Northwest Wildlife Club members (clockwise from left) Ryan Dawson, Jackson Lillard, Maddy Goodwin, Kourtney Chiddix, Ashlea Pennington and Brittany Hutchens erected two wood duck nesting boxes at Mozingo Lake last November. The new student organization provides opportunities to complete service projects and network with professionals in the wildlife field. (Submitted photo)

Feb. 26, 2019

Wildlife Club furthering awareness, enjoyment of nature

By Grace Niemeyer, communication assistant

Northwest Missouri State University’s Wildlife Club is in its second semester as a recognized affiliate of The Wildlife Society and already having impacts in the region.

The organization is dedicated to addressing issues that affect wildlife in North America and throughout the world.

“Being a part of The Wildlife Society opens up many doors for its members,” Wildlife Club Secretary Brittany Hutchens, a senior wildlife ecology and conservation major from Council Bluffs, Iowa, said. “It looks great on a résumé. It also opens many opportunities as far as workshops and conferences, as well as scholarship opportunities.”

For Hutchens, joining the club allowed her to get more involved in her major, network with professionals, volunteer and make some of her closest friends.

“We’ve had many guest speakers come in and share their knowledge about different experiences in the field,” Hutchens said. “That helped prepare me for what to expect and help steer me to exactly what area I want to focus on.”

TJ Peacher, an education and outreach supervisor with the Missouri Department of Conservation, has shared his knowledge and experiences at multiple Wildlife Club meetings. Other speakers have included naturalist Jada Tressler and wildlife biologist Thomas Enright.

Students in other degree programs can join the club, too. Madison Nolte, a senior mass media major from Chamios, Missouri, joined the Wildlife Club to learn more about the wildlife field.

“My dream is to use my degree in journalism to work with an agency that promotes and educates individuals on the importance of conserving our natural resources, as well as keeping them healthy,” Nolte said.

The club volunteers with the Missouri Department of Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge and other local organizations. Members have conducted quail covey counts, tagged monarch butterflies, built and placed duck nesting boxes, and staffed deer check stations.

The Wildlife Club is open to all Northwest students with an interest in enjoying and preserving the environment. Meetings are every other Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Garrett-Strong Science Building, Room 2290.

“People should join to experience everything that the wildlife major as well as this area has to offer,” Wildlife Club President Blake Charboneau, a senior wildlife ecology and conservation major from Desloge, Missouri, said. “It allows you the opportunity to gain skills and experiences that will be beneficial to resumes and job applications.”