site from a past student.

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The Section’s Summer 2016 newsletter features an article from a student that attended the course.

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