VIRGINIA TECH WILDLIFE GRADUATE
HONORED
BLACKSBURG,
Va., June 24, 2004 - Michael
Nichols of Bent Mountain, Va.,
a recent wildlife science graduate
in the College of Natural Resources
at Virginia Tech, was awarded
The Virginia Chapters of the
Wildlife Society Student Scholarship.
"Nichols
is a solid ambassador of Virginia
Tech's wildlife program and
has been successful in maintaining
a very high caliber of academic
performance," praised Don Orth,
head of the Department of Fisheries
and Wildlife Sciences. He has
worked summers at Chincoteague
National Wildlife Refuge and
has spent a semester abroad
taking a full suite of coursework
at the University of New Zealand.
The
active student monitored piping
plover reproductive success,
radio tracked, fox squirrels,
banded geese, and educated the
public about beach use and wildlife
protection. He had developed
GIS skills and a broad knowledge
of international issues in marine
ecology. "His breadth of work
and educational experience is
outstanding for an undergraduate
student," said Orth.
The
College of Natural Resources
at Virginia Tech consistently
ranks among the top five programs
of its kind in the nation. Faculty
members stress both the technical
and human elements of natural
resources and instill in students
a sense of stewardship and land-use
ethics. Areas of studies include
environmental resource management,
fisheries and wildlife sciences,
forestry, geospatial and environmental
analysis, natural resource recreation,
urban forestry, wood science
and forest products, geography,
and international development.
