Professor Dean Stauffer was honored with the Excellence in Wildlife Education Award from The Wildlife Society. The award is given to faculty who exhibit exemplary teaching and contribute to the improvement of wildlife education for undergraduate and graduate students.

Stauffer believes the key to being a successful educator is building a rapport with students. “I tell my students, ‘If my office door is open, stop by.’ I love having one-on-one time to work with my students, and there is nothing more rewarding than helping a student master something they’ve struggled with.”

“I like all the aspects of my job, but I think teaching is really where I can have the most impact,” Stauffer continued. “I’ve taught approximately 2,500 students over the years, and I hope that I’ve been able to influence how they look at natural resources and help prepare them as the next generation of natural resources managers.”

Stauffer has also taught 37 weeklong workshops on wildlife habitat evaluation, population management, and population estimation through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kenya Wildlife Service, and the Department of Wildlife Management at the University of Chihuahua in Mexico.

“I was delighted that I received this award,” he added. “It’s an honor to have validation from my peers for the work I’ve been doing my whole career.”

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